Researching for Primaries III: Which Primary?

[livingdeb]

Texas has open primaries which means we can vote in any one primary without first registering for that party. In my state, one party tends to win all the state-wide races, so it is often said that the election is decided in the primary.

Nevertheless, it looks like people mainly vote in the primary of the party with which they most closely identify. I've also read that sometimes people vote in the other party to pick the worst one so that their own party's candidate will look better. Ugh.

Sadly my goal is to vote against several incumbents. If there are better people running against them, I want to vote for them instead. If not, then it's of no use to vote in that party's primary. Here are the incumbents I want ousted:
* Senator Ted Cruz (R) - has three people running against him; two have made no response to the League of Women Voters; the other one does sound like a big improvement
* Representative Roger Williams (R) - unopposed
* Governor Greg Abbott (R) - technically has one or two people running against him; still have virtually no information on whether either of the other two would be better
* Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) - Does have one person running against him who does, indeed, seem better
* State Rep. Dawnna Dukes (D) - Has several people running against her all of whom seem better

And after research, I clearly also want to get rid of:
* Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) - unopposed
* Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R) - unopposed

and probably:
* Land Commissioner George P. Bush (R) - several people running against him who might be better
* Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick (R) - may have someone running against him, but that guy looks pretty bad himself

So in the Republican primary, I could probably vote for someone I would like better than Cruz and Patrick, and the Democratic primary, I could vote for someone I like better than Dukes. I would be happier with either of Dukes' two biggest opponents, so I am going to choose the Republican primary.

Woo hoo, now I can narrow the focus of my research to a single party!