By Trendsetter Tribune 
LUFKIN, TX — In a race that has set new spending records for a Texas legislative primary, Republican State Senate candidate Rhonda Ward is facing intense scrutiny over a $2 million donation from a single East Texas businessman. Ward, a first-time candidate and former member of the State Republican Executive Committee, insisted on Friday, February 20, 2026, that there are “no strings attached” to the massive contribution.
The donation, which accounts for more than 90% of her total campaign funds, comes from James “Jim” Moyer, a Sabine County resident and co-founder of the global technology firm Monolithic Power Systems.
The “No Strings” Defense
Ward is challenging State Representative Trent Ashby for the Senate District 3 seat, which represents a large swath of East Texas including Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Orange. During an interview with The Texas Tribune, Ward pushed back against claims that such a large sum would grant Moyer undue influence.
- Conditionless Support: Ward stated that Moyer has not asked for any specific votes or policy concessions. “I think people are really trying to attach strings to it, and there are no strings attached,” she said.
- Moyer’s Motivation: In a statement released through the campaign, Moyer—who retired from his corporate board in 2024—said his goal was simply ideological: “I support Rhonda Ward because I want to see a conservative Senator in this seat before I die.”
The Ashby Response: “Bought and Paid For?”
The campaign of Trent Ashby, who is the preferred successor of retiring Senator Robert Nichols, has used the $2 million figure to paint Ward as an outsider backed by a “single-donor machine.”
| Candidate | Total Raised (as of Jan 22) | Key Backing |
| Rhonda Ward | $2.14 Million | 90%+ from James Moyer (Retired Tech Exec). |
| Trent Ashby | $2.20 Million | Diversified PACs, local leaders, and Gov. Greg Abbott. |
While Ashby’s fundraising is comparable in size, it is comprised of hundreds of individual donations and established Republican PACs, whereas Ward’s war chest appeared almost overnight following Moyer’s six-figure checks in late 2025.
Wider Context: The “Colbert Bump” for Talarico
The news of Ward’s $2 million donor comes as another Texas Senate race—the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate—sees its own massive financial surge.
- The $2.5 Million Windfall: State Rep. James Talarico announced this week that he raised $2.5 million in just 24 hours after an interview with Stephen Colbert was pulled from CBS broadcasts due to FCC “equal time” concerns.
- Grassroots vs. Megadonors: Unlike Ward’s reliance on one businessman, Talarico’s campaign claims its $2.5 million haul came from over 100,000 individual contributors, with an average donation of under $25.
The Secession Controversy
Adding a layer of local intrigue, retiring Senator Robert Nichols told reporters that when he met with Moyer recently, the businessman expressed interest in Texas seceding from the Union. Nichols reportedly joked about the Union “kicking our rear end” last time, a comment Moyer allegedly “did not find funny.”