TX-27: Another Open

Texas Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Corpus Christi) announced yesterday that he will end his re-election campaign amid continuing sexual harassment claims.  Mr. Farenthold had previously filed for a fifth term, but will instead retire from the House at the end of the current Congress.  Before candidate filing concluded, Rep. Farenthold drew a credible Republican primary challenger in the person of former Texas Water Development Board chairman Bech Bruun.  Despite five other Republicans being in the race, Mr. Bruun now becomes the favorite to carry the new open seat. 
 
The 27th District that stretches from Corpus Christi all the way to the outskirts of Austin is safely Republican.  President Trump won the district in a 60-36% margin.  Four years earlier, Mitt Romney carried the seat, 60-38%.
 
The Farenthold departure means that there are now 42 open or vacant seats in the House to be filled in the subsequent election.  Within the 42, Republicans hold 28 seats as compared to the Democrats’ 14.

--Jim Ellis