Early voting helps Jones, Holt power runaway victories in Kerr County Commissioners’ Court races

In a sweeping victory, including scoring knockout wins in early voting, the hardline elements of the Republican Party dominated Tuesday night in the Kerr County primary election, producing a clean sweep of two Commissioners’ Court seats and complete control of the party.

In two three-way races, Jeff Holt and Tom Jones won seats on the Kerr County Commissioners’ Court by wide margins, eliminating the need for a May 28 runoff election.

And the big money flowing into Kerr County from out-of-county donors, most notably from groups connected to billionaire Tim Dunn, who has gained notoriety for his efforts to effect elections tailored to his right-wing interests, helped hardline candidates win big.

With the aid of a “voters guide” that depicted “We The People, Liberty In Action,” preferred candidates in the context of “true Republicans.” The strategy worked, with “We The People” gaining complete control of Kerr County’s GOP.

For a group that has indulged speakers aimed at rolling back early voting, “We The People” reversed previous election trends where its preferred candidates fell behind early. However, on Tuesday night, the early turnout cemented wins.

Holt’s win in the race for Precinct 3 Commissioner was a prime example of this success. Holt garnered nearly 80% of the vote in early voting. Jones earned 60% of the vote during early voting. Jones faced two well-qualified candidates, Tammy Prout and Anne Overby, who were attempting to become the first woman to earn election to the Commissioners’ Court in the county’s history.

Jones rolled early, eliminating any need for a runoff.

However, Jones said late Tuesday night that his goal is to work with everyone and that he strives for independence despite the backing of “We The People.”

The election of Jones and Holt dramatically changes the dynamic of the Commissioners’ Court, with a solid majority aligned with Precinct 2 Commissioner Rich Paces.

But the night’s biggest knockouts came in the Republican Party chair race and the 20 precinct chairs. That result will directly impact the Kerrville City Council race, allowing the party to pick sides in a nonpartisan race.

Helen Herd easily won the party chair over Sally Thiel. That race wraps up an effort by hardliners like Herd, who argued that commitment to their brand of conservatism forgave any indiscretions or transgressions.

In other races, Kerr County cast its weight behind Wes Virdell to represent the 53rd District in the Texas Legislature. Virdell trounced Llano’s Hatch Smith, who faced numerous hit pieces questioning his credibility.

Virdell ended up winning the overall district race by more than 20 points.

Election turnout was nearly the same as 2020, with more votes cast in 2024 thanks to more registered voters. The 2024 turnout is about 33.1% of the 39,007 registered voters. However, Democrat turnout was less than 2020 — by more than 1,500 votes.

Donald Trump’s performance was one of the surprises compared to 2020; the former president secured 80% of the vote in Kerr County in 2024. What does that mean for Trump in the general election against President Joe Biden? We will have to wait and see.

In another closely watched election event

• The Gillespie County Republican Party decided to conduct a hand count of the primary election results, and after midnight, the party reported no results. However, the Democrats were done well before midnight.