Convenience Big Store: Dan Patrick strikes back

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Here in Austin, we're asking ourselves a question: Are the Republicans at the top of the ballot getting nervous? Because a few of them seem to be.

Dan Patrick stands on a stage red and blue banners with the shape of Texas in them are draped behind him.

Attack ads, name recognition and cash

1. DAN PATRICK STRIKES BACK: The state's No. 2 lawmaker, Lt. Gov. Patrick hasn't run an attack ad focused on his opponent since 2014. But it's not because he doesn't like tough talk. He's the guy who went on Fox News last year to say Haitians who amassed at the Texas border were part of a "silent revolution" to take control of America's government, echoing a racist conspiracy theory.

'Wrong for Texas' is hardly a big put-down, but the attack ad Patrick just bought against Democrat Mike Collier was a long time coming. Patrick beat Collier by less than 5 percentage points in 2018. Now, Collier has more money and some success getting endorsements from former GOP officials who have worked with Patrick.

Meanwhile, at the governor's mansion, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is facing a Democrat who can evidently raise cash nearly as fast as he can. Beto O'Rourke has pulled in $66 million, more than any Democrat seeking state office in Texas history.

Also hustling this summer was Attorney General Ken Paxton, who banked another $2 million over the past three months, after being outraised by little-known Democrat Rochelle Garza earlier.

2. WHEN THE DEMS PANIC: While national Republican groups spend big money to see how many votes they can get in the blue Rio Grande Valley, the national Democrats are pulling back. The party has informed progressive Michelle Vallejo they aren't going to buy the ads they had planned to support her in the 15th Congressional District.

'The Democratic Party abandoned Latinos' a long time ago, says her Republican foe, Monica De La Cruz, who definitely doesn't sound worried.

More election coverage

The two candidates for Harris County judge, incumbent Lina Hidalgo and Alexandra Mealer, sat down face-to-face to discuss crime, bipartisan work and more with the Chronicle's Editorial Board. Watch their conversation here.
Both Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O'Rourke are making big claims about the state of Texas' power grid, but how many of their claims are true?
Attorney General Ken Paxton's newest attack ad blasts Democrat Rochelle Garza for defending "human trafficking" suspects, but neither of the defendants referenced were charged with human trafficking or human smuggling.

3. HERE TO HELP: You want info on more races? We've got it. The Chronicle's 2022 voter guide has information on 170 candidates, from Congress to Texas Land Commissioner to County Commissioner. Dig in.

Want to follow the money? Check out our campaign finance page, with lists of top groups and individuals for the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general candidates.

Want to dig deeper? Our five-part course on Texas politics is available free to your inbox. They're quick reads with lots of links for research as you make decisions.

Need some answers? Send us your questions here. As we did for the March primaries, we'll answer every question we can. Remember to watch out for new mail ballot requirements, which tripped up a lot of people in March.

Key dates: Early voting starts Oct. 24. Last day to get your mail ballots to the local elections clerk's office (delivered, not postmarked) is Oct. 28. Election Day is Nov. 8.