Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, has at least one new ally in the Texas legislature following Tuesday night’s primary runoff elections.
Abbott endorsed a slew of challengers to GOP incumbents in the state legislative races after facing opposition from some Republican lawmakers on school vouchers, one of his top legislative priorities.
Abbott failed to pass a bill that would have provided parents tax dollars to send their children to private schools in lieu of the public education system. The bill faced staunch opposition from Democratic legislators, as well as many Republicans who represent more rural areas, where families may rely on public education. Abbott targeted these Republicans by supporting their primary challengers.
On Tuesday, several primary challengers supported by Abbott defeated incumbent Republicans.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on January 31, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Several legislative candidates endorsed by Abbott won their elections on Tuesday.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
In the 44th state House district, Representative John Kuempel was defeated by challenger Alan Schoolcraft, who won with 56 percent of the vote, while the incumbent received 44 percent.
Meanwhile, in the 58th state House district, Abbott-backed Helen Kerwin successfully unseated Representative DeWayne Burns. Kerwin received 58 percent of the vote, while 42 percent backed Burns.
Kerwin is set to run unopposed in the general election, meaning she is essentially guaranteed a spot in the Texas legislature next year.
Schoolcraft will run against Democrat Eric Norman in the November general election and is viewed as the favorite in the Republican-leaning district containing the cities of Seguin and Gonzales. In 2022, Kuempel handily won reelection in the seat, defeating a Democrat by a margin of 61 to 39.
In the 33rd state House district, Katrina Pierson, a former spokesperson for ex-President Donald Trump‘s 2016 campaign, also defeated Representative Justin Holland while running in support of Abbott’s voucher plan. She received 56 percent of the vote, compared to Holland’s 44 percent and is viewed as the favorite in the general election.
Notably, Abbott did not endorse Pierson until after the March primary.
However, in the 1st state House district, incumbent GOP Representative Gary VanDeaver beat back a challenge from Abbott-endorsed Chris Spencer. VanDeaver received 53 percent of the vote, while Spencer garnered 47 percent.
Newsweek has reached out to Abbott’s political team, as well as each campaign, for comment.
Conservatives across the United States have argued in support of school voucher programs for private and religious schools, arguing that it would provide students and their families more choice in deciding where to attend school. In 2023, 10 states passed school choice laws
However, in Texas, Abbott’s plans to expand vouchers faced skepticism from many rural Republicans who raised concerns about the program taking funds away from public schools, which they view as crucial to their communities.
Abbott celebrated the wins in a post to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“The Texas legislature now has enough votes to pass School Choice. Congratulations to all of tonight’s winners. Together, we will ensure the best future for our children,” he wrote.
In a statement provided to Newsweek, Kerwin wrote, “I am profoundly honored and humbled by the people of Johnson and Somervell Counties for placing their faith in me to be their conservative, common sense voice in the State Legislature. Our campaign was always about serving the grassroots and delivering the kinds of reforms we need for Texas to lead the nation in growth, opportunity, and empowering freedom for our amazing citizens.”
Update 5/29/24, 2:48 p.m. ET: This article was updated with a statement from Helen Kerwin.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.