One of the closest, most hotly contested races of the 2018 campaign season was the Democrat primary for Texas House District 116 (San Antonio). The battle lines were drawn between veteran politician and former State Representative Trey Martinez-Fischer, who held the seat from 2001-2017 and newcomer State Representative Diana Arevalo, who held the seat for only one session.

Martinez-Fischer vacated his House seat in 2016 to run unsuccessfully for the Texas Senate. When he decided to try to run for his former House seat again, Arevalo did not step aside without a battle. Ultimately, Martinez-Fischer won by a razor thin margin of 123 votes.

Here’s a quick look at the numbers:

Many political insiders thought Trey Martinez-Fischer’s career was over after he failed in his bid for State Senate. Taking over in HD116 was Diana Arevalo who, by all accounts, was an apt and contributing member of the Democratic caucus. But Martinez-Fischer, often referred to as a pit bull for his tenacity and grit on the House floor, wasn’t content to stay on the sidelines long, and he is now returning to Austin.

Key Takeaways from the HD116 Race:

1. The Gender Card Paid.
   Speaking at an event hosted by Annie’s List, a PAC dedicated to electing Democrat women to public office, Arevalo accused Martinez Fischer of wanting “his” seat back, and stated, “I guess he believes there are too many women holding public office — or maybe it’s because some men feel entitled.” According to Arevalo, her campaign was a fight against persisting misogynistic attitudes in San Antonio politics. Her efforts paid off. Annie’s List became the number one contributor to Arevalo’s campaign with donations totaling $48,508.28, a $46,000 increase over their support for her original campaign in 2016.
2. Trial Lawyers Split.
   The Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC, a liberal PAC known for its staunch support of Democrat candidates and causes, supported incumbent Arevalo with a $5,000 donation, but Martinez-Fischer’s campaign was replete with donations from individual trial lawyers and their law firms. In fact, four out of five of Martinez Fischer’s top donations, totaling $50,000, came from Texas trial lawyers.
3. Most PACs play it safe with incumbents.
   Arevalo received donations from many prominent Democrat and liberal Republican PACs, including Texas Medical Association PAC, Texas Association of Realtors, numerous police and firefighter associations, as well as Annie’s List and Texas Trial Lawyers Association as described above. Since most of these PACs had previously supported Martinez-Fischer either in his 2016 run for the Texas Senate or in his previous House campaigns, their support for Arevalo more likely reflects a desire to stay in the good graces of the incumbent than a preference for her policies.

Before you go…

Members of a legislative body are typically loathe to endorse against a fellow member, but this time was different: 17 representatives from the Texas House, including four from the San Antonio area, endorsed their former colleague, Martinez-Fischer, over their current colleague, Arevalo. During his 16 years in the Texas House, Martinez-Fischer developed a reputation as an effective fighter against the Republican majority, deftly using legislative procedure to stall or even derail conservative agenda items. Perhaps Democrats believed they needed his skills to help thwart conservatives, particularly in light of the resignation of liberal House Speaker Joe Straus.

State Representative Garnet Coleman was one notable exception to the Martinez-Fischer endorsements. Coleman, who has had a somewhat strained relationship with Martinez-Fischer, not only endorsed Arevalo, he put his money where his mouth was, sharing $5,000 of his campaign cash with her.

Our Race to Raise series takes a deeper look at the most high-profile races of the election cycle, focusing specifically on money raised by those seeking to serve in public office. Stay tuned for the next installment.