Two prominent Texas Republicans are facing off in the primary runoff elections on Tuesday, with Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton seeking to settle political scores within their own party. Abbott is targeting GOP members who opposed his education plan, while Paxton is going after incumbents who voted to impeach him last year. These revenge campaigns may further push the legislature to the right in a state where Republicans already dominate. Nine Republican state House incumbents were defeated in the March primary, with an additional eight forced into runoffs, all targeted by Abbott or Paxton.
One of the most high-profile runoffs is in District 21, where Speaker Dade Phelan is being challenged by oil and gas consultant David Covey, who is backed by Paxton and former President Donald Trump. Phelan oversaw the effort to impeach Paxton and faces potential defeat on Tuesday. Another notable runoff is in District 33, where Katrina Pierson hopes to unseat state Rep. Justin Holland, backed by both Abbott and Paxton. There are also several runoffs for U.S. House nominations, including in the 23rd Congressional District where U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales seeks a third term.
The Texas primary runoff election is scheduled for Tuesday, with 32 races to be decided where no candidate received a majority in the March primary. The Associated Press will provide vote results in these races for U.S. House, state Senate, state House, and state Board of Education. Voters who participated in a party’s primary on March 5 are eligible to vote in the runoff for that same party, with registered voters who did not participate allowed to join in. Runoffs are typically lower-turnout events than initial elections, with results taking longer to determine in competitive races.
As of Wednesday, there had been early votes cast in the Republican and Democratic runoffs, with early in-person voting concluding on Friday. Turnout for the Republican presidential primary in March was nearly 13%, while the Democratic primary saw slightly more than 5% turnout. In-person voting on Tuesday will close at various times depending on the district, with the AP providing updates on race results as they come in. Texas requires an automatic recount only in cases of a tie vote, with losing candidates able to request a recount if the margin is less than 10% of the leading candidate’s vote.
The Texas primary runoff election presents a significant moment in the state’s political landscape, with the possibility of shifting the legislature further to the right. Abbott and Paxton’s efforts to unseat incumbent Republicans who opposed them could have lasting implications for the state’s policies on education, corruption, and other key issues. Voters will play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of these runoffs, with candidates like Speaker Dade Phelan and U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales facing tough challenges from their opponents. The results of these races will impact the direction of Texas politics leading up to the November general election.
