To request permission for commercial use, please contactus. First, we apply a code to the contribution, identifying the industry. As CNBC reported, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer criticized Republicans in a speech on. Greg Abbott said his campaign raised nearly $19 million in the last six months of 2021, a total that brought his campaign war chest to a staggering $65 million in December. During the same stretch after the two subsequent legislative sessions in 2017 and 2019, fewer than 9% of Paddies contributions came from energy interests. The amount of money the senator fundraised from energy interests jumped from $1,000 to $44,500, the Tribune found. such as textbooks, contact OpenSecrets: info[at]crp.org. The pay for play proposal was passed by the full House but was killed in Lt. Gov. "As we move into the heat of the summer campaign, were well positioned to fund all our campaign efforts, Texans for Greg Abbott Campaign Chairman Gardner Pate said in the Friday release. Governor Patrick, who moved immediately following the February storm to call for the resignations of both the PUC board and ERCOT, both of which were fully reformed through Senate Bills 2 and 3.. corporations and unions can give directly to campaigns in many jurisdictions. FEC and listed quickly on OpenSecrets processing and analyzing the detailed records takes much longer. Texans for Public Justice released this week, A bill proposed by San Antonio Republican state Rep. Lyle Larson in 2017. Were receiving support from those in every part of this state who are ready to hold Greg Abbott fully accountable for eight years of failing all of us as he continues to put his extreme agenda over the people of Texas. If enough contributions came in from people connected 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. OpenSecrets A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization 1100 13th Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 857-0044 INFO: info@crp.org DeSantis, who frequently tangles . A contribution to a candidate may be given an A fifth-generation Texan, Bob earned a bachelors degree from Harvard University. Do you value our journalism? Abbotts potential opponents next year include former Democratic presidential hopeful Beto ORourke as well as several fellow Republicans who have criticized COVID-19 executive orders as overreach. The Abbott campaign said it has raised nearly $68 million since the campaign's start in June 2021. Although individual contributions are generally categorized based on the donor's occupation/employer, in some cases Schwertner went from receiving 3% of his overall campaign contributions from the energy industry in the fundraising period after the 2015 legislative session to the industry making up about 32% of . their contributions as being related to the "First National Bank" since that's the source of the family's income. AUSTIN Heading into the 2022 campaign season, Gov. the first of the month. after the 20th of every month. OpenSecrets updates federal figures for "Total Raised and Spent" and for "PAC/Individual Split" a few days after Caroline Covington contributed to this story. Last Christmas, Governor Greg Abbott bussed and dumped migrant families in the freezing cold in Washington, D.C. Show us with your support. State requirements related to itemization thresholds and employment disclosures vary. The rest of Abbott's campaign contributions for the 2020 election cycle are made up of moderate-to-large donations as well as small-dollar donors. You may opt-out by, Source of wealth: Houston Rockets, entertainment, Source of wealth: Computer services, real estate, Source of wealth: Hyatt hotels, investments. Abbott is running for re-election in 2022. Still, in the 2019 legislative session, Abbott successfully appealed to GOP leaders and lawmakers to tend to bread-and-butter issues such as improving public schools and lowering property taxes. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? However, Abbott has been a prolific fundraiser for years, which gave him the upper hand earlier in the race. Corporations themselves cannot donate to candidates at the federal level but federal candidates can get contributions from corporate PACs, employees and owners as well as their immediate families. for data entry). Crenshaw, 36, is almost as renowned a fundraiser as Abbott, 63. That has resulted in both candidates receiving a large number of donations from outside Texas. O'Rourke's latest haul includes $2 million raised during the first 24 hours of his campaign, collected frommore than 20,000 individual donors. That far exceeds the $6.8 million in cash on hand that ORourkes committee, Beto For Texas, reported as of the same date. Gov. After the 2021 regular legislative session, energy industry donations totaling $26,000 for the period made up 88% of Paddies campaign contributions over just the last 10 days of June. ideological code, rather than an economic code, if the contributor gives to an ideological political action Texas Gov. 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. He helped raised $54 million for GOP gubernatorial candidates in other states, Carney said. Texas Gov. Campaign finance reports by Abbott, Lt. Gov. Greg Abbott raised almost $25 million during the same period, according to Friday press releases from both of the campaigns. During that week, Abbott assured Texans the grid was in better shape than ever. ORourke and Abbott will compete separately in their own party primaries on March 1, but many are already looking ahead to a general election between the former Democratic House representative and the current Republican governor. Abbott received $4.6 million from energy. Show us with your support. Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, who is seeking his third term in office, has reported huge fundraising hauls in the past, amassing staggering amounts of cash in his campaign coffers. Dan Patricks Senate. Neither Cobos or the spokesperson ended up providing a statement for this story. The. According to June polls from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas, 4 in 5 respondents support background checks on all gun purchases, and just 15% support an abortion ban. