Elaine Hays/Photo via Hays for Congress campaign (2020)
Former Amarillo City Councilmember Elaine Hays has filed preliminary paperwork ahead of a potential run for the Texas House of Representatives.
According to records from the Texas Ethics Commission, Hays filed a campaign treasurer appointment on Thursday, July 6th. This move signals a return to politics for Hays, who left Amarillo City Council in 2021 following a failed primary bid for Congress in 2020.
Hays, who currently lives in Runaway Bay in Wise County, is gearing up to challenge incumbent Republican Lynn Stucky, who represents Texas House District 64. Andy Hopper, who nearly defeated Stucky in the 2022 primary, has already announced his candidacy.
Hays was first elected to Amarillo City Council in 2017, the same year voters elected Ginger Nelson as mayor. Though she was closely aligned with Nelson on many issues, she occasionally voted against the mayor. According to city records, out of hundreds of votes taken during her time in office, Hays cast 23 opposite Nelson.
Perhaps her most noteworthy streak of voting against Nelson came during the city’s 2019 budgeting process. During that process, Hays cast 8 No votes, arguing the city should have looked for more budget cuts instead of raising the tax rate. However, critics argued she was grandstanding against tax increases ahead of her 2020 bid for Congress. In support of this criticism, some have pointed out that, of the 4 years Hays was in office, the only time she voted against increasing the tax rate was in 2019.
In 2020, after incumbent Mac Thornberry announced he would not seek reelection, Hays threw her hat into the ring. Hays finished in 4th out of 15 candidates vying for the Republican nomination. Notably, Hays did not receive the backing of Amarillo Matters PAC, which had supported Hays during her council campaigns. Instead, Amarillo Matters PAC supported lobbyist Josh Winegarner, who earned first place in the primary but lost to Navy veteran Ronny Jackson in the runoff. Following her defeat, Hays chose not to seek reelection to city council in 2021. Shortly after completing her term, Hays moved to Runaway Bay in Wise County, which was the only portion of the district won by Hays.
While Hays’ most recent bid for Congress was in 2020, it wasn’t her first. Before running for city council, Hays challenged incumbent Mac Thornberry for the seat in 2014. Hays earned second place in that year’s primary, where she picked up 18.6% of the vote.
The 2024 primary election is set to be held on Tuesday, March 5th.