According to its website, OPUC represents the interests of residential and small commercial consumers, as a class, in utility proceedings in Texas. Unsurprisingly, Gov. Patricks calls came after he tried to assert himself prominently in responding to the winter storm by demanding leadership changes at state regulatory agencies and sparring with one Abbott-appointed regulator on the senate floor. Updated: Feb. 10, 2023. A spokesperson for Abbott told the Defenders via email, Governor Abbott has made the reform of ERCOT an emergency item and has assured the public we will not leave this session without reforming the entity.. A Texas Politics Project July poll indicates the race for Texas governor is tightening. Democrat Mike Collier gets his rematch with incumbent Lt. Gov. O'Rourke's latest haul includes $2 million raised during the first 24 hours of his campaign, collected frommore than 20,000 individual donors. Carney said Abbott spent $6.1 million to help down-ballot Republicans. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Most of Patricks energy industry money received in June was driven by oil executives. According to the most recent campaign finance reports made to the Texas Ethics Commission, the governor received $44,778,653 in total contributions and spent $37,930,300 between January 1, 2021 and February 19, 2022. That said, she fully supports Governor Abbotts decision to declare the grid event an emergency item for the Legislatures attention and is fully committed, along with her fellow commissioners, to engaging in the legislative inquiry on the way to understanding what factors collided with a natural disaster to cause the outages. Abbott, who has held a commanding lead in cash on hand during the race, touts $46 million in his campaign coffers. Texas governor race: Beto O'Rourke, Greg Abbott campaigns raise more Abbotts candidate committee from another committee affiliated with the governor. Hes running for reelection in 2022, said Patrick spokeswoman Sherry Sylvester. All rights reserved, Texas House Plans to Pass Largest Property Tax Decrease Ever,' Speaker Phelan Says, Texas Republicans to Vote on Resolution That Would Censure Rep. Tony Gonzales, 3 Children Killed, 2 Wounded in Ellis County Home; 1 in Custody: Sheriff, Actor Tom Sizemore, of Saving Private Ryan,' Dies at 61. 2022 campaign contributions: Who's backing Texas political candidates Abbott is a member of the Republican Party and first assumed office in 2015. ORourke received about 391,496 individual donations from outside the state, while Abbott received roughly 109,493. motivation for each individual giver. But the bill didnt set a hard deadline for when the upgrades need to be complete and it stopped short of detailing how the state would enforce and incentivize the process called weatherization. I just dont know whos out there who would be able to dethrone an incumbent assuming that COVID improves, the economy does well and Abbott doesnt step his foot into something, Eshbaugh-Soha said. These generous contributions from people all across Texas show just how excited Texans are for this campaign, Abbott said in a statement. Greg Abbott (R), who easily won the primary with more than 66% of the vote, is by far the largest beneficiary of the industry's political giving. Greg Abbott, gives an update on an investigation into the massacre in Uvalde, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The warnings led to renewed calls for the Legislature to take more urgent action to fix the power grid. Speaking of donations he received from Texans in all 254 counties, Abbott said that with such help we will continue to spread the messages of freedom and liberty to every corner of the Lone Star State.. But to build a better future for every Texan, I need your help. Cobos was appointed chief executive and public counsel of the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC) by Abbott in March 2019, three months after donating $1,050 to Abbotts campaign, state contribution records show. For some energy experts, the increase in donations for the officials at the close of the session looks like a reward for not passing more stringent regulations and raises questions about whether lawmakers let the oil, gas and the broader energy industry off easy for its massive failures. Among elected officials holding the same level of state office, fundraising varies widely. The storm, as bad as it was, helped him on his bottom line for contributions.. Critics said this and other storm response bills spearheaded by these lawmakers also failed to provide direct assistance to people harmed by Februarys power crisis or to help Texans reduce electricity use to take pressure off the grid during extreme weather. He did not respond to a request for comment. Texas Gov. Abbott reports record fundraising ahead of 2022 elections A PUC spokesman instead sent the following statement: Dillon, responding on Chairman Walkers behalf as shes still fully engaged in issues related to the winter storm related grid event. ORourkes Powered by People PAC gave $1.7 million to his own campaign. State requirements related to itemization thresholds and employment disclosures vary. Those have always come from the energy industry, recently acquired by Roskis Majestic Realty. From June 21 to June 30, after the legislative fundraising blackout ended, five of the largest and most prominent companies in the Texas power grid supply chain Calpine, Centerpoint, NRG Energy, Oncor and Vistra or their top executives