Texas: Incumbents Strong

Texas Republicans and Democrats went to the polls yesterday to conclude the first-in-the-nation midterm primary, and the incumbents in both parties had good nights.  All 28 House members from both parties seeking re-election easily won re-nomination, with the lowest recorded incumbent winning percentage being Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson’s (D-Dallas) 63.6%.  The Congresswoman previously announced that the upcoming term will be her last. 
 
Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R) both won re-nomination with victory percentages of 90 and 85, respectively.  Sen. Cruz will face Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-El Paso) in the general election as the latter man also scored an outright victory in his Democratic primary.  The Democratic gubernatorial candidates, Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez and businessman Andrew White, will advance to a May 22nd run-off election.
 
In the eight open House seats, all but three of the campaigns are advancing to a run-off election.  State Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano) easily won outright the GOP nomination in the seat from which veteran Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Plano) is retiring. 
 
Turning to El Paso, County Judge (Executive) Veronica Escobar (D) also won outright the Democratic nomination to replace Rep. O’Rourke.  She will have little trouble holding the seat for her party in the fall.  Going southeast to Houston, state Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D) won the Democratic primary in the 29th CD, and she will come to Washington next year to replace retiring Rep. Gene Green (D-Houston). 
 
Open seat run-offs will occur in Districts 2 (Houston; Rep. Ted Poe-R), 5 (Dallas; Rep. Jeb Hensarling-R), 6 (Arlington; Rep. Joe Barton-R), 21 (San Antonio; Rep. Lamar Smith-R), and 27 (Corpus Christi; Rep. Blake Farenthold-R).  Same for Democratic challengers opposing Rep. John Culberson (R-Houston), Will Hurd (R-San Antonio), and Rules Committee chairman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas).
 
On a side note, Land Commissioner George P. Bush (R), won re-nomination last with 58% of the vote, defeating former two-term Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson (R).

--Jim Ellis