For the 2020 election cycle (2019 – 2020), more than $109 million in taxpayer dollars is being spent to lobby Austin politicians. With our Lobbying Data feature, Texans can see which organizations are hiring lobbyists, who they’re hiring, and how much they’re spending. In addition to pulling back the curtain on lobbying — the largest source of money and influence on Texas lawmakers — we have also divided the organizations hiring lobbyists into two categories: those who are taxpayer-funded and those who are privately-funded. 

The most closely watched political clash in Texas this year will be the Democrats’ attempt to take control of the Texas House of Representatives. And the battle begins with the primaries on March 3. Over the next three weeks we’ll be bringing you an inside look at some of the most hotly contested primary races — introducing you to the candidates and giving you a clear breakdown of the money involved.

This Tuesday, January 28, voters will choose three members of the Texas House of Representatives in the first races of the 2020 season. Ironically, the winners in these races may never cast a vote in the Texas Legislature, as they’ll have to run again in the primary (March) and the general election (November) in order to be seated for the next legislative session in January 2021.