Greg Abbott during a roundtable discussion at the Texas Department of Public Safety headquarters in Austin on Jan. 21. . A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization, 1100 13th Street, NW, Suite 800 Do you value our journalism? individuals may be classified instead as ideological donors. 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. Democrat Beto O'Rourke has raised $7.2 million since launching his campaign for Texas governor . 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. 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. State or federal law may require filers to submit additional reports. individual contributions have yet been classified by OpenSecrets. 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. 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. have always come from the energy industry, recently acquired by Roskis Majestic Realty. The Past 30 Days column represents the last 30 days of donations, starting with the date of the most recent contribution for that race. concerted effort by that organization to "bundle" contributions to the candidate. Paddie was among a chorus of elected officials from the governor on down demanding answers and solutions for why Texas grid was on the brink of total collapse in February. Most of Patrick's energy industry money received in June was driven by oil executives. Learn more. FEC and listed quickly on OpenSecrets processing and analyzing the detailed records takes much longer. All rights reserved. disclosures vary. interest group. However, his $7.7 million haul in the first half of 2020 was a nearly 12% decrease from the same phase of his initial term. Abbotts biggest individual donors have always come from the energy industry, and this time is no exception, with energy tycoons making up 40% of his top 10 donors. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas. Find a complete list of them here. Texas governor election: Beto O'Rourke looks to put Greg Abbott on defense in early stages of Texas governor's race. The other organizations on the list include law firms, teachers groups and liberal political action committees. Texas is already guaranteed record-setting spendingfor a governor's race this year, and the numbers keep climbing. Dan Patrick received millions in contributions from the energy industry, a new Texas Tribune report shows. That amount is up from 12% of his contributions. 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. If enough contributions came in from people connected Other ERCOT board members are listed in TEC records as having contributed to several energy-related PACs. In some cases, a cluster of contributions from people associated with the same organization may indicate a 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. Democratic gubernatorial challenger Beto O'Rourke raised $27.3 million from Feb. 20 to June 30, while Republican Gov. 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 Not long after, Abbott released a list of issues lawmakers needed to address in July during a special-called legislative session. Abbott raises $19 million, Beto O'Rourke's fast start nets $7.2 million in race for governor. About 26% of Patrick's contributions in June came from energy interests, more than $1.3 million, his most ever in the post-session stretch. 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. 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. Warren has given Abbott $250,000 donations almost every year since he won the governors office in 2014. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. Power companies were in the hot seat, as millions of Texans who endured a week of subfreezing temperatures with no power demanded sweeping, multibillion dollar improvements to prevent another deadly disaster and lawmakers promised action. 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. Tickets are on sale now for this multi-day celebration of big, bold ideas about politics, public policy and the days news, curated by The Texas Tribunes award-winning journalists. Fixing Texas power grid was about the only thing Republicans and Democrats in the legislative session seemed to agree on earlier this year. Governor Abbott represents all Texans, and thats what he takes into account every day as he works on behalf of the Lone Star State, spokeswoman Renae Eze said. Using previous figures reported by the Texas Ethics Commission, O'Rourke has now raised more than $65 million in what has become one of America's most expensive races of the 2022 midterms. Crenshaw, 36, is almost as renowned a fundraiser as Abbott, 63. Carney also said that while O'Rourke focuses on abortion rights and restricting assault-style weapons, Abbott would continue to emphasize economic issues, including the high inflation rate. Oliver told KSAT that he was also unaware of any recent criticism levied toward ERCOT by Abbott. databases are only as current as the FEC has been able to compile by that date (see the note above about lag times At the state level, Robert T. Garrett, Austin Bureau Chief. Warren's donation is . grand total of contributions Greg Abbott has reported in 2022Number of Contributions from Individuals (above itemization threshold): 292,180. Carpenter, Cobos and Walker are three of 10 remaining ERCOT board members after the five others all of whom live out of state resigned this week. More: Ahead of primary, Gov. 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 his contributions in 2021. Abbott, who has held a commanding lead in cash on hand during the race, touts $46 million in his campaign coffers. As of Oct. 29, 2022, Abbott received a greater percentage of his money from Texas donors compared with ORourke. He said the latest contributions of $25 million came from nearly 475,000 donors, making the average contribution $53. Greg Abbott raised almost $25 million during the same period, according to. Energy Transfer CEO Kelcy Warren is one of Abbotts top donors. 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. Kolten Parker, Digital Executive Producer. That has resulted in both candidates receiving a large number of donations from outside Texas. 