Arguably the most heated Republican primary race in the greater Houston area in 2016 occurred in State House District 150 (HD150). The race featured twelve-year incumbent State Representative Debbie Riddle, along with three challengers, including local grassroots leader Valoree Swanson – the eventual winner.

Here’s a quick look at the numbers:

Located in the northeast corner of Houston, HD150 encompasses most of the city of Spring, along with small portions of Tomball and The Woodlands.

For years State Rep. Debbie Riddle was considered by some to be one of the more conservative members of the Texas House of Representatives. In recent years, however, her voting record failed to meet the expectations of many constituents and outside advocacy groups. To many, the breaking point for their support of her came during the 84th Session of the Texas Legislature. She cast the deciding vote in the House Calendars Committee (arguably the most powerful committee in the Texas House of Representatives), killing two major, conservative bills at the eleventh hour – American Law for American Courts (ALAC) and the Pro-Life Health Insurance Reform Bill.

These actions drew the ire of conservative groups across the state, along with three challengers in the subsequent Republican primary. The most serious of these challengers, Valoree Swanson, was a long-time grassroots activist and community leader. A quick look at the numbers shows Ms. Swanson out-raised State Rep. Riddle by $16,547.00. While not a significant monetary difference, a challenger who is able to raise more funds than such a long-time incumbent is indeed unusual.

There was a remarkable difference in the amount the candidates spent to earn each vote. State Rep. Riddle spent twelve dollars more to earn each vote cast for her than Ms. Swanson spent, suggesting Ms. Swanson utilized resources more efficiently.

Key takeaways from the HD150 race:

1. Importance of in-district donations.
   Ms. Swanson was able to raise almost $30,000 from 138 donations within the district, compared with State Rep. Riddle’s 26 in-district donations. Here, the monetary amount is secondary, but the quantity of individual donations from inside the candidate’s district demonstrates strength. An individual in-district donor is invested in a candidate’s campaign – this donor will show up to vote, will likely volunteer for the campaign in other capacities, and will ensure his/her family and friends vote for their candidate. Ms. Swanson’s staggering amount of in-district donations compared with State Rep. Riddle’s clearly correlated with the outcome; primary voters wanted a change.
2. Sides clearly defined.
   Looking at the top five donors for both candidates, the race’s major money came from PACs and organizations outside HD150. For Ms. Swanson, her support stemmed from conservative organizations, such as Empower Texans, Texas Right to Life, and affiliated donors. State Rep. Riddle’s support flowed from the Texas House Leadership Fund, a PAC for the preferred candidates of House Speaker Joe Straus, and Texans for Lawsuit Reform. To those closely following Texas politics, it was clear which side each candidate represented in the ongoing power struggle at the Capitol. State Rep. Riddle garnered support from more established power-brokers, and Ms. Swanson aligned herself with reform-minded groups and activists.
3. Actions have consequences.
   Ms. Swanson soundly defeated State Rep. Riddle and two other candidates, while managing to avoid a runoff election in the process. This feat might not have surprised Ms. Swanson’s supporters, but is still quite rare. State Rep. Riddle’s defeat by almost three thousand votes suggests the voters of HD 150 were ready for a change. Other members of the Texas House and Texas Senate likely took note: being an incumbent doesn’t necessarily ensure re-election, and actions in Austin have consequences at home.

Before you go…

An interesting note from our analysis:

Outgoing State Representative Patricia Harless, whose district borders HD 150, donated $10,000 from her campaign account to State Rep. Riddle’s unsuccessful re-election effort. In an effort to spend down their campaign accounts, members of the legislature not seeking re-election often use their own campaign funds to help their colleagues.

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.