Update 8:40 P.M.: Glenn Hegar, who will take over as comptroller in January, released his victory statement.
Glenn Hegar
“Together, we will continue to stand up for the principles we believe in by making government more efficient, eliminating wasteful spending, and putting more money back into the pockets of taxpayers,” Hegar said.
Update 8:08 P.M.: AP called it: Republicans bested their opponents in all statewide races.
Update 7:55 P.M.: With just over 2 million early votes in, Republican candidates are leading with wide margins in all statewide races.
Original post at 6:30 P.M.: Down-ballot races garner less attention in elections but the positions are often used as a stepping stone to higher office. Gov. Rick Perry, for example, served two terms as commissioner of agriculture before running for lt. governor.
Tonight, each seat will see a new occupant as there are no incumbents in the race. The conservative candidates are favored to win across the board.
Sam Houston, Democrat for AG, on left; Ken Paxton opposite.
Some notable items in this year’s race: George P. Bush, a member of the Bush political dynasty, is making his first bid for office; the Republican nominee for attorney general admitted that he failed to register as a financial agency and could face charges or disbarment; and Ryan Sitton, if elected, would be the first engineer to serve on the Railroad Commission in more than 50 years.
Here’s a glance at the candidates:
Attorney general
Tea party favorite and Republican nominee Sen. Ken Paxton, an attorney from McKinney who spent 12 years in the Legislature, has shied away from the campaign trail after winning his contentious primary race against state Rep. Dan Branch in May. Paxton admitted to violating securities law earlier this year.
Sam Houston, the Democratic nominee, is an attorney from Houston. He has said he would reverse the ruling that prevents Texans from learning which chemicals are stored in nearby plants. He has also vowed to end state appeals in the ongoing school finance case.
Jamie Balagia, a Libertarian, and Green Party candidate Jamar Osborne are also on the ticket.
Comptroller
Republican Sen. Glenn Hegar is a rice farmer from Katy and has served in the Legislature since 2002. His campaign has centered largely on his conservative bona fides and his work as chairman of a Senate finance subcommittee.
Mike Collier, an accountant from the Houston-area, is running a campaign that touts his decades of experience as a CPA. He has vowed to institute quarterly revenue estimates and reinstate performance audits within the comptroller office.
Democrat Mike Collier on left, Sen. Glenn Hegar opposite.
Libertarian Ben Sanders and Deb Shafto, Green Party, are also in the race.
Land commissioner
George P. Bush, grandson of George H.W. Bush, nephew of George W. Bush and son of Jeb Bush, a potential contender for the 2016 president, has raised more than $5 million in his campaign. This is George P.’s first run for public office but many believe he will use the position as a stepping stone to higher office at the state or national level.
Former El Paso mayor John Cook is the Democratic nominee in the race. Earlier this fall, the Democrat said he was traveling the state in his F150 campaigning.
Libertarian candidate Justin Knight and Green Party candidate Ulises Cabrera are also on the ticket.
Railroad commissioner
Republican Ryan Sitton, an oil and gas engineer from Houston, is making his second bid for office after losing a run for state representative in 2012. Sitton has said he would bring technical expertise to the commissioner panel.
Steve Brown, a Democrat from Fort Bend, is running as the reformer to the agency. He has campaigned for the creation of a public advocacy unit to provide legal advice to property owners in entanglements with energy companies.
Libertarian Mark Miller and Green Party candidate Martina Salinas are also running.
Agricultural commissioner
Sid Miller, a former state representative from Stephenville and a rancher, is the Republican nominee for ag commissioner. He’s best known for authoring the bill that required women to receive sonograms before getting an abortion.
Democrat Jim Hogan, a Cleburne farmer and insurance agent, has not campaigned or raised any money in the race.
The race also includes Green Party candidate Kenneth Kendrick and Libertarian David (Rocky) Palmquist.