The 2017 Living Large Index quantifies the use of campaign funds for lifestyle-related expenses for every legislator over the 2015-2016 biennium. For specifics on the biggest spenders and a broad analysis of this index, read this article.
Contents
The Senate Index
| RANK | PARTY | LEGISLATOR | CHAIR | SESSIONS | AMOUNT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R | Nelson, Jane | X | 13 | $188,741.35 |
| 2 | R | Nichols, Robert | X | 6 | $131,598.18 |
| 3 | R | Estes, Craig | X | 9 | $114,753.46 |
| 4 | D | Rodriguez, Jose | 4 | $110,797.26 | |
| 5 | D | Whitmire, John | X | 23 | $101,944.19 |
| 6 | D | Zaffirini, Judith | 16 | $97,842.76 | |
| 7 | R | Hancock, Kelly | X | 6 | $95,966.64 |
| 8 | D | Lucio Jr., Eduardo | X | 16 | $80,214.03 |
| 9 | D | Hinojosa, Juan | 16 | $77,358.86 | |
| 10 | D | Menendez, Jose | 9 | $76,207.61 | |
| 11 | D | West, Royce | 13 | $68,766.53 | |
| 12 | R | Taylor, Larry | X | 8 | $63,291.78 |
| 13 | R | Huffman, Joan | X | 5 | $53,437.11 |
| 14 | R | Hughes, Bryan | 8 | $51,837.56 | |
| 15 | R | Kolkhorst, Lois W. | X | 9 | $49,498.92 |
| 16 | D | Uresti, Carlos | 11 | $45,462.59 | |
| 17 | R | Creighton, Brandon | 6 | $28,964.14 | |
| 18 | R | Perry, Charles L. | X | 4 | $23,872.75 |
| 19 | R | Hall, Robert | 2 | $23,449.64 | |
| 20 | R | Birdwell, Brian | X | 4 | $23,078.05 |
| 21 | D | Miles, Borris L. | 5 | $21,732.60 | |
| 22 | D | Garcia, Sylvia R. | 3 | $21,198.46 | |
| 23 | R | Huffines, Donald B. | 2 | $15,738.10 | |
| 24 | R | Campbell, Donna | X | 3 | $11,697.56 |
| 25 | R | Bettencourt, Paul | X | 2 | $9,308.59 |
| 26 | D | Watson, Kirk | 6 | $7,970.14 | |
| 27 | R | Schwertner, Charles | X | 4 | $6,489.53 |
| 28 | R | Seliger, Kelton G. | X | 7 | $5,549.04 |
| 29 | R | Taylor, Van | 4 | $5,018.28 | |
| 30 | R | Burton, Konni | 2 | $3,589.95 | |
| 31 | R | Buckingham, Dawn C. | 1 | $677.68 |
The House Index
| RANK | PARTY | LEGISLATOR | CHAIR | SESSIONS | AMOUNT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | Oliveira, Rene | X | 17 | $90,077.61 |
| 2 | R | Straus, Joe | 7 | $88,168.11 | |
| 3 | R | Zerwas, John | X | 6 | $83,513.46 |
| 4 | R | Flynn, Dan | X | 8 | $73,592.24 |
| 5 | R | Cook, Byron | X | 8 | $72,711.16 |
| 6 | D | Raymond, Richard | X | 12 | $57,791.15 |
| 7 | D | Lucio III, Eduardo A. | X | 6 | $57,714.65 |
| 8 | D | Deshotel, Joseph | X | 10 | $50,783.02 |
| 9 | R | King, Phillip S. | X | 10 | $49,380.21 |
| 10 | R | Kuempel, John | X | 4 | $42,135.51 |
| 11 | D | Anchia, Rafael | X | 7 | $40,000.48 |
| 12 | R | Frullo, John | X | 4 | $39,944.91 |
| 13 | R | Smithee, John | X | 17 | $37,671.37 |
| 14 | D | Coleman, Garnet | X | 13 | $37,241.38 |
| 15 | D | Thompson, Senfronia | X | 23 | $35,315.71 |
| 16 | R | Bell Jr., Cecil | 3 | $35,254.33 | |
| 17 | D | Giddings, Helen | 13 | $35,054.81 | |
| 18 | D | Dutton Jr., Harold | X | 17 | $34,084.13 |
| 19 | R | Capriglione, Giovanni | 3 | $33,270.48 | |
| 20 | D | Davis, Yvonne | 13 | $31,915.77 | |
| 21 | R | Lozano, Jose M. | X | 4 | $31,500.00 |
| 22 | R | Ashby, Trenton | 3 | $26,587.51 | |
| 23 | D | Pickett, Joseph | X | 12 | $24,762.95 |
| 24 | D | Hernandez, Ana | 7 | $23,901.96 | |
| 25 | R | Paddie, Chris | 3 | $21,807.37 | |
| 26 | R | Phelan, Dade | 2 | $20,477.98 | |
| 27 | R | Larson, Lyle | X | 4 | $20,439.68 |
| 28 | R | King, Kenneth | 3 | $20,364.23 | |
