After the dust has settled from the Super Tuesday primary elections, several races across Texas will move on to runoff elections in May.
In Texas, a candidate must secure a minimum of 50% plus one of the votes to be considered the primary election winner. If no candidate meets this threshold, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a runoff election on May 28 to determine the final winner.
In the crowded Republican congressional race, candidates John O’Shea and Texas Rep. Craig Goldman (R-Fort Worth) will head to a runoff in Texas Congressional District 12. The New York Times reported that Goldman received 44.3% of the vote, and O’Shea received 26.4%.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, a Lockheed Martin executive, Eric Fox, allegedly stole campaign signs that targeted Goldman, stating, “Voted To Impeach Ken Paxton.” Fox reportedly donated $3,300 to Goldman’s campaign on November 16, 2023.
Goldman was endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott. In contrast, Paxton endorsed O’Shea.
Speaker Dade Phelan failed to secure over 50% of the vote in the Texas House District 21 Republican primary race. Phelan received 46% of the vote, and David Covey received 45%, with 99% of the votes reported, per 12 News.
Phelan has drawn criticism for leading the Paxton impeachment trial last year and over accusations that he appeared drunk on the House floor, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Former President Trump and Paxton have endorsed Covey.
House District 64‘s Republican primary race is heading to a runoff between Andy Hopper and incumbent Lynn Stucky, per KERA. Hopper received 46.6% of the vote, and Stucky received 43.3%.
Paxton has endorsed Hopper. At the same time, Stucky has the endorsement of Texas Rep. Bumgarner (R-Flower Mound) and other local leaders in his district. Stucky voted to impeach Paxton last year.
Other races that will have runoff elections include House District 97 between Cheryl Bean and John McQueeny.
Bean won 49.57% of the vote, while McQueeny won 29.66%. Both will be running to fill the open seat previously held by Rep. Goldman, who is currently running for Congress. Paxton has endorsed Bean.
House District 91 will see a runoff between longtime challenger David Lowe and incumbent Texas Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth). Lowe received 46.10% of the vote compared to Klick’s 48.09%. Paxton endorsed Lowe, and Gov. Abbott endorsed Klick. Klick voted to impeach Paxton last year.
Lastly, Congressional District 23 will have a runoff between incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and challenger Brandon Herrera. Gonzales won 46% of the vote, and Herrera came in second with 23%.
Gonzales has faced public scrutiny from the Republican Party after being censured in early 2023 for breaking with the party on key votes regarding border policies, per The Texas Tribune.
On the Democratic primary side, several races are headed to a runoff.
Congressional District 31‘s Democrat primary race has Stuart Whitlow and Brian Walbridge advancing to a runoff. Whitlow received 48.4% of the vote, and Walbridge received 25.8%. Whitlow has the endorsement of organizations such as the Liberal Austin Democrats and the Capital Area Progressive Democrats, while Walbridge has the endorsement of Texas Democrats with disabilities.
Diane Symons and Carlos Walker will face each other in a Democratic primary runoff for House District 97. Symons received 44% of the vote, and Walker received 35%.
Other Democratic primary races headed to runoffs include House Districts 37 (Ruben Cortez Jr. vs. Jonathan Gracia), 77 (Vince Perez vs. Norma Chavez), 80 (Cecilia Castellano vs. Rosie Cuellar), and 139 (Angeanette Thibodeaux vs. Charlene Ward Johnson), according to the New York Times.
