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The race for U.S. Congressional District 21 has been one to watch since the primaries when election officials announced Wendy Davis won the Democratic nomination and would challenge Republican incumbent Chip Roy on Election Day.
The Candidates
Roy is a former federal prosecutor, advisor to elected officials, and was first assistant attorney general to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Roy recently called Paxton to resign amid accusations against Paxton of bribery and abuse of office.
Davis is a former state senator for State District 10 who led a 13-hour filibuster to block a bill restricting abortion rights in Texas. She was also the Democratic challenger in the 2014 gubernatorial race against now-Gov. Greg Abbott.
The Area
U.S. District 21 covers a vast area north of San Antonio and many communities along the I-35 North and I-10 West corridors, including parts of Bexar, Hays Travis, and Comal counties. The area also covers Real, Kerr, Kendall, Blanco, Bandera and Gillespie counties.
Campaign Funds
As of June 30, Davis has raised more than $4.4. million, while Roy has brought in $2.85 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Voting History
The district has typically voted Republican ever since voters elected former Rep. Lamar Smith in 1986.
Smith held the seat for 16 terms before and announced in 2017 that he would not seek re-election for the next term. Roy has held the seat since 2019 after the 2018 midterm election.
Coronavirus and the Economy
In May, Roy told the Texas Tribune, “We need herd immunity. So we have to work through this together to get reengaged so we can build that up.”
Roy called for economic normalcy amid the COVID-19 pandemic over the summer.
Davis has pushed for the public to listen to the guidance of public health officials.
“We need to be following it, keeping people as healthy as possible so that our economy can reopen,” Davis said.
Voters will decide who they want as their next congressional district representative in less than one month. Early voting in Bexar County starts Tuesday, Oct. 13, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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