| 29 | D | Martinez, Armando | 7 | $20,253.26 | |
| 30 | R | Kacal, Kyle | 3 | $20,012.48 | |
| 31 | D | Walle Jr., Armando | 5 | $19,960.27 | |
| 32 | D | Turner, Christopher | 4 | $19,874.75 | |
| 33 | R | Phillips, Lawrence | X | 8 | $18,867.66 |
| 34 | D | Johnson, Eric | 4 | $16,899.50 | |
| 35 | R | Villalba, Jason | 3 | $16,235.92 | |
| 36 | D | Rose, Toni | 3 | $15,500.26 | |
| 37 | R | Bailes IV, Ernest J. | 1 | $15,232.19 | |
| 38 | R | Bonnen, Greg | 3 | $15,018.70 | |
| 39 | R | Laubenberg, Jodie | X | 8 | $14,620.90 |
| 40 | R | Cyrier, John | 2 | $14,223.38 | |
| 41 | R | Fallon, Patrick | 3 | $13,760.14 | |
| 42 | R | Price IV, Walter | X | 4 | $13,461.68 |
| 43 | R | White, James | X | 4 | $13,367.54 |
| 44 | R | Huberty, Dan | X | 4 | $13,301.82 |
| 45 | R | Hunter, Todd | X | 9 | $13,297.20 |
| 46 | D | Romero Jr., Ramon | 2 | $13,008.65 | |
| 47 | R | Bonnen, Dennis | X | 11 | $12,936.47 |
| 48 | R | Geren, Charles | X | 9 | $12,867.46 |
| 49 | R | Miller, Dana | 3 | $12,791.36 | |
| 50 | R | Parker IV, Nathaniel W. | X | 6 | $12,718.85 |
| 51 | R | Keough, Mark | 2 | $12,339.87 | |
| 52 | R | Tinderholt, Tony | 2 | $11,886.64 | |
| 53 | R | Isaac, Jason | 4 | $11,049.57 | |
| 54 | R | Elkins, Gary | X | 12 | $10,857.47 |
| 55 | R | Frank, James B. | 3 | $10,612.31 | |
| 56 | R | Morrison, Geanie | X | 10 | $10,507.03 |
| 57 | D | Blanco, Cesar J. | 2 | $8,743.97 | |
| 58 | R | Oliverson, Thomas J. | 1 | $8,505.39 | |
| 59 | D | Longoria Jr., Oscar | 3 | $8,105.77 | |
| 60 | R | Zedler, William | 7 | $8,077.78 | |
| 61 | R | Faircloth, Wayne | 2 | $7,502.58 | |
| 62 | R | Landgraf, Brooks | 2 | $7,471.28 | |
| 63 | D | King, Tracy | X | 11 | $7,379.90 |
| 64 | D | Wu, Eugene | 3 | $7,367.53 | |
| 65 | R | Lang, Mike W. | 1 | $7,260.88 | |
| 66 | D | Alvarado, Carol | X | 5 | $7,226.10 |
| 67 | D | Guerra, Roberto | 3 | $7,224.81 | |
| 68 | R | Anderson, Charles | 7 | $7,063.61 | |
| 69 | R | Murphy, Jim | X | 5 | $6,957.57 |
| 70 | D | Alonzo, Roberto R. | 10 | $6,793.24 | |
| 71 | D | Herrero, Abel | X | 6 | $6,719.12 |
| 72 | R | Stucky, Lynn D. | 1 | $6,667.39 | |
| 73 | R | Klick, Stephanie | 3 | $6,298.48 | |
| 74 | R | Raney, John | 3 | $6,118.72 | |
| 75 | R | Leach, Jeff C. | 3 | $6,061.49 | |
| 76 | R | Workman, Paul | 4 | $5,990.63 | |
| 77 | R | Burns, DeWayne C. | 2 | $5,646.43 | |
| 78 | R | Bohac, Dwayne | 8 | $5,389.59 | |
| 79 | D | Rodriguez, Eduardo | 8 | $5,353.77 | |
| 80 | R | Murr, Andrew | 2 | $5,255.20 | |
| 81 | D | Rodriguez, Justin | 3 | $5,197.92 | |
| 82 | D | Perez, Mary Ann | 2 | $5,123.03 | |
| 83 | D | Munoz Jr., Sergio | 4 | $5,005.56 | |
| 84 | R | Rinaldi, Matthew | 2 | $4,933.12 | |
| 85 | D | Allen, Alma A. | 7 | $4,875.00 | |
| 86 | R | Craddick, Tom | 25 | $4,785.54 | |
| 87 | R | Darby, Drew | X | 6 | $4,733.10 |
| 88 | R | Dean, Jay | 1 | $4,720.78 | |
| 89 | R | Springer Jr., Drew | 3 | $4,640.88 | |
| 90 | R | Sanford, William | 3 | $4,440.72 | |
| 91 | D | Collier, Nicole | 3 | $4,439.12 | |
| 92 | D | Bernal, Diego | 2 | $4,141.06 | |
| 93 | R | Metcalf, William | 2 | $4,048.51 | |
| 94 | R | Anderson, Rodney | 3 | $4,033.98 | |
| 95 | R | Wray, John C. | 2 | $3,905.42 | |
| 96 | R | Holland, Justin A. | 1 | $3,872.71 | |
| 97 | R | Cosper, Rodney S. | 1 | $3,795.90 | |
| 98 | D | Moody, Joseph E. | X | 4 | $3,772.51 |
| 99 | R | Clardy, Travis | 3 | $3,618.91 | |
