Each parties list of nominees for the General Election is finally set. Only one of the 6 socially conservative backed Republican run-off candidates won their run-off, leaving traditional pro-business Republican candidates winning the remaining 5 run-offs. There were over 30 State and Congressional run-off elections and many took place in districts that heavily favor their party, almost certainly meaning the winning run-off candidate will also win in the General Election. A few primary run-offs took place in districts unfavorable to their party, meaning those candidates still face an uphill battle in November. Below, districts are denoted with “Republican leaning” or “Democratic leaning.”
Republican Party Primary Run-off Results:
Texas House District 4 – Republican leaning
Keith Bell (Forney) – 58.9% defeated socially conservative backed and former State Rep. Stuart Spitzer (Kaufman) – 41.1%
Texas House District 8 – Republican leaning
Cody Harris (Palestine) – 57.0% defeated socially conservative backed Thomas McNutt (Corsicana) – 43.0%.
Texas House District 13 – Republican leaning
Ben Leman (Brenham) – 57.3% defeated socially conservative backed Jill Wolfskill (Austin County) – 42.7%.
Texas House District 54 – Republican leaning
Brad Buckley (Killeen) – 58.3% defeated incumbent State Rep. Scott Cosper (R-Killeen) – 41.7%, who was running for his second term. This was one of the few races where major socially conservative groups did not back either candidate.
Texas House District 62 – Republican leaning
Reggie Smith (Van Alstyne) – 71.2% cruised past Brent Lawson (Grayson County) – 28.8%. This was another run-off where a major socially conservative group chose not to get involved.
Texas House District 107
Socially conservative backed Deanna Maria Metzger (Fort Worth) – 57.8% defeated Joe Ruzicka (Dallas) – 42.2%. This is the one race where the socially conservative backed candidate defeated the traditional pro-business Republican. Metzger will face incumbent State Rep. Victoria Neave (D-Dallas) in one of the few swing districts in Texas.
Texas House District 121- Republican leaning
Speaker Straus endorsed Steve Allison (San Antonio) – 57.5% defeated socially conservative backed Matt Beebe (San Antonio) – 42.5%.
U.S. Congressional District 2 – Republican leaning
Military veteran Dan Crenshaw (Houston) – 69.9% defeated State Rep. Kevin Roberts (R-Houston) – 30.1% in his Congressional bid for this heavily Republican district.
U.S. Congressional District 5 – Republican leaning
State Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Terrell) – 53.1% defeated Bunni Pounds (Dallas) – 46.9% despite her numerous high-profile endorsements, including Vice President Mike Pence. Gooden will face Democrat Dan Wood in the General Election.
Democratic Party Primary Run-off Results:
Governor
Former Dallas County Sherrif Lupe Valdez (Dallas) – 53.2% defeated Andrew White (Houston) – 46.8%, son of former Democratic Texas Governor Mark White. Valdez will face Governor Gregg Abbott in November who holds a campaign war chest exponentially larger than Valdez’s.
Texas House District 37 – Democratic leaning
Alex Dominguez (Brownsville) – 56.7% defeated incumbent State Rep. Rene Oliveira (R-Brownsville) – 43.3%.
Texas House District 45
Erin Zwiener (Driftwood) – 51.4% defeated Rebecca Bell-Metereau (San Marcos) – 48.6%. Zwiener will face Republican Ken Strange (Wimberley) in the General Election in this swing district.
Texas House District 46 – Democratic leaning
Sheryl Cole (Austin) – 50.9% beat Jose “Chito” Vela (Austin) – 49.1% to replace outgoing State Rep. Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin).
Texas House District 47
Vikki Goodwin (Austin) – 58.0% defeated Elaina Fowler (Austin) – 42.0%. Goodwin will face incumbent State Rep. Paul Workman (R-Austin) this November in what is expected to be a competitive General Election.
Texas House District 64 – Republican leaning
Andrew Morris (Sanger) – 54.0% defeated Mat Pruneda (Denton) – 46.0%, and will face incumbent State Rep. Lynn Stucky (R-Denton) in a district that leans heavily Republican.
Texas House District 109 – Democratic leaning
Carl Sherman (DeSoto) – 64.2% defeated Deshaundra Lockhart Jones (DeSoto) – 35.8% to replace outgoing State Rep. Helen Giddings (D-DeSoto). Sherman does not face a General Election opponent and will be the next representative for HD 109.
Texas House District 133 – Republican leaning
Marty Schexnayder (Houston) – 56.3% defeated Sandra G. Moore (Houston) – 43.7%, and will face incumbent State Rep. Jim Murphy (R-Houston) in this strongly Republican leaning district.