Rhonda Ward, a first-time candidate for elected office who previously served on the state GOP’s policy committee, is challenging Trent Ashby for the East Texas seat.

As President Donald Trump seeks to boost U.S. investment in Venezuela’s oil fields, Mexico is poised to export less heavy crude to Gulf refineries, creating an opening for Venezuelan oil.

The latest campaign finance reports show big-money interests are heavily invested in the Texas primaries — but unwilling to reveal their identities at a critical juncture of the race.