Retired Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw defeated state Rep. Kevin Roberts on Tuesday in the Republican runoff in the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Ted Poe. And in another GOP congressional runoff, Chip Roy stepped out to an early — but narrow — lead over Matt McCall in the campaign to replace U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith.
In all, six congressional races had GOP runoffs Tuesday. Five of those runoffs were in heavily GOP districts across the state, meaning that Tuesday’s winners are likely to be headed to Capitol Hill. On the Democratic side, 11 congressional runoffs were being decided Tuesday.
Perhaps the most closely watched GOP congressional runoff was the faceoff in the 21st Congressional District between Roy, a former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and McCall, a candidate who also ran in 2014 and 2016. The seat opened after Smith, a San Antonio Republican who was first elected to Congress in 1987, announced in November that he is retiring.
Roy had a significant financial and outside group advantage but was only narrowly fending off McCall on Tuesday evening. Roy and McCall advanced to the runoff from a field of 18 candidates who were on the GOP primary ballot in March.
While some political observers say the race could become competitive in the fall, it is likely a long shot for Democrats at this point.
The 2nd District race to replace Poe, who also announced his retirement in November, became heated. Roberts had said Crenshaw aims to raise taxes to preserve Social Security and that Crenshaw has posted “demeaning” comments about Christianity. Crenshaw had accused Roberts of “mudslinging” and misrepresenting his viewpoints.
Crenshaw will have the advantage in the November general election, but national and local Democrats are optimistic about the campaign of nonprofit executive Todd Litton, who secured his party’s nomination on March 6.
To the south, Michael Cloud defeated Bech Bruun in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, a Corpus Christi Republican, in the 27th Congressional District.
There will be a special election here at the end of June. Both men and a host of other candidates are running in that contest as of press time.
In North Texas, Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector Ron Wright defeated retired naval aviator Jake Ellzey in their race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, in the 6th Congressional District.
And to the east, Lance Gooden overtook Bunni Pounds and had an early lead in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling in the sprawling 2nd Congressional District.
In the 29th Congressional District, Phillip Aronoff led Carmen Maria Montiel in the runoff. The winner will face state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, as they seek to succeed U.S. Rep. Gene Green. The district heavily leans Democratic.
Source: Texas Tribune Blue Left News
