Wednesday, May 29th, 2024
We have the results of yesterdays runoff election, and it’s a mixed bag. Sitting Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan survived Dave Covey’s challenge by less than 400 votes. Evidently a ton of gambling special interest money an encouraging Democrats to vote Republican pulled him over the line. However, almost all Phelan’s political allies pulled into a runoff went down:
Former Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson defeated incumbent Justin Holland in the Texas House District 33 runoff.
Challenger Alan Schoolcraft beat incumbent John Kuempel in the Texas House District 44 runoff.
Helen Kerwin whomped incumbent DeWayne Burns in the Texas House District 58 runoff by 15 points.
Challenger Keresa Richardson knocked out Frederick Frazier in the Texas House District 61 runoff with 67.6% of the vote.
Challenger Andy Hopper defeated incumbent Lynn Stuckey in the Texas House District 64 runoff by just shy of 4,500 votes.
Challenger David Lowe went into the Texas House District 91 runoff behind Stephanie Klick, but beat her by over 1,000 votes.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is cheering the results a vindication for school choice.
“While we did not win every race we fought in, the overall message from this year’s primaries is clear: Texans want school choice,” Abbott said. “Opponents can no loner ignore the will of the people.”
The governor’s electoral crusade for school choice came to a head this week, as eleven out of the 15 Republican challengers Abbott backed this cycle defeated House incumbents in their primaries. Abbott also worked to boot seven anti-voucher Republicans off the ballot in the state’s March Republican primaries.
Voucher bills have failed in Texas, most notably, last year, when 21 House Republicans voted against expanding school choice as part of an education-funding bill. Abbott’s push to oust school-choice dissidents was backed by major Republican donors and groups, such as Betsy DeVos’s American Federation for Children Victory Fund, which spent $4.5 million on the races altogether, Club for Growth, which poured $4 million into targeting anti-voucher runoff candidates, and Jeff Yass, an investor and mega-donor, who made about $12 million in contributions to both Abbott and the AFC Victory Fund. Abbott spent an unprecedented $8 million of his own campaign funds to support pro-voucher candidates.
Not every incumbent went down. Incumbent Gary VanDeaver beat challenger Chris Spencer by some 1,500 votes. But backing Phelan, opposing school choice and voting to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton has proven so toxic for incumbents used to romping to easy primary victories that it’s hard to imagine Phelan being able to get reelected as speaker.
Brandon Herrera entered the runoff 21 points behind Tony Gonzalez for U.S. District 23. Ultimately that gap was too large to make up, but he only lost 50.7% to 49.3%. That a sitting congressman with a huge name and money advantage only managed to beat a YouTuber by one and a half points shows that Republican incumbents ignore gun rights at their peril.
Other Republican U.S. congressional race runoff results:
Caroline Kane edged Kenneth Omoruyi by less than 50 votes for the Houston-based U.S. District 7. Democratic incumbent and pro-abortion favorite Lizzie Fletcher got 2/3rds of the vote in 2022, so Kane has quite an uphill slog ahead. Still, a Republican blowout like 1994 or 2010 could theoretically put it within reach.
Craig Goldman pulled in 62.9% against John O’Shea for Fort Worth-based U.S. District 12, which retiring Republican incumbent Kay Granger won by 64.3% in 2022. He’ll face Democratic nominee Trey Hunt in November.
Jay Furman beat Lazaro Garza, Jr. by just shy of 2/3rds of the vote for the right to face indicted Democratic incumbent Henry Cuellar in San Antonio to the border U.S. District 28 in November. Cuellar beat Cassy Garcia 56.7% to 43.3% in 2022, but Cuellar’s indictment and widespread dissatisfaction with Biden’s open borders policies make this a prime Republican pickup target in November.
In a very low turnout runoff, Alan Garza defeated Christian Garcia, 419 to 361 votes in the heavily Democratic Houston-based U.S. District 29. As Democratic incumbent Sylvia Garcia pulled in 71.4% in 2022, it would take a Democratic wipeout of Biblical proportions to make this race competitive, but you can’t win if you don’t play.
In Dallas-Richardson-Garland based U.S. District 32, another heavily Democratic district, Darrell Day beat David Blewett to take on Democrat Julie Johnson. Incumbent Democrat Colin Allred is taking on Ted Cruz in the Senate race.
Finally, in Austin-based U.S. District 35, Steven Wright edged Michael Rodriguez by 11 votes for the right to take on commie twerp Greg Casar, who garnered 72.6% in 2022.