collectively donated about $497,000 to state elected officials and political groups. UHs Cross said Abbott actually was straddling various state GOP factions long before 2020 and will continue to do so. While summary numbers are reported almost immediately by the Together, we will make sure that Texas remains the best state to live, work, and raise a family. Abbott has run a similar playbook as Perry and has taken it to a different level, Rottinghaus said. Abbott's campaign stressed that since the start of 2021, the two-term Republican incumbent "has raised nearly $95 million from more than 418,000 donations." Since O'Rourke announced his. Democrat Beto O'Rourke hasraised $7.2 million since launchinghis campaign for Texas governor, according to his campaign. Because Texas doesnt have limits on contribution amounts, rich and powerful people can cut massive checks to campaigns. Billionaire money manager Ken Fisher, who lives in Dallas, donated $25,000 to Abbotts campaign, plus $100,000 to the Defend Texas PAC. In April, Abbott had been ahead of O'Rourke by 11 points. "I'm grateful for everyone who helped us raise $27.63. concerted effort by that organization to "bundle" contributions to the candidate. Although individual contributions are generally categorized based on the donor's occupation/employer, in some cases As Gov. The data is from the period between Jan. 1, 2021, and Oct. 29, 2022. This means that overall, Abbotts Texas donors gave more than ORourkes Texas donors. In Texas, Gov. To request permission for commercial use, please contactus. As CNBC reported, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer criticized Republicans in a speech on. As he preps for 2022, Abbott may steal a page from U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who last year tried to hold on to fervent Trump supporters while appealing to more moderate swing voters in the suburbs. Four out of the top 10 individual donors to Abbott are oil and gas men. Im grateful for everyone who helped raise $25.18 million in just three months as we support the work of our organizers and record-breaking 100,000 volunteers, said ORourke. All rights reserved. Texas elected officials cant receive campaign donations during the session, but after it ended in May, they were showered in cash by the energy industry even more than usual for a group known for its deep pockets and generous campaign giving. Greg Abbott, who is heading into a reelection year in 2022, benefited most from the flood of June campaign donations from the energy industry. The oil and gas industry was Abbotts top contributor, accounting for 19% of all funds raised, according to the report. As Texas voters go to the polls next week, it is clear which candidate billionaires are backing in the gubernatorial primary: current Gov. His campaign accepted more than $12 million in political contributions from oil and gas companies and executives this election cycle. A report from Texans for Public Justice released this week found that Abbott raised more than $87 million in campaign contributions from the start of 2017 through the end of last year. The amount of money the senator fundraised from energy interests jumped from $1,000 to $44,500, the Tribune found. But by the end of the legislative session, if Texas top power companies were aggrieved by the way they were treated by the Legislature or any of the new laws passed targeting their industry, they didnt show it. Other billionaires with major oil and gas interests who are backing Abbott include Nancy Kinder, the wife of Kinder Morgan cofounder Richard Kinder; Hilcorp cofounder Jeff Hildebrand; Chief Oil & Gas founder Trevor Rees-Jones; Hunt Oil heir Ray Lee Hunt and Western Refining founder Paul Foster, who Abbott appointed to run the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission in April last year. by Mitchell Ferman and Carla Astudillo Board member Mark Carpenter, a senior vice president with Dallas-based Oncor Electric Delivery, has contributed $10,000 to Texans for Greg Abbott, Abbotts campaign war chest, since October 2018. State requirements related to itemization thresholds and employment More than a quarter of Hancocks contributions in June came from energy interests, about $53,500 the most he has ever received in a post-legislative session period. The Legislature ultimately passed a bill shepherded by Paddie in the House and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, in the Senate that requires power generation companies to prepare to withstand extreme weather conditions. Warren has given Abbott $250,000 donations almost every year since he won the governors office in 2014. Robert T. Garrett, Austin Bureau Chief. Wheat criticized Abbotts decision last week to blame the power grids supply issues on frozen wind turbines. Race for Texas governor: Energy industry's campaign contributions Here's Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis makes California pilgrimage to woo But an analysis of state campaign finance records by the KSAT 12 Defenders shows three current members of ERCOTs board have contributed thousands to Abbotts campaigns, with some of the funds dating back to his days as Texas Attorney General. Abbott's campaign said it received nearly 113,000 contributions and that 86% of the campaign contributions came from within Texas. Thats what allows Gov. Visit us at Ballotpedia.