Wall puts $600,000 of own money into race

It’s a new year and a new congressional district, but Republican Kathaleen Wall is starting her latest campaign for Congress in the Houston area much like her last one — by making it clear she isn’t afraid to spend her own money.

Wall put $600,000 into her campaign for the 22nd Congressional District, giving her a big financial advantage over nine other Republicans who are vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land. The 22nd District

includes most of Fort Bend County, part of Brazoria County and southeastern sections of Harris County.

No other Republican in the race has raised more than $220,000. The second-biggest fundraiser so far is Brazoria County court-at-law judge Greg Hill, who reported raising about $217,000, including a $40,000 personal loan he gave to his campaign.

A major GOP donor for over a decade, Wall spent $6.2 million of her own money in her failed 2018 run for the 2nd Congressional District, which stretches from West Houston to Humble and Atascocita.

Despite spending more than any other GOP challenger, Wall finished in third place in the Republican primary. Retired Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw, who spent about $300,000 in the primary, went on to win the district.

Wall, an investor in tech startup companies, has declared herself a “Trump Republican” who will help push the president’s agenda in Congress.

“This Wall is going to help President Trump build the wall,” Wall said in a campaign video launching her campaign.

Wall is campaigning in a Congressional district that has become one of the most diverse in the nation. According to census data, one-quarter of the residents of the district are foreign-born — the second-highest percentage in the state, behind the neighboring 7th Congressional District in Houston.

More than 167,000 residents of District 22 identify as Asian, nearly 20 percent of the population, the highest percentage of any district in Texas. The district is also 25 percent Hispanic and 14 percent black.

Olson won re-election in 2018 by just 4 percentage points over Democrat Sri Preston Kulkarni, a former foreign service officer who is running again in 2020. By contrast, Olson won re-election in 2016 by 20 percentage points.

Olson announced in July he would not run for re-election in 2020.

Among Democrats running for the 22nd District, Kulkarni is leading the money race with $817,000 raised so far. Pearland City Councilman Derrick Reed has the nexthighest amount at $114,000.

Democrats have made the 22nd Congressional District one of their top targets going into 2020 because of how close the race was in 2018.