Gerald Hanks
Houston entrepreneur Andrew White, son of former Texas governor Mark White, stated Sunday night he will begin airing a 30-second ad on Houston stations for his campaign to win the Democratic gubernatorial primary on March 6.
Videos by Rare
The ads will reportedly begin airing this week on Houston cable and broadcast stations, set to run for four weeks leading up to the primary election.
According to campaign records, White, 45, is the first Democrat of the nine potential candidates to put out a TV spot for his campaign; the ad will tout White as a “Son of Texas” who rescued flood victims in his fishing boat during Hurricane Harvey.
The White campaign calls the candidate a “common sense Democrat,” pointing to his business background and fiscally conservative policy ideas.
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“A common sense leader, Andrew knows Texas can do better,” the ad, featured below, provides in part. “He’s running for Governor to do right by every Texan. No matter what it takes.”
Analysts say White’s campaign war chest far surpasses most of his opponents’ combined funds, with the legacy candidate reportedly raising more than $1.3 million for his campaign, including a loan of $1 million from his personal funds, according to campaign disclosures.
His closest rival, former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, is reporting an estimated campaign fund of only $100,000.
While this is the first run for statewide political office for White and Valdez, much of the Democratic Party power brokers say they are backing Valdez, who may be used to being an underdog, but coming out on top:
The 70-year-old Valdez is the first Hispanic, first woman and first openly lesbian candidate to win the election for the Dallas County Sheriff’s office in 2004; she also reportedly won re-election in 2008.
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If White wins the primary in March, election analysts predict he will likely face the incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott in the November 6 general election.
