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Local Races that Matter
UPDATE, 9:30 p.m.: Former state lawmakerAlan Schoolcraft has declared victory over the incumbent, John Kuempel.
With 83% of the vote counted, Schoolcraft maintains a lead (55%) over the Kuempel, with 45%.
Though a Kuempel has represented District 44 for more than 40 years, Schoolcraft came off as the establishment choice, getting the backing of big Republican names like Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and presidential nominee Donald Trump.
“I am grateful to the voters of HD-44 and for the support I’ve received from countless conservative champions and state leaders including President Donald Trump, Governor Greg Abbott, and Senator Ted Cruz,” Schoolcraft said in a news release. “There is nothing more important tonight than the future of conservative values for our district and for Texas. I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work for the people of this district on closing the border, empowering parents, and protecting family values.”
Kuempel was first elected to the seat, which includes Seguin, parts of New Braunfels and Gonzales, in 2010 after the death of his father, Edmund Kuempel, who had held it since 1983. He released a statement after calling Schoolcraft to concede the race.
“From the bottom of our heart, Michelle and I are so grateful for the privilege of representing Guadalupe, Gonzales and Wilson counties over the last 14 years and beyond that for serving our neighbors for the last 41 years as the Kuempel family. We congratulate Mr. Schoolcraft on his victory and wish him the best.”
State Rep. John Kuempel (R-44)
BACKGROUND:
Long-time state Rep. John Kuempel faces perhaps the toughest test of his political career when he faces former state lawmaker Alan Schoolcraft for the Republican nomination for Texas House District 44 in the Texas Primary runoff election on Tuesday.
Schoolcraft, who came out of retirement to run in this race, received 47% of the vote in the March Primary, edging the incumbent Kuempel, who received 46%.
Kuempel, a Seguin native, has been a reliable Republican vote in Austin for 13 years.
That was until last year when Gov. Greg Abbott asked lawmakers to tackle school vouchers for Texas parents to help them pay for private school. Kuempel joined Democrats, and two dozen other Republicans, to torpedo Abbott’s school voucher push in April 2023.
Four special sessions later, no school voucher legislation made it to Abbott’s desk for him to sign, infuriating the governor, who promised to go after the rebellious Republicans in the March Primary election by supporting the challenger(s) over the incumbents. That includes Kuempel.
“I think that’s the defining difference between the both of us. I’m supporting a system that, you know, we can see from other states, that just doesn’t work. Just from a basic economic standpoint, the cost of it would be debilitating for my communities, my schools (and) our local economies. And I’m just not going to stand for it and watch it go,” said Kuempel, who recently sat down for a Spriester Sessions interview.
He also voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, who backed Schoolcraft for the nomination.
Schoolcraft served as a state Representative for districts 57 and 121 in Bexar County from 1981 to 1993. He has also been a lawyer and businessman. He has not been in office since then but has come back for this race and has Abbott’s endorsement.
“There’s been folks trying to talk me into running for the last six or eight years, and I kept saying ‘no. Let someone else do it. I’ve done it before, I’ve served my time.’ And I just kept saying ‘no,’” said Schoolcraft in an interview on Spriester Sessions. “But this time around, there were just issues that I really cared about. And then I think the final one was the school choice vote when my opponent was one of the 21 Republicans that helped kill it. And that’s something that I’ve believed in for many, many years. And I just said, ‘OK, that’s it. You know, I’m going to try to do my part.’ That was the final straw.”
The winner will face Eric Norman, who ran unopposed in the Democrat primary.
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