Since everyone seems to be talking about Gov. Greg Abbott’s attempt to oust State Rep. Sarah Davis, I thought that I would take a deeper dive into the campaign finances in the race. I didn’t find anything shocking but it certainly confirms the idea that outside groups are behind the effort.
This table is self-explanatory.
| Sarah Davis | Susanna Dokupil | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Raised | $162,850 | $147,560 |
| # Contributions | 261 | 183 |
| In District | $69,295 | $38,110 |
| # Contrib in District | 168 | 45 |
| % $ Contrib in District | 42.6% | 25.8% |
| % # Contrib in District | 64.4% | 24.6% |
The important numbers to me are that 42.6% of Davis’ funds come from in-district voters compared to only 25.8% of Dokupil’s. Even more important than that is the number of in-district contributions, 168 – 45. There doesn’t seem to be a rush among the district’s voters to oust Davis, at least from those that contribute financially to campaigns. Anecdotal evidence shows the same, with Dokupil busing in large numbers of block walkers.
The next two tables show the top contributors to each campaign. I used $2,500 as a cutoff because it was convenient.
| Sarah Davis | |
|---|---|
| Contributor Name | Amount |
| Texas Association of Realtors PAC- TREPAC | $15,000 |
| Kinder ,Nancy | $10,000 |
| At&t Texas PAC | $5,000 |
| Associated Republicans of Texas | $4,000 |
| Texas Auto Dealers Assoc PAC | $3,000 |
| USAA EMPLOYEE PAC- UNITED SERVICES | $3,000 |
| Texas Apartment Association PAC | $3,000 |
| Home Therapy Advocates for Kids PAC | $2,500 |
| Texas Homecare and Hospice PAC | $2,500 |
| Landry’s PAC | $2,500 |
| Stankowski ,Gary | $2,500 |
| Rogers ,Arthur | $2,500 |
| NuStarPAC | $2,500 |
| Texans For Lawsuit Reform PAC | $2,500 |
| $60,500 |
| Susanna Dokupil | |
|---|---|
| Contributor Name | Amount |
| Texas Right to Life PAC | $25,000 |
| Leo ,Leonard | $10,000 |
| Texas Right to Life PAC | $10,000 |
| Empower Texans PAC | $10,000 |
| Corkery ,Neil | $5,000 |
| Pendery ,Darlene | $5,000 |
| Grimes ,Windi | $5,000 |
| ONEILL ,John | $5,000 |
| Frost ,Holly | $5,000 |
| Wall ,Kathaleen | $5,000 |
| Briscoe Cain Campaign | $5,000 |
| Stallings ,Kyle | $5,000 |
| Blain ,Charles (Empower Texans in-kind) | $2,625 |
| Blain ,Charles (Empower Texans in-kind) | $2,625 |
| Texans for Vaccine Choice PAC | $2,500 |
| Hexagon Partners Ltd | $2,500 |
| $105,250 |
Those two tables also have some interesting information. You can clearly see the power of incumbency in Davis’ table and the advocacy groups in Dokupil’s table. Also note the presence of Holly Frost and Kathaleen Wall – they live in the district. The in-kind contribution of Charles Blain’s services as a campaign aide from Empower Texans is also interesting but not surprising. Dokupil’s report only shows two in-kind contributions for Blain’s services, Empower Texans’ report shows three. Briscoe Cain’s is simply a pass-through from Empower Texans/Farris Wilks.
On the surface, this is an easy choice for a conservative Republican. The fact is that Sarah Davis has been a moderate Republican and she is proud of it. A very easy choice for people that do not live in the district.
The problem for a conservative that lives in the district comes down to this: Do I want to give my vote to someone that is independent and fights for the district, even if I disagree with her on some issues that are not specific to the district; or do I give my vote to someone that is going to be directed like a puppet to focus on issues that I agree with but that are not specific to the district in which I live? Or, most likely, to a Democrat that will be far more liberal than Davis?