Dewhurst, Cornyn among most-fact-checked Texans still in running for statewide office

PolitiFact Texas has previously checked more than 100 claims by the 20-plus Texans still competing for your vote for statewide office.

The bulk of the checked statements were made by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (20 times fact-checked), who crushed his Republican primary opponents this week, and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (fact-checked 33 times).

Republican Greg Abbott (15 claims checked) and Democrat Wendy Davis (12 checked statements), the respective gubernatorial nominees, are among a handful of hopefuls now focused on their November showdowns.

But Dewhurst (pictured to right) and some other candidates landed in May 27 runoffs. Dewhurst faces Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick of Houston, who led Dewhurst in the primary but didn’t pass the 50 percent threshold needed to secure the nomination without a runoff. The winner confronts Democrat Leticia Van de Putte, a San Antonio state senator, in the general election.

Since our launch in 2010, we’ve checked 33 Dewhurst claims and seven Patrick statements.

Seven candidates in party-primary runoffs for statewide office have faced the Truth-O-Meter before.

They include Republicans Dewhurst, Patrick, Glenn Hegar, the state senator running for state comptroller (who is close to avoiding a runoff with state Rep. Harvey Hilderbran); attorney general candidates Ken Paxton, a state senator, and Dan Branch, a state representative; George P. Bush, running for land commissioner; and Wayne Christian, a state representative running for the Texas Railroad Commission.

The Democrats in runoffs whose statements we have previously checked are U.S. Senate hopeful David Alameel and Kinky Friedman, who’s running for agriculture commissioner.

Peek at our latest checks of these survivors to the right.

And remember, you can always look up anyone’s Texas Truth-O-Meter report card here.

What are you hearing afresh that might bear a close review?