Voters across Texas cast their ballots in Primary races on Tuesday. Here are some of the highlights from the Republican Primary across the state:
Cornyn Exceeds Expectations
As of publishing, Senator John Cornyn held a narrow lead over Attorney General Ken Paxton, with the two headed to a May runoff. In the weeks leading up to the Primary, pundits had predicted that Paxton would emerge from the Primary with a comfortable lead. Some Paxton supporters had even predicted that Paxton would emerge the winner without a runoff or that Cornyn would place third – predictions that fell wildly short.
The Senate Leadership Fund, which backed Cornyn, had strong words for Congressman Wesley Hunt.
“Congratulations to Wesley Hunt on an abysmal third-place finish in Texas’ Republican primary. Instead of fighting for President Trump and conservative priorities, Wesley launched a career-ending vanity tour without any substance or political reasoning. While Wesley’s amateur consultants got wealthy on his senseless campaign, Republican voters are now forced to endure an even longer primary runoff election,” the group said of Hunt, who earned 13% of the vote.
Statewide Surprises
Businessman and former State Senator outpaced the field of four candidates for State Comptroller, earning 57%. Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, who was aided by millions of dollars of support from Governor Greg Abbott, received 23.52%. Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick came in third with 15%. Craddick, who is in the middle of a six-year term on the Railroad Commission, was not required to give up her current seat to run for Comptroller.
State Senator Mayes Middleton and Congressman Chip Roy will face off in the runoff, with Middleton leading Roy by a 39%-32% margin. The race also included State Senator Joan Huffman, who came in third place with 15%, and attorney Aaron Reitz, who trailed behind with 14%. Reitz had been the favored candidate of outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Scandal-plagued Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was ousted from office, felled by honey purveyor Nate Sheets. Miller, who faced criticism for hiring his longtime political consultant, Todd Smith, to a high-paying job as his Chief of Staff after Smith entered a guilty plea to a charge of commercial bribery, was defeated by five points. Sheets, who founded and sold a successful honey company, was endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott.
Texas House Incumbents (Generally) Fare Well
Despite lingering drama arising from the election of Speaker Dustin Burrows last year, incumbents seeking re-election to the Texas House fared well, with only two incumbent Republicans falling to challengers.
All incumbents seeking re-election to the Texas House earned endorsements from President Donald J. Trump, Senator Ted Cruz, and Governor Abbott. Burrows was also endorsed by President Trump for re-election as Speaker.
Incumbents Cecil Bell, Jr. and Stan Kitzman were defeated by challengers Kristin Plaisance and Dennis “Goose” Geesaman. Two Trump-endorsed incumbents who were censured by the Republican Party of Texas last year, State Representatives Angelia Orr and Jared Patterson, both won re-election by comfortable margins.
Candidates supported by the political network of Midland businessman Tim Dunn had a good night in open-seat races in the Texas House. Chris Spencer (HD 1), Cheryl Bean (HD 94), Armin Mizani (HD 98), and Scott Bowen (HD 129) were all successful in competitive open-seat races. Former Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, running in the open House District 126 with the backing of Dunn’s network, Governor Abbott, and several Harris County Republican lawmakers, appears headed to a runoff against Kelly Peterson, the District Director for retiring State Representative Sam Harless.
Crenshaw Defeated, Trump-Backed Congressional Candidates Lead
State Representative Steve Toth won a decisive 16-point victory over Congressman Dan Crenshaw in Congressional District 2. Crenshaw, who was the only incumbent Republican Congressman seeking re-election in Texas that President Trump did not endorse, faced criticism that he had lost touch with his constituents. Toth earned an endorsement from Senator Ted Cruz in the closing days of the campaign.
Trump-endorsed Republicans running in open seats either won the Republican nomination outright or will be advancing to runoffs. Jessica Steinmann (TX-8), Chris Gober (TX-10), Mark Teixeira (TX-21), and Trever Nehls (TX-22) all won their races without the need for a runoff.
In the race to succeed outgoing Congressman Wesley Hunt in District 38, Trump-endorsed mortgage broker Jon Bonck earned 48% of the vote and will face aviation businesswoman Shelly DeZavallos in a runoff.
Trump-endorsed Army veteran and business owner Alex Mealer will face State Representative Briscoe Cain in a runoff to represent the newly redrawn District 9 in Harris and Liberty counties. Mealer led the field with 36%, followed by Cain with 31%. Former Congressman Steve Stockman came in third place with 16%.
In the newly redrawn District 32 in North Texas, Attorney Jace Yarbrough will face businessman and pastor Ryan Binkley in a runoff. Yarbrough, who President Trump endorsed, came in first place with 49%. Binkley, who self-funded his campaign to a significant degree, earned 22%.
State Representative John Lujan and Air Force veteran Carlos De La Cruz advanced to a runoff in the newly redrawn District 35 in the San Antonio area. Lujan led the 11-candidate field with 33%, followed by De La Cruz with 27%. De La Cruz, the brother of Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz, has been endorsed by President Trump, while Governor Abbott has endorsed Lujan.
In two South Texas Congressional districts where Republicans hope to oust Democrat incumbents, candidates backed by President Trump won resounding victories.
Webb County Judge Tano Tijeria earned 74% against opponent Eileen Day in the race to face embattled Democrat Henry Cuellar in November in District 28.
Former federal prosecutor and Army veteran Eric Flores scored a massive victory to earn the Republican nomination in District 34, winning 57% of the vote in an 8-candidate race. Former Congresswoman Mayra Flores placed a distant second with 24%. Eric Flores will face Democrat Congressman Vicente Gonzalez in the General Election.
Flanked by supporters at his victory party in Harlingen, Flores vowed to highlight Gonzalez’s numerous failures to represent the values of his district.
“The message to Vicente Gonzalez is very, very clear. His voting record will be front and center, showing one thing – that he has failed South Texas. He no longer represents what we represent – South Texas values,” said Eric Flores.