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Gov. 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. Those donations included $1 million from Warren, cofounder of a pipeline company that made $2.4 billion from the winter storm, according to a report from Bloomberg. Abbott and ORourke are not the only gubernatorial candidates who have received backing from local Texas billionaires. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Greg Abbott, gives an update on an investigation into the massacre in Uvalde, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Warrens Energy Transfer cofounder Ray Davis gave $125,000 to Abbott. State Rep. Chris Paddie, R-Marshall, chair of the powerful state affairs committee in the House, was among those lawmakers. But were looking at almost two years until our election. His chemical logistics company serves the oil and gas industry, among others. In the final half of 2020, Abbott collected contributions from 22,598 donors, 10,116 of whom were new, his campaign announced Wednesday. 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.. The power grid was not included. 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. While some of this money. A Crenshaw aide, though, said hes not thinking about running for governor. 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. Find a complete list of them here. Washington, Democrats have not won a statewide office in three decades, but incumbent Republican Ken Paxton is deemed vulnerable because of his2015 felony indictment for securities fraudand unrelated accusations of corruption that his top aides took to the FBIin late 2020. ALBANY - Gov. As of February 19, Abbotts committee reported that it had about $50 million in cash on hand. Greg Abbott raised almost $25 million during the same period, according to. Wheat criticized Abbotts decision last week to blame the power grids supply issues on frozen wind turbines. Texas Ethics Commission records, however, show that three of the 13 representatives on the House Committee on State Affairs have accepted contributions from ERCOT board member Clifton Karnei. Gas producers got a pass by Texas policymakers, said Michael Webber, professor of energy resources at the University of Texas at Austin. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference regarding Texas emergency response to an unprecedented winter storm gripping Texas on Feb. 13, 2021. shifted blame to renewable energy sources, significant power generation was unexpectedly offline, Abbott assured Texans the grid was in better shape than ever. requested and disclosed, if provided. individual contributions have yet been classified by OpenSecrets. Thanks to our generous supporters, our campaign helped secure Republican victories across the state of Texas this election cycle, he said. The leading two candidates for Texas governor each pulled in about $25 million in campaign contributions during the summer, with a slight edge going to Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke who reported 10 times as many donors. In cases where two or more people from the same family contributed, the income-earner's occupation/employer is The Defenders sent Oliver quotes from a Feb. 18 press conference during which Abbott said, ERCOT failed on each of these measures that they said they had undertaken. Outgoing Texas GOP Chairman Allen West and former state Senator Don Huffines of Dallas both accused the governor of not being conservative enough. These totals are conservative, as not all of the But Luthers star appears to have dimmed after she lost a special election for state Senate last month. Abbott signed into law last year an abortion ban excepting cases when the life of a pregnant patientis in danger that takes effect later this summer. Cobos salary is $143,000. 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. Democrat Rochelle Garza, a former attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, has struggled to fundraise at the levels needed to take on the well-funded and well-known incumbent. Absent that storm, his contributions would have been different, said Bill Miller, a longtime Texas political consultant and lobbyist. Slawson and Shaheen each received $150 last year, records show. But to build a better future for every Texan, I need your help. Connect with needs and opportunities from. That amount is up from 12% of his contributions coming from energy interests after the 2019 session, about $383,000. in the DFW area that need your help or can provide help during How many donations came from within Texas? Gov. sparring with one Abbott-appointed regulator on the senate floor. grand total of contributions Greg Abbott has reported in 2022Number of Contributions from Individuals (above itemization threshold): 292,180. While (Gov. The other organizations on the list include law firms, teachers groups and liberal political action committees. And what you want to be able to do is have the ear of the lawmakers, said Andrew Wheat of Texans for Public Justice, an Austin non-profit that tracks money in Texas politics. by Carla Astudillo, Caroline Covington and Eric Lau interest group. state officeholders may be subject to longer time lags, as OpenSecrets aggregates this information from many sources While former Gov. Second, we standardize the name of the donor's employer. His campaign accepted more than $12 million in political contributions from oil and gas companies and executives this election cycle. Dillon's investigative stories air weeknights on the Nightbeat and on the Six O'Clock News. Four out of the top 10 individual donors to Abbott are oil and gas men. O'Rourke is running in the Democratic primary and facesMichael Cooper, Joy Diaz, Inocencio Barrientez and Rich Wakeland. After the Defenders reached out to Cobos seeking comment Tuesday, Jon Oliver, an OPUC spokesperson, called back and said he was unaware of any campaign contributions made to Abbott. That amount is up from 12% of his contributions coming from energy interests after the 2019 session, about $383,000. Energy officials have repeatedly said that the states natural gas supply was also hindered by the storm, in large part because energy plants did not have properly winterized equipment. 