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. The lag times vary for state officeholder data. Greg Abbott, gives an update on an investigation into the massacre in Uvalde, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Bank, his wife Matilda lists "Homemaker" and 12-year old Tammy shows up as "Student," OpenSecrets would identify all The Abbott campaign is eyeing aggressive advertising strategies ahead of the November election. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. sparring with one Abbott-appointed regulator on the senate floor. Some of the state data included errors in the address field; these records were corrected when possible such as when the donors address was available elsewhere in the data set and omitted from the location-based calculations when not. In the past two cycles, national Democrats have shown their willingness to pour millions into once-forbidding Texas. 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. He helped raised $54 million for GOP gubernatorial candidates in other states, Carney said. Heading into the 2022 campaign season, Gov. 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. Bob has covered state government and politics for The Dallas Morning News since 2002. 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. 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. Walker, a non-voting member of ERCOTs board, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. He covers Gov. 2023 www.statesman.com. Kelcy Warren, CEO of Dallas-based Energy Transfer, gave the most money, with a single $1 million contribution to Gov. 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 . Connect with needs and opportunities from. In April, Abbott had been ahead of O'Rourke by 11 points. Wed love to run against him, he said of ORourke, a former El Paso congressman who gave U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz a scare in 2018. Although individual contributions are generally categorized based on the donor's occupation/employer, in some cases Earlier, he was a statehouse reporter for three newspapers, including the Dallas Times Herald. Find a complete list of them here. On his first day in the gubernatorial race in November 2021, ORourke received donations worth a total of $1.7 million from his Powered by People PAC, which has been raising money since 2019 to boost Texas Democrats. The Abbott campaign said it has raised nearly $68 million since the campaign's start in June 2021. Unsurprisingly, Gov. He was not appointed by Abbott and did not return a call for comment. Greg Abbott, who is heading into a re-election year. 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 . 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. While some of this money. Texans deserve answers about why these shortfalls occurred and how they are going to be corrected, and Texans will get those answers.. Greg Abbott and Beto O'Rourke shatter fundraising records in the Texas governor's race, see who has been donating to candidates with this campaign finance interactive.. With this tracker . In November, Republicans held their 83-67 majority in the Texas House, despite organizing efforts by ORourkes Powered by People group and millions of dollars in TV ads bought by national Democratic super PACs. The Republican governor raised 26% more in last years final six months than the $9.1 million he raised in late 2016 the comparable period in his first term. their contributions as being related to the "First National Bank" since that's the source of the family's income. AUSTIN Since a deadly winter storm hit Texas earlier this month Governor Greg Abbott has repeatedly heaped criticism on ERCOT, the operator of the states electric grid, claiming the entity was woefully unprepared for the dangerous weather that has killed a still-untold number of people. "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. OpenSecrets aggregates state data from many sources and formats. Greg Abbott, who is heading into a reelection year in 2022, benefited most from the flood of June campaign donations from the energy industry. 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. useful after the election, as issues come before Congress, presidential administrations and state governments that Final fundraising figures show that both gubernatorial candidates raised a combined. The PUC has largely avoided blame for last weeks power issues, so far, despite providing oversight to ERCOT. The comments came during an appearance on Fox News. How has the candidates fundraising compared over time? In Texas, Gov. Thanks to our generous supporters, our campaign helped secure Republican victories across the state of Texas this election cycle, he said. The oil and gas industry was Abbotts top contributor, accounting for 19% of all funds raised, according to the report. UHs Cross said Abbott actually was straddling various state GOP factions long before 2020 and will continue to do so. Outgoing Texas GOP Chairman Allen West and former state Senator Don Huffines of Dallas both accused the governor of not being conservative enough. Gov. However, Abbott s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak has attracted criticism from Democrats, independents and staunchly conservative Republicans, weakening his once-robust job approval ratings in public polls. Slawson and Shaheen each received $150 last year, records show. 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. Paddie received contributions from Oncor; Vistra, the states largest power generation company; and NuStar Political Action Committee, an oil and gas group. The Small Donors column represents the sum of itemized contributions from donors who gave an aggregate of less than $50. 