Special Elections
02/21/2021

Special Election News for February 21

TXElects

HD68 special: Just under 1K people voted early in person or by mail through Friday, the end of an abbreviated and weather-challenged early voting period. Outstanding mail ballots will likely push total early votes above the previous low of 1,037 for the 2016 special runoff election for HD120.

Since 1996, 17 candidates in a special election for Congress or the legislature in Texas finished the special election at least 10 points ahead of their runoff opponents, including Spiller. Ten of the previous 16 first-place finishers went on to win the runoff, including four of the five first-place candidates who finished at least 20 percentage points ahead of their rival in their respective special elections:

  • 28.7% – U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla over Ciro Rodriguez, CD23 (2006) – LOST
  • 26.2% – Diego Bernal over Nunzio Previtera, HD123 (2015) – WON
  • 25.8% – David Spiller over Craig Carter, HD68 (2021)
  • 24.3% – Craig Estes over Greg Underwood, SD30 (2001) – WON
  • 21.7% – John Cyrier over Brent Golemon, HD17 (2015) – WON
  • 21.5% – Brandon Creighton over Steve Toth, SD4 (2014) – WON
  • 19.9% – Mike O’Day over Randy Weber, HD29 (2007) – LOST
  • 19.6% – Ciro Rodriguez over Juan F. Solis III, CD28 (1997) – WON
  • 18.6% – Fred Rangel over Ray Lopez, HD125 (2019) – LOST
  • 17.9% – Trey Martinez Fischer over Jose Menendez, SD26 (2015) – LOST
  • 17.0% ­– Ken Bentsen over Dolly McKenna, CD25 (1996) – WON
  • 16.8% – Carlos Uresti over Sylvia Mendelsohn, HD118 (1997) – WON
  • 15.9% – Sarah Eckhardt over Eddie Rodriguez, SD14 (2020) – WON (opponent withdrew)
  • 13.9% – Ina Minjarez over Delicia Herrera, HD115 (2015) – WON
  • 12.4% – Lorraine Birabil over James Armstrong III, HD100 (2019) – WON
  • 12.3% – Chris Bell over Joan Huffman, SD17 (2008) – LOST
  • 10.7% – Carolyn Bilski over Leighton Schubert, HD13 (2015) – LOST

Tuesday is Election Day. Our live coverage will begin at 7 p.m. CST.

CD6 special: Fort Worth educator Shawn Lassiter has withdrawn from the race for city council to run for the late U.S. Rep. Ron Wright’s (R-Arlington) seat as a Democrat. She is at least the second Democrat to declare for the race, joining 2018 nominee Jana Lynne Sanchez. At least three Republicans have announced for the race: Mansfield entrepreneur John Anthony Castro, Dallas writer and producer Monty Markland, and Austin/Seattle entrepreneur and former Washington gubernatorial candidate Asa Palagi. Susan Wright, the late congressman’s wife, is considering the race. No date has been set for the special election, but it is expected to coincide with the May 1 general election.

©2021 Texas Election Source LLC

Filed under CD6, HD68, Special Elections, Turnout .

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Texas Political Spotlight
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Michael and Susan Dell’s unprecedented $6.25 billion pledge to expand federal “Trump Accounts” aims to boost long-term savings for 25 million American children. In Lubbock, Texas Tech’s new classroom restrictions on race, gender identity, and sexuality have ignited an immediate clash over academic freedom and curriculum control. And in Northeast Texas, Rep. Gary VanDeaver’s decision not to seek reelection opens a pivotal Republican primary.

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USLege’s ‘Best in Government Affairs Awards’ Celebrates Heroes of the Texas Capitol with State’s First Peer-Nominated Government Affairs Honor
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Texas Political Spotlight
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Welcome back, friends

Michael and Susan Dell’s unprecedented $6.25 billion pledge to expand federal “Trump Accounts” aims to boost long-term savings for 25 million American children. In Lubbock, Texas Tech’s new classroom restrictions on race, gender identity, and sexuality have ignited an immediate clash over academic freedom and curriculum control. And in Northeast Texas, Rep. Gary VanDeaver’s decision not to seek reelection opens a pivotal Republican primary.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!

Texas Political Spotlight
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Welcome back, friends

Texas voters approved one of the largest property tax relief packages in state history on Tuesday, raising the homestead exemption to $140,000 and granting new tax breaks for seniors, people with disabilities, and small businesses. In Austin, residents rejected Proposition Q, a plan to fund public safety, homelessness programs, and city facility initiatives through a property tax hike, forcing city leaders to rework the budget and brace for service cuts. Meanwhile, Bexar County voters narrowly passed Propositions A and B, greenlighting up to $311 million in tourism-funded support for a new downtown Spurs arena and upgrades to the Freeman Coliseum grounds.

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Texas Political Spotlight
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Former Vice President Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and controversial figures in modern American politics, has died at 84, remembered by former President George W. Bush as a “patriot” whose intellect and conviction shaped decades of U.S. policy. In Texas, the Education Agency announced a sweeping takeover of Fort Worth ISD, the state’s second-largest intervention, citing years of academic underperformance and plans to install new local managers. And in Washington, a United Airlines flight was evacuated after a bomb threat, prompting an FBI investigation that later found no explosives, allowing operations to resume safely.

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