While campaign finance is not the only factor in electoral outcomes, successful fundraising can provide a candidate with advantages during a campaign. Fundraising can also indicate party momentum.

There’s a lot of talk about Texas’ Big Three — Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and new Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen. Considered the three most powerful politicians in Austin, and all conservative Republicans, they made headlines when they declared in January that they would be working as a team to reform property taxes and the school finance system.