Former state rep. representing Burnet County in runoff for General Land Office
-
In the District 19 state representative contest, Ellen Troxclair, pictured on the left on election night in Burnet, and Justin Berry are in a runoff for the GOP nomination. Troxclair received 38% of the vote with Berry capturing 35%. Pictured with Troxclair is Burnet County resident Louisa Lary. Raymond V. Whelan/The Highlander
Among Republicans vying to represent Burnet County in district races, two runoffs are planned due to crowded contests dividing up votes among candidates, according to final results from the Texas Secretary of State Office.
A runoff is called between the top two finishers in a primary, if the top vote getter doesn’t obtain 50% of the vote. The runoff election is scheduled for Tuesday, May 24.
Texas State Senator (Dist. 24)
State Senator District 24 candidates Pete Flores and Raul Reyes are headed for a runoff, representing an area including Burnet County.
The position was held by outgoing State Sen. Dawn Buckingham, who is vying for the Texas General Land Office (GLO) GOP nomination, a race which also also resulting in a runoff.
Flores received 46% of the vote with Reyes coming in at 32.77% of the vote.
The GOP winner will face Democrat nominee Kathy Jones-Hospod, who secured 79% of her party vote.
Texas State Rep (Dist. 19)
In the District 19 state representative contest, Ellen Troxclair and Justin Berry are in a runoff for the GOP nomination. Troxclair received 38% of the vote with Berry capturing 35%.
Like the district 24 race, neither candidate is an incumbent in district 19. Due to redistricting, District 19 State Rep. Terry Wilson was positioned out of representing Burnet County.
For the Democrats, Pam Bagget ran unopposed.
US Congress (Dist. 31)
In other Republican primary election results, US representative candidate John Carter secured the Republican nomination with 71.06% of the vote. The closest vote getter was Mike Williams with 19.73% of the vote. The Texas Secretary of State's Office did not show a Democrat opponent in that federal race for the November general election, therefore he is the expected winner in the general election.
Texas General Land Office
Outgoing Dist. 24 State Sen. Dawn Buckingham, whose representative area included Burnet County, will go to a runoff in the General Land Office (GLO) commissioner's race.
For the Republican nomination, she was the top vote getter with 41.8%. Two other candidates who trailed her were Tim Westley (14.83%) and Jon Spiers (12.2%). Buckingham will face Westley in the GOP runoff in May. Democrats also have a runoff between Sandragrace Martinez (32%) and Jay Kleberg (25%).
The General Land Office (GLO) is responsible for overseeing land owned by the State of Texas. Duties include preserving the Gulf coastline, overseeing the stewardship of the Alamo and managing land leases of primarily oil and gas companies to redirect money for Texas public school funding. GLO also manages disaster recovery and veteran services such as housing, cemeteries and property loans.
In the statewide political races in the March 1 primaries:
• Republican party incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton (42.7% ) will go head-to-head with George P. Bush (22%), who is the outgoing commissioner of the General Land Office. Eva Guzman received 17.46% and Louis Gohmert reached 17.02% of the vote. The Democrats have a runoff as well between Rochelle Mercedes Garza (43.16%) and Joe Jarworski (19.59%);
• GOP incumbent Comptroller Glenn Hegar soundly defeated GOP opponent Mark V. Goloby, 81% to 18%; His Democrat opponent in the fall will either be Janet Dudding (46%) or Angel Luis Vega (34%), who are headed for a runoff;
• Republican incumbent Ag Commissioner Sid Miller sealed the nomination receiving 58% of the vote compared to the next closest candidate, James White, who received 31% of the vote. The Democrat nominee was Susan Hays;
• Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick captured the Republican nomination with 76.55% of the vote; He will face the winner of the runoff between democrats Mike Collier (41%) and Michelle Beckley (30%) in the general election in November.
• Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott defeated a string of opponents to clinch the nomination by capturing 66.4% percent of the vote, according to the Texas Secretary of State's Office unoffical results on March 2. Lt. Col. Allen B. West came in second (12.28%) followed by Don Huffines (11.97%).
Total votes for the governor amounted to 1,284,983 with the total number of Republican primary voters for governor totaling 1,935,321.
Abbott will face Democrat nominee Robert (Beto) O'Rourke in the November general election. O'Rourke obtained 91% of the Democrat vote. Total votes for O'Rourke were 965,723. The total number of people who voted in the governor's race in the Democrat primary was 1,057,664.
In judicial races, GOP winners in contested races were incumbent Judge Scott Walker for place 5 court of criminal appeals. He will face Democrat Dana Huffman; and incumbent Judge Evan Young secured his place 9 seat on the Texas Supreme Court with 54% of the vote with Julia Maldonado as the Democrat opponent.