This article is Part 4 of a four-part series demonstrating how the money in a lobby sector can impact state politics and legislation. Read the first three articles here, here, and here.

Election Day for the party primary runoffs in Texas is this upcoming Tuesday, July 14. All eyes are on elections for the Texas Legislature this round, because the results of these runoffs could have an outsized impact in November. Although primary elections were held back on March 3rd, 16 of those elections have proceeded to a runoff because no candidate was able to garner at least 50 percent of the vote. 

Recently, Transparency Texas detailed the lobbying activities of the Texas Medical Association PAC (TMA) in the Capitol. A closer look at TMA’s campaign donations helps paint a picture of the current Texas House Public Health Committee, whose members are appointed by Texas House Speaker Joe Straus.