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. Carney said Abbott spent $6.1 million to help down-ballot Republicans. Last Christmas, Governor Greg Abbott bussed and dumped migrant families in the freezing cold in Washington, D.C. Abbott's support comes from a wide variety of Texans all across the Lone Star State." O'Rourke's haul came from 511,000 donors, with. Do you value our journalism? About 26% of Patricks contributions in June came from energy interests, more than $1.3 million, his most ever in the post-session stretch. In fact, Abbott's campaign said he has raised $95 million this election season. Showing these clusters of contributions from people associated with particular organizations provides a valuable 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. Patrick spokeswoman Sherry Sylvester said: No one has been tougher on the energy sector and more proactive for ratepayers this session than Lt. Both candidates have received more campaign cash from ZIP codes where wealthier people live because thats who tends to give money to politicians on both sides of the aisle. Those Sign up for our newsletter to track moneys influence on U.S. elections and public policy. Hes running for reelection in 2022, said Patrick spokeswoman Sherry Sylvester. The fifth payee, listed as Greg Abbott, represents reported expenditures a Gov. Oil grew to become the states signature industry, rich oilmen and companies started showering politicians with money and a romance blossomed. contributor provides it. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. and unique way of understanding where candidates are getting their financial support. He is an amateur triathlete, enjoys playing and watching soccer, traveling and hanging out with his wife. The state of Texas imposes no limits on how much money you can give to your local representative, your senator, your governor, said Wheat. 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. 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. Greg Abbott campaign promises 'knock-out, drag-out fight' in race against Beto O'Rourke, according to January campaign finance reports, Governor's race tightens as Greg Abbott's lead over Beto O'Rourke shrinks to 6 points, poll finds, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Small donors make up almost half of the total amount ORourke raised. Karnei, the CEO of a Central Texas power cooperative, is an abounding donor to politicians and energy-related political action committees, campaign finance records show. His team called the haul a "record-breaking amount" and said "no Democratic campaign in the states history has raised more money during the opening days of their race.". why: Summary numbers for federal officeholders - specifically "Total Raised and Spent" and "PAC/Individual Split" - are With Democrat Joe Biden about to move into the White House and national Republicans in disarray over President Donald Trumps norm-shattering behavior in recent weeks, a big bankroll is about the only certainty Abbott can rely on. Lori Cobos and DeAnn Walker, two Abbott appointees who sit on ERCOTs board due to their respective positions with the state, are listed among the governors lengthy list of political donors. He loves being lieutenant governor and is not running against Gov. 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 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). If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Dan Patrick, who has differences with Abbott, has never completely died out. 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. There was a series of finger-pointing and falsehoods from state elected officials who wouldn't accept responsibility and falsely shifted blame to renewable energy sources as they vowed to fix the grid. Abbott raised more in smaller cities and rural areas. According to its website, OPUC represents the interests of residential and small commercial consumers, as a class, in utility proceedings in Texas. by Carla Astudillo, Caroline Covington and Eric Lau assigned to all non-wage earning family members. Tuesday marks the deadline for candidates to file campaign finance reports with the Texas Ethics Commission detailing fundraising and spending from July through December. Updated: Feb. 10, 2023. Dozens of donations in quantities like $100,000, $50,000, and $25,000 and page after page of $10,000 donations poured in over the course of the election cycle from individuals and PACs alike. Ron DeSantis, viewed as the greatest GOP threat to former President Trump's 2024 White House campaign, is visiting Southern California this weekend to promote his new book and curry favor as he raises money for Republicans in conservative strong-holds. ORourkes top donors come from industries including finance, media and philanthropy. 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. These generous contributions from people all across Texas show just how excited Texans are for this campaign, Abbott said in a statement. In late June, it announced an $8.15 million digital media advertising buy, $8.8 million for TV and radio ads, and $2.75 million for Spanish media ads across platforms. Leading up to Abbotts decision, Lt. Gov. Greg Abbott attacks Beto O'Rourke without mentioning him by name, $2 million raised during the first 24 hours, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. And ORourke has over $500,000 more cash on hand than Abbott. 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. During the same stretch after the two subsequent legislative sessions in 2017 and 2019, fewer than 9% of Paddies contributions came from energy interests. State Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, who led much of the upper chambers response to the storm that left millions of Texans without electricity for days in subfreezing temperatures, also got a boost in funding. During that week, Abbott assured Texans the grid was in better shape than ever. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. With this tracker, The Express-News is providing continuously updated information on political contributions for the Nov. 8, 2022, elections, along with lists of top donors by name and by industry for statewide candidates for governor, attorney general, and lieutenant governor. such as textbooks, contact OpenSecrets: info[at]crp.org. ORourke received about 391,496 individual donations from outside the state, while Abbott received roughly 109,493. 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. Dan Patrick pressured Abbott in public statements that issues related to the grid needed to be on the agenda. committee AND the candidate has received money from PACs representing that same ideological interest. Warren's company Energy Transfer declined to comment on his behalf. Abbott said 81% of his donors were from Texas. Abbott and ORourke are not the only gubernatorial candidates who have received backing from local Texas billionaires.