| Ed. note: The following is one of twenty races we are featuring in the Texas Political Report. Annie's List provided research and analysis for this race. Candidate Pages: Pati Jacobs website, on Facebook, on Twitter
Candidate Pages: Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt website, on Facebook, on Twitter District Overview: The Numbers, The Issues, and the Candidates
District 17 stretches across all or part of six counties (Bastrop, Lee, Burleson, Fayette, Colorado, and part of Brazos) in between Austin, College Station, and Houston. Though a largely rural district and often strongly Republican – Obama lost with 37.5% of the vote – no Democratic State House candidate has lost this district in a mid-term election in the last 15 years. In fact, until 2008 it was represented by longtime Democratic House Member Robby Cook, who chose to retire then. The biggest issue in the district involves water reclamation, an issue one-term representative Kleinschmidt has working against him. He’s sold off his own water rights to water hustlers, a move that plays poorly in this rural district. Jacobs has made the issue a central part of her campaign. Jacobs owns and runs a family farm, and owns and operates Bastrop Cattle Company, a grass-fed beef ranch. Why Jacobs Could Unseat Kleinschmidt Kleinschmidt, a one-term representative, has little to show for his time in the legislature and was dubbed "furniture" by Texas Monthly. Democrats have been strong in past off-year elections in this district. Jacobs' home county, Bastrop County, is becoming more populous as part of the Austin metro area and provides her an organizing base. Rancher and businesswoman Jacobs is a serious candidate with serious money and hard-working team with an aggressive and well mapped-out field plan to cover the large territory. This is a tough but winnable race, and Jacobs knows her stuff. Her values and positions, as well as her background, fit well with the district that’s her home. June 30 Campaign Finance Report: | HD 17: Jacobs vs. Kleinschmidt | Contributions
| Expenditures
| Cash on Hand
| Pati Jacobs (D)
| $109,289 | $30,734 | $62,502 | Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt (R)
| $66,588 | $32,402 | $38,634 | Jacobs' Advantage
| $42,701 | - | $23,868 | |
