The comments came during an appearance on Fox News. Greg Abbott is the number one fundraiser in state politics in the 2022 election cycle so far. 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.. This means that overall, Abbotts Texas donors gave more than ORourkes Texas donors. Democrat Beto O'Rourke has raised $7.2 million since launching his campaign for Texas governor . However, her son, H. Ross Perot Jr., who is also a billionaire, has given $500,000 to Abbotts campaign. 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. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. individual contributions have yet been classified by OpenSecrets. Data for The twisted roots between the oil and gas industry and Texas lawmakers is almost as old as the Capitol building itself, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. Gov. Because Texas has no campaign finance contribution limits, its possible both candidates will accumulate and spend record-breaking amounts of campaign cash by Election Day. Abbott said 81% of his donors were from Texas. The data presented here is sourced from the Texas Ethics Commission, which displays campaign finance filings from candidate committees. 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. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. And ORourke has over $500,000 more cash on hand than Abbott. In fact, Abbott's campaign said he has raised $95 million this election season. 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. AUSTIN Heading into the 2022 campaign season, Gov. ideological code, rather than an economic code, if the contributor gives to an ideological political action Democrat Mike Collier gets his rematch with incumbent Lt. Gov. sparring with one Abbott-appointed regulator on the senate floor. 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. But that wasnt always the case: In June 2021, Abbott had a campaign balance of over $55 million, and Abbott has spent almost twice as much money as his opponent, including a June ad buy worth nearly $20 million. Abbott is bought and paid for by his billionaire donors, a spokesperson for ORourkes campaign told Forbes in an email. Through Nov. 30, even with federal fundraising constraints, Crenshaw in the last two-year cycle raised a whopping $19 million. 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. Dan Patrick received millions in contributions from the energy industry, a new Texas Tribune report shows. That far exceeds the $6.8 million in cash on hand that ORourkes committee, Beto For Texas, reported as of the same date. in the DFW area that need your help or can provide help during OpenSecrets aggregates state data from many sources and formats. In addition, cryptocurrency CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, who gave ORourke $1 million, is under investigation for breaking the states securities law. ORourkes top donors come from industries including finance, media and philanthropy. Texas Gov. Abbott is a member of the Republican Party and first assumed office in 2015. 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. 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.. These generous contributions from people all across Texas show just how excited Texans are for this campaign, Abbott said in a statement. He knows how to walk that fine line between moderate Republicans and those that are very right of center, she said. AUSTIN Gov. why: Summary numbers for federal officeholders - specifically "Total Raised and Spent" and "PAC/Individual Split" - are 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. His campaign accepted more than $12 million in political contributions from oil and gas companies and executives this election cycle. And talk of a primary challenge from Lt. Gov. 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. He covers Gov. 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. 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. 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. O'Rourke's campaign reported Tuesday having raised $25.18 million over the most recent reporting period from July 1 through Sept. 29. Still, University of North Texas political scientist Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha said Abbotts $38 million will scare off most of the competition.. During the same stretch after the two subsequent legislative sessions in 2017 and 2019, fewer than 9% of Paddies contributions came from energy interests. A Texas Politics Project July poll indicates the race for Texas governor is tightening. Texans for Public Justice released this week, A bill proposed by San Antonio Republican state Rep. Lyle Larson in 2017. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. "I'm grateful for everyone who helped us raise $27.63. A bill proposed by San Antonio Republican state Rep. Lyle Larson in 2017 would have prohibited the governor from appointing a political donor to a position if he or she had contributed more than $2,500 in a year. Just 6%, or $1,141, of his overall campaign contributions in the brief June fundraising period after the 2015 legislative session came from the energy industry. Those 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. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Still, ORourke does have a few of his own billionaire supporters. Officials with ERCOT, which ordered local utility companies to shed load from the power grid as energy demand exceeded supply, are expected to answer questions during the hearing. Greg Abbott is the number one fundraiser in state politics in the 2022 election cycle so far. disclosures vary. ORourkes 2019 presidential run created some problems, she acknowledged. In the November race for Texas governor, two prolific fundraisers are vying to be the chief executive of the state. King, Slawson and Shaheen did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment for this story. 