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. Breaking down the contributions by ZIP code in Texas, ORourke received more money from donors in major cities, which are Democratic strongholds. Greg Abbott urges letting the vote counting play out in Trump-Biden race, How a Joe Biden win isnt necessarily bad news for Texas Gov. Abbott.. Democrat Beto O'Rourke announced he's running for governor of Texas and says he'll move past divisive politics and bring the state together. The Stockyards Station Hotel, recently acquired by Roskis Majestic Realty, donated over $382,000 in event expenses while HillCo PAC, an Austin lobbyist firm, donated a total of $336,000. Here is how fundraising by Texas Gov. Abbott is tending to home state business, he noted. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. A Texas Politics Project July poll indicates the race for Texas governor is tightening. Abbott candidate committee made to another committee affiliated with the governor. However, her son, H. Ross Perot Jr., who is also a billionaire, has given $500,000 to Abbotts campaign. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. The approach was a response to Democratic success in the 2018 midterms. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. This past Valentine's Day, Texas Senator Drew Springer filed SB 923, delivering on Abbott's reelection campaign goal to deny undocumented children access to public education unless the . 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. If recent historys any guide, by November 2022, which will be Bidens first midterm election, Democrats may not be riding so high, he noted. Energy Transfer CEO Kelcy Warren is one of Abbotts top donors. Get the latest politics news from North Texas and beyond. Greg Abbott continued his legislative push for "parental empowerment" in Austin on Wednesday while also expressing support for a bill meant to keep local . Hancock also has ties to the energy industry in his full-time job as a business owner. ORourkes 2019 presidential run created some problems, she acknowledged. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton underscored how the gambling industry continues to covet a huge market now beyond its reach Texas, the . The comments came during an appearance on Fox News. How has the candidates fundraising compared over time? According to its website, OPUC represents the interests of residential and small commercial consumers, as a class, in utility proceedings in Texas. On the expenditures side, Gov. Abbott raises $19 million, Beto O'Rourke's fast start nets $7.2 million in race for governor. voters, researchers and others. Rick Perry and Democrat Tony Sanchez spent in 2002 and the combined $90 million Abbott and Democrat Wendy Davis spent in 2014. Greg Abbott, who is heading into a re-election year. Greg Abbott. Abbott has long been considered a prolific fundraiser and O'Rourke garnered a similar reputation during his 2018 bid for the U.S. Senate, when he raised more than $80 million for his campaign. That is why Congress and many states have mandated that candidates, political Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke has had $47,177,963 contributed to his campaign. ORourke received $2.2 million from Austin couple Simone Coxe, who has worked in communications, and Tench Coxe, a former venture capitalist. Abbott and ORourke have easily surpassed the combined $95 million Gov. As of Oct. 29, 2022, Abbott received a greater percentage of his money from Texas donors compared with ORourke. Disclosure: Calpine, CenterPoint Energy, NRG Energy, Oncor, University of Texas at Austin and University of Houston 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. individuals may be classified instead as ideological donors. Abbott's campaign said his roughly $25 million in donations from the most recent filing period came from nearly 45,000 contributors, which is 1/10th of the number of donors reported by his challenger over the same time period. 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.. We will secure the future of Texas." Email * Zip Code * have always come from the energy industry, recently acquired by Roskis Majestic Realty. Gregory Wayne Abbott (born November 13, 1957) is an American politician, attorney, and former jurist serving as the 48th governor of Texas since 2015. 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.. Oil and politics have been entwined in Texas for more than a century, since wildcatters hit the first gusher at Spindletop back in 1901. In the Republican primary, Abbott is facing former state Sen. Don Huffines, former Texas GOP Chairman Allen West, Chad Prather,Danny Harrison, Kandy Kaye Horn, Paul Belew and Rick Perry (no, not that Rick Perry). Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. As Texas voters go to the polls next week, it is clear which candidate billionaires are backing in the . Greg Abbott, the state budget and CPS and foster care. Rep. Chris Paddie, chair of the state affairs committee, also did not respond to calls and an email seeking comment. Fixing Texas power grid was about the only thing Republicans and Democrats in the legislative session seemed to agree on earlier this year. Greg Abbott during a roundtable discussion at the Texas Department of Public Safety headquarters in Austin on Jan. 21. . AUSTIN Gov. 20005. 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. 2023 www.statesman.com. Abbott's campaign said it received nearly 113,000 contributions and that 86% of the campaign contributions came from within Texas. profiles for state and federal officeholders are derived from contribution records disclosed in campaign finance Dave Carney, Abbott's chief political strategist, said Wednesday that he expected O'Rourke to have strong fundraising numbers.