North Texas incumbents seeking re-election to the House of Representatives trailed opponents challenging lawmakers from the right as votes began being counted Tuesday.
A number of heated races in the state were not decided in the first round of voting, when a single candidate failed to win more than half the vote, including in four Tarrant County precincts where Republicans are vying for their seat on secure the November elections. mood. Tuesday’s results will solidify the slate of Democratic and Republican candidates on Nov. 5.
The races include:
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Huiswijk 58: Republican Rep. DeWayne Burns is running against Helen Kerwin for the Cleburne-area seat.
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Huiswijk 64: Republican representative. Lynn Stucky is running against Andy Hopper for a seat that spans Denton and Wise Counties.
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Huiswijk 91: Republican representative. Stephanie Click is running against David Lowe for the seat that includes North Richland Hills, Haltom City and Watauga.
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Huiswijk 97: Republicans Cheryl Bean and John McQueeney are running for the seat in southwestern Tarrant County. Democrats Diane Symons and Carlos Walker are also in a runoff. Incumbent Craig Goldman is not seeking re-election, but is running for U.S. Congress.
As the first votes came in, Kerwin and Lowe were leading in their races. In House District 97, Bean held a narrow lead over McQueeney. Early voting numbers had not yet been posted on the Texas Secretary of State’s website in the House District 64 race as of 7:30 p.m.
Walker led Symons in the Democratic runoff for House District 97.
The runoff comes at a turbulent time within the Republican Party — battles that can be observed through endorsements, campaign donations and public comments and appearances.
The party is divided over issues such as school vouchers, the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the leadership of House Speaker Dade Phelan. (Phelan is in the second round of his own Tuesday.)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is backing Kerwin, Stucky, Klick and McQueeney as he tries to help elect candidates who will support a voucher-style proposal that failed in the 2023 legislative session and subsequent special session. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is backing the candidates who opposed his impeachment and challengers to those who supported it, is backing Kerwin, Hopper, Lowe and Bean. Phelan’s campaign has donated to Burns, Stucky, Klick and McQueeney.
Texas billionaires have waded into the North Texas Races.
West Texas oilmen Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, and the groups they fund, have financially backed candidates like Kerwin, Hopper, Lowe and Bean. HEB’s Charles Butt donated to Burns through the Charles Butt Public Education PAC.