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. Greg Abbott. Stressing a different approach, the O'Rourke campaign embarks Tuesday on a 49-day campaign tour through Texas that will involve driving more than 5,600 miles. Rick Perry and Democrat Tony Sanchez spent in 2002 and the combined $90 million Abbott and Democrat Wendy Davis spent in 2014. More:Greg Abbott campaign promises 'knock-out, drag-out fight' in race against Beto O'Rourke. The amount of money the senator fundraised from energy interests jumped from $1,000 to $44,500, the Tribune found. Rep. Chris Paddie, chair of the state affairs committee, also did not respond to calls and an email seeking comment. Texas Gov. 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. About 26% of Patricks contributions in June came from energy interests, more than $1.3 million, his most ever in the post-session stretch. 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. His largest billionaire donor so far is Margot Birmingham Perot, the widow of former presidential candidate H. Ross Perot Sr. Shes given $25,000 to ORourkes campaign since November. their contributions as being related to the "First National Bank" since that's the source of the family's income. Greg Abbott and Beto O'Rourke shatter fundraising recordsin the Texas governors race, see who has been donating to candidates with this campaign finance interactive. Learn more. The state of Texas imposes no limits on how much money you can give to your local representative, your senator, your governor, said Wheat. Greg Abbott raised $11.5 million from July through December, and now can brandish almost $38 million of cash as he tries to scare off opponents in his campaign for a third term next year. by Mitchell Ferman and Carla Astudillo George W. Bush was heavily funded by his familys well-established energy network, his successor, former Gov. FEC and listed quickly on OpenSecrets processing and analyzing the detailed records takes much longer. A number of factors, including whether an incumbent officeholder is running for reelection, influence donor activity. contributor provides it. The Bush familys origin story in Texas revolves around oil and gas, and money from the industry has funded much of the familys political fortunes in the state ever since they arrived in West Texas. He is an amateur triathlete, enjoys playing and watching soccer, traveling and hanging out with his wife. O'Rourke's latest haul includes $2 million raised during the first 24 hours of his campaign, collected frommore than 20,000 individual donors. As Gov. 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. voters, researchers and others. Abbott is tending to home state business, he noted. Patrick, 70, has insisted he wants to stay where he is. Oil grew to become the states signature industry, rich oilmen and companies started showering politicians with money and a romance blossomed. The storm, as bad as it was, helped him on his bottom line for contributions.. concerted effort by that organization to "bundle" contributions to the candidate. Abbott his job, run a more aggressive and public-facing campaign, pushing the states politics to the right, 2015 felony indictment for securities fraud. Emmy-award winning reporter Dillon Collier joined KSAT Investigates in September 2016. The Abbott campaign said it has raised nearly $68 million since the campaign's start in June 2021. 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. Abbott raises $19 million, Beto O'Rourke's fast start nets $7.2 million in race for governor. A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization, 1100 13th Street, NW, Suite 800 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. Neither Cobos or the spokesperson ended up providing a statement for this story. sectors) can be seen in each candidate and race profile, and in the Industry Profile section of the OpenSecrets There is also a time lag in posting the information. 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. 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. Breaking down the contributions by ZIP code in Texas, ORourke received more money from donors in major cities, which are Democratic strongholds. A contribution to a candidate may be given an Show us with your support. 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. A Schwertner spokesperson did not respond to questions for this story. Greg Abbott, who is heading into a re-election year. Most of Patrick's energy industry money received in June was driven by oil executives. The pay for play proposal was passed by the full House but was killed in Lt. Gov. 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. by Carla Astudillo, Caroline Covington and Eric Lau ORourke, who only launched his campaign for governor in November last year, has raised just $61,000 from at least 2 billionaires and 3 spouses of billionaires. parties and political committees request employer information from contributors and publicly report it when the individuals may be classified instead as ideological donors. 