Deer semen donations among campaign contributions to South Texas candidate Donations were made as part of an auction event

A South Texas candidate for the state House reported $51,000 worth of campaign contributions in deer semen, according to campaign finance reports. A South Texas candidate for the state House reported $51,000 worth of campaign contributions in deer semen, according to campaign finance reports. Photo: Shannon Tompkins/Houston Chronicle Photo: Shannon Tompkins/Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Deer semen donations among campaign contributions to South Texas candidate 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN — Many political candidates accept political gifts like food for events or legal advice for their campaigns, but one candidate from South Texas reported receiving thousands of dollars worth of deer semen.

Ana Lisa Garza, a district court judge in Starr County, reported accepting at least 40 semen straws, doses valued at $51,000. According to a report filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, several of the in-kind donations were made as part of a Feb. 10 auction event.

Although deer have been bred for over a century, interest has spiked in recent decades, in part due to interest in a buck named Patrick that was kept as a pet in the Midwest and grew large and unique antlers in the 1980s.

The practice has since grown into a budding industry in Texas. The deer, with their attractive racks, are now largely used for hunting, venison or further breeding.

In the filings, the straws are largely named after their sperm donors, including "Mabo Thicket" "Tack Hammer," "Strike Force." Other names of the straws include, "Bambi Chewy."

The economic impact of the deer breeding industry is $349.4 million annually in the state, according to a 2017 study by Texas A&M University. Combined with hunting, the study valued the industry's economic impact at $1.6 billion annually, according to the report.

The Texas Deer Association did not respond to requests for comment.

Garza, a Democrat, did not respond to interview requests Wednesday afternoon. She is running in the primary election against Rep. Ryan Guillen in the Texas House district that stretches south of San Antonio to the Rio Grande.

Guillen, who was first elected in 2002, is the only Democrat to win an A+ endorsement from the Texas State Rifle Association.

The winner will go onto the general election unopposed. Early voting ends Friday. The election is Tuesday.

Andrea Zelinski writes about politics for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com.