Election Results: Abbott’s school choice plan likely with Texas House incumbents ousted

DALLAS – Tuesday’s primary runoff election brought some changes to the makeup of the Texas House.

Several Republican incumbents were defeated. Most of them were opposed by Gov. Greg Abbott over their opposition to his school voucher plan.

Six of the eight Republican House members who were forced into runoffs lost. That includes several representatives from North Texas.

In District 33, Justin Holland lost his bid for re-nomination to Katrina Pierson. 

The former spokeswoman for former President Donald Trump’s campaign won by a wide margin in the district that includes Rockwall County and part of Collin County.

In District 58 in Johnson and Somervell counties, incumbent Dewayne Burns lost to conservative activist Helen Kerwin 58% to 42%.

Burns was opposed by both Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was upset that Burns voted to impeach him last year.

In District 61 in Collin County, incumbent Frederick Frazier lost by more than a 2 to 1 margin to Keresa Richardson.

Frazier was endorsed by Abbott for his support of school vouchers, but Paxton campaigned against him over his impeachment vote.

Frazier also recently had charges of impersonating a public servant dismissed after pleading no contest.

In District 64 in Wise and Denton counties, incumbent Lynn Stucky was backed by Abbott but lost to Andy Hopper, a conservative activist who was making his second campaign against Stucky.

Paxton supported Hopper because of Stucky’s vote for impeachment.

In District 91 in Tarrant County, incumbent Stephanie Klick lost to David Lowe.

Klick was endorsed by Abbott but opposed by Paxton.

Many of the losing incumbents on the state level voted against Gov. Abbott’s school voucher program last year. Their challengers ran on pro-voucher platforms.

Abbott called that a victory, saying the runoff results show that Texans want school choice and that the votes are now there to get it passed.

The runoff race that got the most attention statewide was House Speaker Dade Phelan in District 21 in the Beaumont area.

He defeated David Covey by a narrow margin of 366 votes out of more than 25,000 cast. 

There’s no word on whether Covey will call for a recount.

Covey was endorsed by both Trump and Paxton after Phelan led the impeachment against Paxton last year.

Paxton did not hold back in his anger over Phelan’s win.

He accused him of stealing the election by using a strategy that relied on Democrats voting for him in the Republican runoff.

Paxton called for the Republican party to close its primaries so that only registered Republicans can vote, something the legislature would likely have to vote on.

The biggest race in Dallas County was the Democratic runoff for sheriff.

Incumbent Marian Brown easily defeated former Sheriff Lupe Valdez.

Brown took over as sheriff in 2017 after Valdez stepped down to run for governor.

She will almost certainly win in the fall election as no Republican filed for the race.

Turnout was very low for the runoff election in Dallas County. Just under 31,000 people, or 2.1% of the 1.4 million registered voters, voted on Tuesday.