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 . The fifth payee, listed as Greg Abbott, represents reported expenditures a Gov. A lot of things can happen. Kolten Parker, Digital Executive Producer. That is why Congress and many states have mandated that candidates, political State requirements related to itemization thresholds and employment disclosures vary. In 2017, Abbott appointed her to lead the PUC, where she makes a $200,000 salary. The Small Donors column represents the sum of itemized contributions from donors who gave an aggregate of less than $50. The power grid was not included. Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke has had $47,177,963 contributed to his campaign. As CNBC reported, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer criticized Republicans in a speech on. In 2021, the Abbott campaign had out-raised the O'Rourke campaign since the start of their respective campaigns. 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. Abbott received about $4.6 million from oil, gas and broader energy interests, his largest haul ever from those groups in the post-legislative session fundraising period following the four regular legislative sessions during Abbotts tenure as governor. Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke has had $47,177,963 contributed to his campaign. State requirements related to itemization thresholds and employment 2023 www.statesman.com. Rick Perry, worked to cultivate a wide base of financial support from energy interests, Rottinghaus said. Had the bill passed, Walker would not be running the PUC. such as textbooks, contact OpenSecrets: info[at]crp.org. 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. The storm, as bad as it was, helped him on his bottom line for contributions.. Carney, the Abbott adviser, dismissed talk that ORourke could pose a threat. 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. This is up from 19% after the 2019 session. Abbott, who has held a commanding lead in cash on hand during the race, touts $46 million in his campaign coffers. Its the same people talking to the same people and you wonder if the people being left out are the average Texans, said Wheat. Greg) Abbott is taking million-dollar checks from the CEOs who profited off of the grid collapse, were receiving support from people all over Texas who want to ensure that our state finally leads in great jobs, world class schools and the ability to see a doctor," O'Rourke said in a statement. 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. Visit us at Ballotpedia.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Gov. 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. Do you value our journalism? Heading into the 2022 campaign season, Gov. Greg Abbott's 2022 reelection campaign is reporting contributions of 19-million-dollars in the last nine days of June. Abbott has run a similar playbook as Perry and has taken it to a different level, Rottinghaus said. and unique way of understanding where candidates are getting their financial support. You may opt-out by, Source of wealth: Houston Rockets, entertainment, Source of wealth: Computer services, real estate, Source of wealth: Hyatt hotels, investments. The money came from159,000 total contributions with an average contribution of roughly $119, his campaign said Tuesday. Given more time, Gov. To request permission for commercial use, please contactus. The Abbott campaign is eyeing aggressive advertising strategies ahead of the November election. Last year, Abbott wouldve raised more if hed been able to hold in-person fundraisers and hadnt been busy as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Carney said. Here's During that week, Abbott assured Texans the grid was in better shape than ever. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. On the expenditures side, Gov. Im grateful for everyone who helped us raise $27.63 million in just over four months as we support the powerful work of our organizers and more than 78,000 volunteers, O'Rourke said in the release. He said the latest contributions of $25 million came from nearly 475,000 donors, making the average contribution $53. with that same employer, the organization's name winds up on the Top Contributors list. state officeholders may be subject to longer time lags, as OpenSecrets aggregates this information from many sources 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. for data entry). Other ERCOT board members are listed in TEC records as having contributed to several energy-related PACs. 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. Dave Carney, Abbott's chief political strategist, said Wednesday that he expected O'Rourke to have strong fundraising numbers. Except for the Revolving Door section, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License by OpenSecrets.org. 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. As of Oct. 29, 2022, the overwhelming percentage of donations both candidates received are worth $200 or less. One of the things that contributors are buying when they are contributing to a public official is access. In cases where two or more people from the same family contributed, the income-earner's occupation/employer is 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. 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. ORourke received $2.2 million from Austin couple Simone Coxe, who has worked in communications, and Tench Coxe, a former venture capitalist. He also received $1.5 million from billionaire George Soros, who is known for backing liberal candidates. 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. 