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While a majority of party nominations were decided in the March Primary election in Texas, a handful of races went to electoral overtime in the Tuesday primary runoff election.
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Several of those races were nail-biters, while others were decided relatively quickly. Keep reading for a quick rundown of winners, who now advance to the General Election in November.
Tony Gonzales declares victory with razor-thin margin over Brandon Herrera in GOP runoff for US Representative District 23
Congressman Tony Gonzales declared victory late Tuesday night over Brandon Herrera with a razor-thin margin separating the candidates.
Gonzales got 51% of the vote with a total of 15,023 while Herrera received 49% of the vote with a total of 14,616. That’s a 407-vote difference.
Herrera is likely to ask for a recount but as it stands, Gonzales will face Democrat S. Limon in November.
The massive District 23, which stretches from Bexar County to El Paso and covers a long stretch of the US-Mexico border, includes Uvalde, Fort Stockton, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Big Bend and more.
Gonzales has served as a congressman for the district since he was elected in 2020.
Gov. Abbott-backed Alan Schoolcraft knocks off seven-term incumbent state Rep. John Keumpel in District 44
Republican state Rep. John Kuempel was defeated by Alan Schoolcraft Tuesday night by a margin of 10 percentage points.
Kuempel was targeted by Gov. Abbott over the state Rep.’s vote against school vouchers. Abbott backed Schoolcraft in the district, which includes Gonzales and Guadalupe Counties.
Schoolcraft will be the favorite against Democrat Eric Norman in November.
Abbott issued a statement at the end of the night after victories for Schoolcraft and a handful of other candidates he backed: “The Texas Legislature now has enough votes to pass school choice. This is a victory for every Texas family across our great state. While we did not win every race we fought in, the overall message from this year’s primaries is clear: Texans want school choice. Opponents of school choice can no longer ignore the will of the people. As we look ahead to the November general election, we will continue to work tirelessly to elect strong, conservative candidates who will ensure every child in Texas has access to the best education possible—regardless of their zip code or economic background. Working together, we will create an even brighter future for generations to come.”
Texas House Speaker narrowly avoids defeat
According to the Texas Tribune, “Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, the top electoral target for a far-right faction of Republicans intent on controlling the Legislature, declared victory Tuesday over a well-funded challenger endorsed by Donald Trump and his allies.
“Phelan defeated former Orange County Republican Party chairman David Covey, who also had the backing of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and former Texas Republican Party Chairman Matt Rinaldi. In doing so, he avoided the ignominious fate of becoming the first House speaker to lose a primary in 52 years.
“With all precincts reporting, Phelan was up 366 votes — within the margin that Covey can call for a recount.”
Rebeca Clay-Flores defeats challenger Amanda Gonzalez in Democratic runoff for Bexar County Commissioner Precinct 1
Precinct 1 Bexar County Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores was able to easily fend off a challenge from Amanda Gonzalez Tuesday night with 62-38%.
Flores will face Lina Prado, who ran unopposed in the Republican Primary. Precinct 1 includes most of south and some of west Bexar County.
Clay-Flores took the race by a margin of 62% to 38%.
Clay-Flores did not mince words in remarks during her victory speech.
“My opponent and the sheriff deputy association, however, chose to do a smear campaign and used mean girl tactics and outrageous lies to harass me and my volunteers at the polls,” she said. “The sheriff deputy’s association wanted a woman whom they could control as their political pawn. Apparently, my constituents let their voices be heard and they decided they want this woman.”
Jay Furman nearly doubles up Lazaro Garza to grab GOP nomination in US Representative District 28
Jay Furman easily handled Lazaro Garza Jr. to snag the GOP nomination in Congressional District 28. Furman will advance to November to face off against Congressman Henry Cuellar, who was indicted on federal bribery and money laundering charges this year.
District 28 covers a strip in deep South Texas starting in the eastern outskirts of San Antonio and ending at the U.S.–Mexico border in Laredo.
Too close to call in US Representative District 35 (R)
The race between Michael Rodriguez and Steven Wright was too close to call late Tuesday night, though Wright held a slight advantage. The winner will be an underdog against incumbent Greg Casar in November because the district leans left. District 35 includes parts of San Antonio, thin strips of Comal and Hays counties, a portion of Caldwell County, and portions of southern and eastern Austin in Travis County.
Cecilia Castellano hands Rosie Cuellar defeat in Democratic runoff for Uvalde state House seat
Cecilia Castellano pulled in 57% of the vote over Rosie Cuellar, who got 43%. Cuellar is the sister of US Rep. Henry Cuellar.
Castellano winner will face former Uvalde mayor Don McLaughlin Jr., who won the GOP Primary outright. The district includes Atascosa, Dimmit, Frio, Uvalde, Webb (portion), and Zavala counties.
Elizabeth Martinez narrowly defeats Ana Laura Ramirez in 73rd district judge race
In the Democratic runoff race for 73rd Judicial District Court Judge, Elizabeth Martinez won the seat over Ana Laura Ramirez after capturing 53% of the vote.
Since there are no Republican candidates on the ballot for the 73rd District Court, Martinez will likely take office in January 2025.
Uvalde County Ruben Nolasco hangs on in runoff race
In the race for Uvalde County Sheriff, incumbent Ruben Nolasco was victorious over his challenger Otto Armin. The final vote percentage had Nolasco with 52% compared to Armin’s 48%, according to numbers from the Uvalde County Elections.
The Democratic Party in Uvalde County chose not to enter a candidate for the sheriff’s race, so the winner of the runoff will very likely be the Uvalde County Sheriff.
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