heated topic was homeowners' insurance reform. Questions arose over a multimillion-dollar settlement against Farmers Insurance Group regarding mold coverage and the role played by former state legislator Joe Nixon. In several Texas cities, both Sanchez and the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate, Ron Kirk, the former mayor of Dallas, Texas, shared campaign space. Sanchez energy businesses and family involvement Sanchez is former chairman and CEO of Sanchez Oil & Gas Corporation a privately held company that he built with his father, Antonio Sanchez, Sr. He is also the chairman of Sanchez Energy Corporation and Sanchez Midstream Partners, related publicly traded corporations. He and his family are also majority owners of International Bancshares Corporation (parent of International Bank of Commerce), a multibillion-dollar bank holding company, and Sanchez has been a major investor in Blockbuster, Viacom, and other high-tech ventures. His wealth has been estimated in excess of $600 million. One of his sons, Tony Sanchez III, is the president and CEO of Sanchez Energy. His other son Patricio is president and COO of Sanchez Midstream Partners. The two sons are co-presidents of Sanchez Oil & Gas. Later political and philanthropic engagement He has served as an aide to former Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes. "Over Bush's career, Sanchez, members of his family, and employees of his companies have given him at least $320,150, making them his No. 2 career patron," according to the Center for Public Integrity. After the March 7, 2006, primary, he announced his support for independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who fared poorly in Webb County voting, in her general election campaign against Perry. He also donated campaign money to Democrat Michael Peter Skelly in his unsuccessful bid for a congressional seat in the race for Texas's 7th congressional district in 2008 against incumbent Republican John Culberson. On December 13, 2007, Texas A&M International University in Laredo announced that the A. R. "Tony" and Maria J. "Tani" Sanchez Family Foundation had donated $10 million to create an endowment in the newly named A. R. Sanchez School of Business (formerly the College of Business). The foundation already underwrites several undertakings at TAMIU, including its Distinguished Speakers program. Sanchez also donates $20,000 each to 20 students every new year who are awarded the Sanchez Family Foundation Scholarship for Texas A&M International University, and has contributed to the establishment of the cancer treatment center of the Laredo Medical Center.