2022 Texas Primary Election: Governor, attorney general, and other statewide races
AUSTIN - As Texas voters head to the ballot box for the Primary Election, they will see several statewide races.
The top positions include, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, and railroad commissioner.
2022 TEXAS PRIMARY ELECTION: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO VOTE
All of these positions are currently held by Texas Republicans, and some incumbents are facing challenges in the primary.
But what do these state leaders do?
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Here's what their jobs entail and some key facts about these 2022 Texas Primary races:
Governor
The governor is the chief executive of the state, who's elected to serve a four-year term. They appoint members to boards and commissions; appoints statewide executive officials, and, when vacancies occur, state judges and district attorneys. The governor calls special sessions of the Texas legislature and sets the agenda. They can veto legislation, sign legislation, or allow it to become law without their signature.
- Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a third term as seven other Republicans challenge him in the Texas Primary Election.
- Former El Paso congressman Beto O'Rourke is running on the Democratic primary ballot. A Democrat has not been governor of Texas since 1995.
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Lieutenant Governor
The lieutenant governor has a powerful position as president of the Texas Senate. They appoint the chairs and vice-chairs of committees and appoint senators to them. During their four-year term, they also control the Senate’s agenda. The lieutenant governor is also a member of several commissions and boards, and serves as governor in the governor’s absence.
- Texas is one of 17 states where the lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor in the general election.
- Republican Dan Patrick, who is seeking a third term, is facing challenges from five Republicans in the Texas Primary Election.
- Three candidates are running in the Democratic primary. Bob Bullock, who left office in 1999, is the last Democrat to hold the office.
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Attorney General
The attorney general is the top law enforcement officer of the state. They represent the state and state officials in legal matters. Their responsibilities range from enforcing laws to providing legal advice to state officials to collecting child support and enforcing consumer regulations.
- Republican incumbent Ken Paxton, who faced a securities fraud indictment and an FBI investigation into allegations of misconduct, is running for his third-term. He faces primary challenges from Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman and U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert.
- Five Democrats are currently running for the party's nomination. 1999 was the last year a Democrat held the AG's office.
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Comptroller
The comptroller is the chief financial officer of Texas, serving as the state tax collector, accountant, revenue estimator, treasurer and purchasing manager. They report the condition of Texas finances, and provide economic development assistance to local governments and private businesses.
- Republican incumbent Glenn Hegar was sworn in as Comptroller of Texas in 2015.
- Three candidates are running for the Democratic nomination.
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Land Commissioner
As head of the Texas General Land Office (GLO), the land commissioner manages state lands, including oil and gas properties and the Alamo. They also oversee investments for public education. During their four-year term, the land commissioner chairs the Veterans Land Board, which administers programs for Texas veterans, and is responsible for environmental protection of the Texas coast.
- The current Land Commissioner, George P. Bush is vacating his sea to run for Texas attorney general.
- There are twelve candidates running to succeed Bush in the primary – four Democrats and eight Republicans.
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Agriculture Commissioner
The agriculture commissioner’s main job is promoting Texas agriculture by facilitating trade and marketing of agricultural products and more. They provide financial help to farmers and help solve issues related to natural disasters. Additionally, their duties include protecting crops from pests and diseases to certifying organic produce. During their four-year term, they are in charge of administering the national school meal programs for Texas children.
- Republican incumbent Sid Miller, who was first elected in 2014, is being challenged by two other Republicans in the primary. Miller has Trump's endorsement.
- Two Democrats are running for the position. The last Democrat to hold the job was Jim Hightower, whose term ended in 1991.
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Railroad Commissioner
Although they're called railroad commissioners, they haven't had any authority over railroads since 2005. The Texas Railroad Commission is made up of three members, who are each elected to serve six-year term. They are in charge of regulating the oil and gas industry in Texas, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the liquified petroleum gas industry and surface coal and uranium mining.
- Republicans Wayne Christian, Christi Craddick and Jim Wright are the current railroad commissioners.
- Christian, who is the agency's chair, is running for a second term against other candidates in Republican primary.
- Luke Warford is the Democratic candidate.
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