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Texas House District 2, east of Dallas, includes Hopkins, Hunt, and Van Zandt counties. Republican incumbent House Rep. Dan Flynn’s consistent political shift to the left, combined with his outright opposition to the Republican Party platform position against taxpayer-funded lobbying has earned him two challengers on his right flank. Republican challenger Bryan Slaton is back for a third showdown against Flynn, and Republican activist Dwayne Collins has also thrown his hat into the ring. The winner of this three-way Republican battle will face Democrat contender Bill Brannon in November.  

In 2018 the average spent by politicians who won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives was $354,099. As with any average, it doesn’t tell the whole story. While some candidates won their seats on a shoestring budget, six House Representatives doled out well in excess of one million dollars during their campaign. Occupying the top spot in 2018 — and outspending the second highest person on the list by more than $700,000 — was Republican House Rep. Mayes Middleton (R, HD 23), who spent $2.3 million to win House District 23. 

Embattled Texas Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen announced Tuesday morning that he will not seek reelection in 2020. Here’s how that announcement and the related scandal is impacting the money in Texas politics: