Candidates Begin Filing for 2022 and the House Boasts a New Republican

Candidate Filing Period Begins

• Saturday kicked off the candidate filing period for candidates hoping to seek election in 2022.
• The filing period will last until Monday, December 13, 2021.
• Unofficial list of currently announced/filed candidates for U.S. Congress, statewide office, and the Texas Legislature.

Guillen Switches Party Affiliation

• Monday, State Rep. Ryan Guillen (D–Rio Grande City) announced he will be switching party affiliations from Democrat to Republican, making him the 85th Republican in the Texas House of Representatives.
• Guillen was first elected in 2002 and has recently voted as one of the most conservative lawmakers among his now-former Democrat colleagues.
• He recently voted in favor of the Texas Heartbeat Act and constitutional carry in the 87th regular legislative session earlier this year.
• It is likely, however, that this move is more about personal preservation than personal politics. The new district boundaries for Guillen’s district are much more favorable to a would-be Republican candidate.

List Grows for Non-Returning Lawmakers

• Currently, 23 lawmakers have announced they will not be seeking re-election to their current positions.
  • 19 from Texas House of Representatives
  • 4 from Texas Senate
• Republican State Rep. John Cyrier (Lockhart)