Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton each endorsed a slew of candidates for Tuesday’s primary, and their support appears to have made an impact on the ballot results.
Abbott pointed to one specific issue as the deciding factor in who he chose to endorse leading into the primary, backing a plethora of candidates who favor school choice in the Lone Star State.
Before the primary, Abbott announced his endorsement of every House Republican who voted against an amendment that stripped school vouchers from an education bill. He also vowed to endorse the challengers of House Republicans who voted in favor of the amendment, per The Texas Tribune.
Between the governor and the attorney general, their endorsements apparently helped to unseat 11 incumbent Republicans from the Texas House of Representatives, with eight other incumbents currently set to face off against challengers in runoff elections on May 28, according to data compiled by the Tribune.
It also appears that three Abbott/Paxton-endorsed challengers are now up against other challengers in their respective races, with the incumbents of those seats not advancing to runoffs.
Abbott said in a statement on Tuesday that Texas Republican voters have “once again sent an unmistakable message that parents deserve the freedom to choose the best education pathway for their child.”
“We will continue to help true conservative candidates on the ballot who stand with the majority of their constituents in supporting education freedom for every Texas family,” he added, according to The Hill.
Paxton’s endorsement of David Covey for HD 21 paid off, as Covey obtained more votes than incumbent House Speaker Dade Phelan. However, Covey did not garner enough votes to win outright and will face off against Phelan in a runoff election.
Many within the Texas legislature have claimed that Phelan is a “Republican in name only” and will not act in the best interest of the party, resulting in the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) State Executive Committee voting to censure the speaker, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
On the other hand, Covey told DX that he is “thinking simply about the everyday family” and will do what is in the best interest of the Republican members of his district.
Paxton also saw success in his endorsements for the Criminal Court of Appeals race, in which he endorsed three challengers – David Schenck, Gina Parker, and Lee Finley – while claiming that the incumbents decided that “[a]nybody can cheat as much as they want in Texas.”
Each of these three candidates won their election without the need for a runoff, marking a significant win for Paxton in his desire to prosecute election fraud.
Schenck defeated Sharon Keller, obtaining 62% of the vote, meaning he will be the new presiding judge for the Court of Criminal Appeals, according to The Texas Scorecard.
Parker won her election and defeated Barbara Hervey in the race for Place 7, receiving 66% of the votes.
While the election for Place 8 was a tighter race, Finley managed to beat incumbent Michelle Slaughter without the need for a runoff, garnering 54% of the votes cast.
Paxton released a statement on social media platform X about the victories, claiming that the election sent “a powerful message that Texans demand judges who prioritize the Constitution and uphold the rule of law.”
“Let me be clear: This victory is not just about political labels; it’s about safeguarding our democratic principles. Activist judges have no place on our courts, and tonight’s results reflect the will of the people,” he added.
“To those who would seek to obstruct justice or undermine our laws, know this: The people of Texas will not tolerate it. Your days of judicial activism are numbered, and Texans are ready to hold you accountable.”