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 . Warren spent more than $10 million to try to get Trump reelected in 2020. Of all the statewide elections in Texas, the attorney generals race is expected to be the most competitive. Dan Patrick pressured Abbott in public statements that issues related to the grid needed to be on the agenda. 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 . The warnings led to renewed calls for the Legislature to take more urgent action to fix the power grid. Of the $44.8 million already reported in the 2022 election cycle, 21.9 percent came from the top 10 donors. 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. Abbott candidate committee made to another committee affiliated with the governor. reports from the FEC or state campaign finance agencies that reach applicable itemization thresholds. The top California donors in the Texas governor's race, How the biggest Republican stronghold in Texas could cost Gov. On Wednesday, Abbott underscored state Republicans delight that they held off the Democrats charge in the election immediately preceding a once-a-decade redistricting of political boundaries. We will secure the future of Texas." Email * Zip Code * 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. DC grand total of contributions Greg Abbott has reported in 2022Number of Contributions from Individuals (above itemization threshold): 292,180. He has attacked the city of Austin repeatedly for reducing its police budget and repealing a ban on camping in public spaces that had generated thousands of citations to homeless people in the past. 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. Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatened to cut off funding for the legislature after Democrats walked out of the final session to prevent the passage of Abbott's voter integrity bill. Walker, a non-voting member of ERCOTs board, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. have always come from the energy industry, recently acquired by Roskis Majestic Realty. 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. available information, the donor is given an economic code. Abbott had $55 million saved up for his reelection campaign at the end of June. Were talking about a historic blackout in the state of Texas, that affected millions of peoples lives, some in very dangerous ways, said Wheat. First, we apply a code to the contribution, identifying the industry. Warrens Energy Transfer cofounder Ray Davis gave $125,000 to Abbott. The Past 30 Days column represents the last 30 days of donations, starting with the date of the most recent contribution for that race. Sometimes it's hard to make apple-to-apple comparisons across some of the pages in a candidate's profile. 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. Just 6%, or $1,141, of his overall campaign contributions in the brief June fundraising period after the 2015 legislative session came from the energy industry. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton underscored how the gambling industry continues to covet a huge market now beyond its reach Texas, the . At the state level, corporations and unions can give directly to campaigns in many jurisdictions. Together, we will make sure that Texas remains the best state to live, work, and raise a family. 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. O'Rourke's campaign said he got over 115,600 contributions over the 46-day period, while Abbott's team said. 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. Washington, 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.. That's four times more. The organizations that donated the most money to Abbott this reporting period have previously given to the governor. Before Abbott and O'Rourke can face off at the polls, both candidates must first win their respective March 1 primary races. Abbott and ORourke are not the only gubernatorial candidates who have received backing from local Texas billionaires. Note that the same amount appears on both the contributions and the expenditures side of the reported data. Find a complete list of them here. How much have the candidates raised so far? 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.. As of Oct. 29, 2022, Abbott received a greater percentage of his money from Texas donors compared with ORourke. Greg Abbott raised almost $25 million during the same period, according to Friday press releases from both of the campaigns. Here's how much. Gov. Greg Abbott, who is heading into a reelection year in 2022, benefited most from the flood of June campaign donations from the energy industry. However, Abbott has been a prolific fundraiser for years, which gave him the upper hand earlier in the race. 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. 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. Texas' energy interests are the biggest backers of his political rise, and he has not ruled out a White House run in 2024. How many donations came from within Texas? Show us with your support. 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 you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Abbotts a prolific fundraiser, a weapon hes wielded to discourage competition as he moved up among Texas Republicans over the past two decades. That amount is up from 12% of his contributions. Democratic gubernatorial challenger Beto O'Rourke raised $27.3 million from Feb. 20 to June 30, while Republican Gov. Of the donors, O'Rourke's campaign said 98% of the donations were received online and that teachers contributed more than any other occupation. A spokesperson for Paddie did not respond to questions.