A Houston-based Super PAC targeting congressional incumbents from both major political parties is drawing a bead on Texas lawmakers.

The Campaign for Primary Accountability, a non-ideological political action committee, is working on behalf of underfunded challengers without the financial wherewithal to defeat entrenched incumbents.

It’s part of the PAC’s stated goal of educating voters and diminishing the power of incumbency.

Earlier this year, the super PAC announced its intention to help challengers defeat Democratic Reps. Silvestré Reyes of El Paso and Eddie Bernice Johnson in Dallas.

This week, the super PAC expanded its list of targets to include Republican Reps. Joe Barton of Ennis and Ralph Hall of Rockwall.

Hall is the longest serving, current Texas congressman, first elected as a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party in his East Texas district that includes Texarkana. He has served 33 years in Congress.

Barton was first elected in 1984. He’s best known for using his high ranking position on the Energy and Commerce Committee for accusing President Barack Obama of a $20 billion “shakedown” of BP Amoco PLC that the company paid following the 2010 deepwater oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The two Texas Republicans became targets of the super PAC because they are long-term incumbents, have credible challengers and, more importantly, have disgruntled constituents, said Curtis Ellis, a spokesman for Campaign for Primary Accountability.

“Our polling shows that people are dissatisfied with their current representation,” Ellis said.

The PAC is funded by several deep-pocketed donors, the largest being Houston builder Leo Linbeck III. The PAC has raised more than $1.8 billion to shake up Congress by helping defeat long-term incumbents.

Last month, the PAC unsuccessfully targeted Rep. Marcy Kaptur in Ohio. The PAC backed liberal Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who through redistricting, was forced into a race with Kaptur, who won.

The PAC also targeted Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Alabama, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, who survived a hard fought primary last month.

In both races, the PAC paid for advertising to help the challenger.

Some congressional incumbents, like Reyes, have questioned the true motives of the Super PAC, saying it is used to bypass campaign finance laws. Donors to the Super PAC also have donated to Robert “Beto” O’Rourke, in El Paso.

But Ellis said the goal is to educate people that they can most effectively use their vote in the primary.

Through redistricting, the political parties pack many of the congressional districts, giving more weight to the primary elections in decided congressional elections.

Ellis said the PAC has field surveys and other research to identify other possible targets in Texas.

Those members include: Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes; Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin; Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio; Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston; Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands; Rep. Michael Conaway, R-Midland; and Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Plano.

Ellis said all of the Texas lawmakers on the PAC’s “watch list” have primary challengers, hold a financial advantage over challengers, have served multiple terms in Congress and are in districts where the primary winner will likely win in November.

Research in the field will determine whether the Campaign for Primary Accountability decides to throw money and organization to defeat those incumbents, Ellis said.

gmartin@express-news.net

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