Ryan heads to Lone Star State for GOP hopeful

A GOP challenger in the only competitive House district in Texas will get a boost Friday when former vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) heads to the Lone Star State to stump for GOP nominee Will Hurd. 

The former CIA officer looks to knock off Democratic freshman Rep. Pete Gallego in the 23rd District, one that’s known for its electoral volatility. It’s flipped parties in three of the past four elections, the most recent being Gallego’s 2012 victory over GOP Rep. Francisco “Quico” Canseco. 

{mosads}Hurd had to knock off Canseco in a primary runoff in order to secure the party’s nomination. Through June, he spent about $569,000 and had $150,000 on hand. 

Gallego, a former state legislator, has the deeper pockets. Over that same timeframe, he spent about $875,000 with another $814,000 in the bank.

Most experts don’t predict that the GOP’s majority in the House is in any danger, so Ryan and other Republicans are looking to shore up their numbers during midterm elections, when the president’s party almost always takes a hit. 

The Dallas Morning News reported that the National Republican Congressional Committee already booked more than $600,000 worth of TV ads in San Antonio alone supporting Hurd, while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has pledged $1.2 million to bolster Gallego. Outside groups smelling blood have joined the fray with millions. 

No other Texas congressional district appears to be up for grabs thanks primarily to redistricting. The 58,000-square-mile district stretches across most of the southwestern part of the state, mixing rural West Texas with the urban San Antonio area.

This post was updated at 4:17 p.m.