Tags:12th Congressional District, 2024 Election, 32nd Congressional District, 35th Congressional District, 7th Congressional District, Alan Schoolcraft, Andy Hopper, Brandon Herrera, Caroline Kane, Chris Spencer, Craig Goldman, Dade Phelan, Dallas, David Lowe, Democrats, DeWayne Burns, Elections, Fort Worth, Frederick Frazier, Garland, Gary VanDeaver, Greg Casar, Guns, Helen Kerwin, Henry Cuellar, Houston, Jay Furman, John Kuempel, John O'Shea, Justin Holland, Katrina Pierson, Kay Granger, Kenneth Omoruyi, Keresa Richardson, Lazaro Garza Jr., Lizzie Fletcher, Lynn Stucky, Metroplex, Michael Rodriguez, Republicans, Richardson, runoff, Second Amendment, Stephanie Klick, Steven Wright, Texas, Texas 23rd Congressional District, Texas 28th Congressional District, Texas House District 1, Texas House District 33, Texas House District 44, Texas House District 58, Texas House District 61, Texas House District 64, Texas House District 91, Tony Gonzales, Trey Hunt
Posted in Austin, Democrats, Elections, Republicans, Texas | 4 Comments »
Thursday, March 5th, 2015
If you hadn’t heard, House Republicans caved in to fund Obama’s unconstitutional illegal alien amnesty.
Even more infuriating: Four Texas Republican congressmen were among the 75 Republicans who caved:
John Carter (my own congressman)
Kay Granger
Will Hurd
Mike McCaul
Will Hurd at least has the excuse that he represents a majority Hispanic swing district representing San Antonio and several border counties, so it’s possible that he’s following the wishes of his constituents.
Carter, Granger and McCaul do not.
Tags:amnesty, Border Controls, John Carter, Kay Granger, Mike McCaul, Republicans, Texas, Will Hurd
Posted in Border Control, Republicans, Texas | 2 Comments »
Friday, September 6th, 2013
It’s taking a while to get back up to speed after Worldcon, but here’s a little content to prove I’m not dead (just dead tired). And it’s proven a moving target that took longer to put together than I expected
The Hill has an an ongoing whip count on those who oppose or support a strike against Syria. Huffington Post has another count. This is shaping up to be a case of actual Americans on both the left and right opposing Obama’s Big Adventure, while the Permanent Party of Washington Insiders is supporting it.
Texas Congressmen On Record Opposing A Strike On Syria
(if no link from their name, they’re on the Hill or Huff Puff lists)
Republicans
Sen. Ted Cruz
Rep. Joe Barton
Rep. Kevin Brady
Rep. Michael C. Burgess
Rep. Mike Conaway
Rep. John Culberson
Rep. Blake Farenthold
Rep. Bill Flores
Rep. Louis Gohmert
Ralph M. Hall
Rep. Sam Johnson
Rep. Kenny Marchant
Rep. Michael McCaul
Rep. Randy Neugebauer
Rep. Ted Poe
Rep. Lamar Smith
Rep. Mac Thornberry
Rep. Roger Williams
Rep. Randy Weber
Democrats
Lloyd Doggett
Texas Congressmen On Record Supporting A Strike On Syria
Republicans
None.
Democrats
Rep. Joaquín Castro (Huff Puff says neutral, The Hill says leaning yes)
Rep. Henry Cueller
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
Rep. Marc A. Veasey
Here’s a list of Texas Republican Congressmen who were listed as undecided in the Huff Puff piece, along with contact info:
Sen. John Cornyn (Contact form, 202-224-2934, additional office contact locations)
Rep. John Carter (Contact form, (202) 225-3864, Round Rock (512) 246-1600, Temple (254) 933-1392)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Contact form, (202) 225-3484, Athens, (903) 675-8288, Dallas (214) 349-9996)
Rep. Kay Granger (Contact form, (202) 225-5071, Fort Worth (817) 338-0909)
Rep. Pete Olson (Contact form, (202) 225-5951, Pearland (281) 485-4855, Sugar Land (281) 494-2690)
Rep. Pete Sessions (Contact form, (202) 225-2231, Dallas (972) 392-0505)
Steve Stockman (Contact form, (202) 225-1555, Cleveland (409) 883-8028 Orange, TX 77630, (409) 883-8075, Pasadena (281-478-2799)
Contact information for Texas congressional critters from Dwight’s blog.
So, for those of you playing along on the home game: Both Ted Cruz and Lloyd Doggett oppose attacking Syria. That’s a pretty broad coalition.
Tags:Jeb Hensarling, Jihad, John Carter, John Cornyn, Kay Granger, Lloyd Doggett, Military, Obama, Pete Olson, Syria, Ted Cruz
Posted in Democrats, Foreign Policy, Jihad, Military | 1 Comment »