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Abbott talks parental empowerment, 'regulatory consistency' to open In Texas, Gov. State Rep. Chris Paddie, R-Marshall, chair of the powerful state affairs committee in the House, was among those lawmakers. He is an amateur triathlete, enjoys playing and watching soccer, traveling and hanging out with his wife. Political strife: The Texas Legislatures toughest 2021 challenges, A day after powerful thunderstorms, North Texas surveys the damage, 3 children killed, 2 wounded at Ellis County home; suspect in custody, How a Texas districts reaction to school shooting fears highlights discipline concerns, Carrollton man advertised pills on social media to entice teens to buy fentanyl, feds say. Learn more. reports from the FEC or state campaign finance agencies that reach applicable itemization thresholds. Gas producers got a pass by Texas policymakers, said Michael Webber, professor of energy resources at the University of Texas at Austin. State GOP Chairman Allen West heads most lists of possible challengers to Abbott in the March 2022 Republican primary, many of which also include former state Sen. Don Huffines. Referring to gun control stands by ORourke and the possibility the Texas Democrat could return to Washington, Carney said, Being Biden administration gun czar is not the best credential to use to run for anything in Texas.. Making a million-dollar political donation to reward the government for its light touch and encourage the government to continue turning a blind eye to price gouging and windfall profits while hundreds of people die seems like a good return on investment., Making a million-dollar political donation to reward the government for its light touch and encourage the government to continue turning a blind eye to price gouging and windfall profits while hundreds of people die seems like a good return on investment.. Texas has no limits on campaign contributions. and formats. Walker, the chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas and a former senior policy advisor to Abbott, contributed $7,620 to Texans for Greg Abbott from 2009 to 2015, state campaign records show. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 50th attorney general of Texas from 2002 to 2015 and as a member of the Texas Supreme Court from 1996 to 2001.. Abbott was the third Republican to serve as attorney general of Texas since the . Nearly half (45%) of the 1,200 Texas voters who participated in the poll indicated support for Abbott while 39% showed support for O'Rourke. Overall since 2014, Abbott has received about $30 million from oil, gas and other energy interests, which is about 18% of his $166 million total raised in that time. In January, fracking billionaire Farris Wilks, who gained national attention when he poured $15 million into backing Ted Cruzs 2016 presidential bid, gave $2 million to a PAC called Defend Texas Liberty that donated $1 million to the campaign of Don Huffines, another candidate running in the Republican primary who is considered a long shot to win. Campaign finance reports by Abbott, Lt. Gov. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. The Texas Tribune has been tracking contributions, expenditures and cash on hand for both candidates since ORourke officially entered the race in November last year. Open Secrets following the money in politics, OpenSecrets Following the money in politics, Why (and How) We Use Donors' Employer/Occupation Information, Organization unavailable for these records. We dont take anything for granted, he said. More:Greg Abbott campaign promises 'knock-out, drag-out fight' in race against Beto O'Rourke. Given more time, Gov. Abbott reported $37.9 million, with 79.1 percent of all spending going to the 10 payees topping the list. O'Rourke at that time had raised $7.2 million while Abbott raised nearly $19 million in the last six months of 2021, according to January campaign finance reports. In fact, Abbott's campaign said he has raised $95 million this election season. Note that Paxtons top donor is the same as Gov. Bob has covered state government and politics for The Dallas Morning News since 2002. A fifth-generation Texan, Bob earned a bachelors degree from Harvard University. Gov. Fixing Texas power grid was about the only thing Republicans and Democrats in the legislative session seemed to agree on earlier this year. That has resulted in both candidates receiving a large number of donations from outside Texas. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Disclosure: Javaid Anwar, Tench and Simone Otus Coxe, Marguerite Hoffman, Gary Martin, Gulf States Toyota, HillCo Partners LLC and Ross Perot Jr./Hillwood Development Co. LLC have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. We will secure the future of Texas." Email * Zip Code * He said the latest contributions of $25 million came from nearly 475,000 donors, making the average contribution $53. The money came from159,000 total contributions with an average contribution of roughly $119, his campaign said Tuesday. In the final half of 2020, Abbott collected contributions from 22,598 donors, 10,116 of whom were new, his campaign announced Wednesday. Texas Gov. Abbott receives $44.8 million, with a Greg - Ballotpedia As a Republican and a Texan, Abbott may have received significant campaign contributions from the NRA. Patrick is in the middle of a131-stop bus tour across Texas, while Collier continues totout his alliances with moderateRepublicans who are endorsing him over the incumbent. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Spent $5.3 Million On Reelection Inauguration Greg Abbott and Beto O'Rourke broke fundraising - The Texas Tribune Its the same people talking to the same people and you wonder if the people being left out are the average Texans, said Wheat. Totals for industries (and larger economic Texas Gov. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Over that same short stretch in June, 11 prominent oil industry leaders, including billionaires Kelcy Warren, S. Javaid Anwar and Douglas Scharbauer all three whom could not be reached for comment combined to contribute about $3.2 million to Texas elected officials, up from about $2.2 million over the same period following the previous legislative session in 2019. Both are from Dallas. The pay for play proposal was passed by the full House but was killed in Lt. Gov. On Friday, Texans for Greg Abbott announced in a press release the governor raised nearly $25 . That far exceeds the $6.8 million in cash on hand that ORourkes committee, Beto For Texas, reported as of the same date. Abbott received $4.6 million from energy. Texas Governor Greg Abbott's 2019 reelection inaugural was a 2-day event that included balls, candlelight dinners, barbecues and other VIP events -- costing some $5.3 million for the celebrations. However, her son, H. Ross Perot Jr., who is also a billionaire, has given $500,000 to Abbotts campaign. Collier now has more money, a stronger team and a ground game that has pushed Patrick torun a more aggressive and public-facing campaignthan he ran four years ago. For a time, there was buzz about Shelley Luther, who catapulted to fame for reopening her Dallas hair salon in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions. Democrat Beto O'Rourke has raised $7.2 million since launching his campaign for Texas governor . As Texas voters go to the polls next week, it is clear which candidate billionaires are backing in the . A spokesperson for Paddie did not respond to questions. Of the donors, O'Rourke's campaign said 98% of the donations were received online and that teachers contributed more than any other occupation. DeSantis, who frequently tangles . We are going to defeat him and ensure Texas finally leads in great jobs, world-class schools, the ability to see a doctor, keeping our kids safe and restoring a womans freedom to make her own decisions about her own body.. 20005. There is also a time lag in posting the information. Here's how much. The epic Texas freeze fueled a surge of campaign cash, with the war chest of Gov. interest group. For that Dillon is a two-time Houston Press Club Journalist of the Year and a Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Reporter of the Year. Caroline Covington contributed to this story. That's four times more. Show us with your support. The organizations that donated the most money to Abbott this reporting period have previously given to the governor. Texas Gov. available information, the donor is given an economic code. Kelcy Warren, CEO of Dallas-based Energy Transfer, gave the most money, with a single $1 million contribution to Gov. Get the latest politics news from North Texas and beyond. We shouldnt be sure that theres going to be significant reform and regular citizens have to be pressuring their lawmakers, pressuring their state officials so that our voice gets heard as well as those people who are essentially wining and dining and giving money to the politicians, said Wheat, who added that the contributions are likely small compared to those some politicians receive from energy executives and energy-backed PACs. The two-term governor is one of the most prolific GOP fundraisers in the country and had previously reported raising more than $30 million through the first half of the year and said Tuesday his campaign has now raised $95 million during the current election cycle from more than 418,000 contributors. Final fundraising figures show that both gubernatorial candidates raised a combined $160 million in the November midterm election. Where available, OpenSecrets uses that employer/occupation information to identify the donor's economic interest. disclosures vary. Abbott's campaign said it received nearly 113,000 contributions and that 86% of the campaign contributions came from within Texas. ORourkes top donors come from industries including finance, media and philanthropy. their contributions as being related to the "First National Bank" since that's the source of the family's income. website. Warrens Energy Transfer cofounder Ray Davis gave $125,000 to Abbott. Greg Abbott, the state budget and CPS and foster care. ABBOTT, GREG - FollowTheMoney.org How has the candidates fundraising compared over time? During the same stretch after the two subsequent . Greg Abbott speaks during a campaign event on February 23 in Houston. There will be one last update in January with final fundraising numbers for the 2022 midterms. The top donor, Greg Abbott, represents reported contributions received by Gov. A large chunk of that cash was driven by Oncor, Texas largest transmission and distribution electric company, with many big donations coming from the company's executives. Energy Industry Showers Abbott, Other Texas Politicians With Campaign Donors who give more than $200 to any federal candidate, PAC or party committee must list their occupation and Oliver told KSAT that he was also unaware of any recent criticism levied toward ERCOT by Abbott. Not long after, Abbott released a list of issues lawmakers needed to address in July during a special-called legislative session.