One more seasoned Texas politico will be vying to unseat Republican Sen. John Cornyn of San Antonio in 2020.
Chris Bell, a Houston trial lawyer and former Democratic congressman, has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to run against the three-term incumbent.
Bell told the Texas Tribune he’s “definitely planning to run” and will make a formal announcement at a later date. In May, Bell said he was in the “very early” stages of weighing a campaign.
Aside from Bell, other Democratic contenders for the seat include MJ Hegar, a former Air Force helicopter pilot who lost a close 2018 congressional race to flip Republican-dominated Round Rock. Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards and state Sen. Royce West of Dallas have also announced runs.
After lengthy speculation that he also may be a contender, San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro in May said he’ll instead focus on his efforts in the U.S. House.
Both Democrats and Republicans have promised to pump big money into the Senate race after former El Paso congressman Beto O’Rourke’s tight contest against conservative incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz.
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This article appears in Jul 3-16, 2019.