| 100 | R | Meyer, Morgan | 2 | $3,460.90 | |
| 101 | R | Gonzales, Larry | 4 | $3,382.63 | |
| 102 | D | Reynolds, Ronald | 4 | $3,368.25 | |
| 103 | R | Roberts, Kevin | 1 | $2,967.15 | |
| 104 | R | Sheffield, J. D. | 3 | $2,917.11 | |
| 105 | D | Nevarez, Alfonso | 3 | $2,892.57 | |
| 106 | R | Stickland, Jonathan | 3 | $2,721.83 | |
| 107 | R | VanDeaver, Gary | 2 | $2,604.02 | |
| 108 | D | Dukes, Dawnna | 12 | $2,584.08 | |
| 109 | D | Canales, Terry | 3 | $2,337.67 | |
| 110 | R | Simmons, Ronald | 3 | $2,238.78 | |
| 111 | D | Minjarez, Ina | 2 | $2,206.37 | |
| 112 | R | Schubert, Leighton | 2 | $2,203.61 | |
| 113 | D | Gonzalez, Mary | 3 | $2,062.12 | |
| 114 | D | Vo, Hubert | 7 | $1,993.58 | |
| 115 | D | Gutierrez, Rolando | X | 5 | $1,919.33 |
| 116 | R | Schofield, Mike | 2 | $1,859.16 | |
| 117 | R | Burkett, Cindy | X | 4 | $1,794.64 |
| 118 | D | Guillen, Ryan | 8 | $1,757.62 | |
| 119 | D | Thierry, Shawn | 1 | $1,610.98 | |
| 120 | R | Schaefer, Matthew | 3 | $1,602.81 | |
| 121 | R | Koop, Linda L. | 2 | $1,540.08 | |
| 122 | D | Farrar, Jessica | 12 | $1,497.83 | |
| 123 | D | Cortez, Philip | 2 | $1,339.63 | |
| 124 | R | Burrows, Dustin | 2 | $1,307.92 | |
| 125 | R | Krause, Matt | 3 | $1,247.11 | |
| 126 | R | Davis, Sarah | X | 4 | $1,041.64 |
| 127 | R | Dale, Tony | 3 | $1,030.86 | |
| 128 | R | Button, Angie | X | 5 | $906.14 |
| 129 | D | Howard, Donna | 7 | $867.37 | |
| 130 | D | Neave, Victoria | 1 | $842.58 | |
| 131 | D | Uresti, Tomas | 1 | $817.22 | |
| 132 | R | Paul, Dennis | 2 | $730.08 | |
| 133 | D | Arevalo, Diana | 1 | $610.00 | |
| 134 | R | Wilson, Terry M. | 1 | $462.00 | |
| 135 | R | Goldman, Craig | 3 | $415.62 | |
| 136 | R | Stephenson, Phil | 3 | $261.02 | |
| 137 | D | Hawkins, Barbara | 1 | $248.00 | |
| 138 | D | Israel, Celia | 2 | $234.32 | |
| 139 | R | Cain, Briscoe R. | 1 | $218.94 | |
| 140 | D | Ortega, Evelina | 1 | $184.28 | |
| 141 | R | Hefner, Cole | 1 | $135.00 | |
| 142 | R | Thompson, Edward L. | 3 | $119.08 | |
| 143 | R | Gooden, Lance | 3 | $110.40 | |
| 144 | R | Swanson, Valoree H. | 1 | $97.00 | |
| 145 | D | Johnson, Jarvis | 1 | $0.00 | |
| 145 | R | Shaheen, Matt | 2 | $0.00 | |
| 145 | R | Shine, Hugh | 3 | $0.00 | |
| 145 | R | Biedermann, Kyle | 1 | $0.00 | |
| 145 | D | Hinojosa, Gina | 1 | $0.00 | |
| 145 | R | Lambert, Stan | 1 | $0.00 |
Methodology
This index quantifies lifestyle campaign spending by totaling an officeholder’s use of campaign funds from 1/1/2015 to 12/31/2016 in four lifestyle-related categories: Austin living, travel, vehicle-related expenses, and gifts. Specifically, living expenses include rent as well as restaurant and bar purchases; travel includes any expenses listed as out-of-state travel; vehicle-related expenses include car payments, insurance, and maintenance; finally, gifts include expenditures for specified items, such as flowers and tickets, as well as purchases from specified locations, such as the Capitol Gift Shop.
All data used to create this index were sourced from publicly accessible campaign finance reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission. The totaling of the four categories was done through keyword flagging, and as such, may be subject to minor errors as a result of misspellings in finance reports or the uncommon application of a keyword to an expenditure.