Kerr County Precinct 2 Commissioner's Court candidates Sonya Hooten and Rich Paces headed for a May 24 runoff election to fill the seat. After all of votes were counted Tuesday night, Hooten held a 2 vote lead over Paces.
the race to replace Beck Gibson on the commissioner's court was an intense battle between four candidates, but in the end, on Tuesday night, Hooten and Paces were neck-and-neck, with both commanding more than 30% of the Republican vote.
Hooten had the backing of former Kerr County Sheriff Rusty Hierholzer and former Pct. 2 Commissioner Tom Moser, while Paces had the support of hardline conservatives, including the Kerr County Patriots.
Now comes the real campaign as Hooten and Paces attempt to lure the more than 700 people who voted for Stan Kubenka, Jack Pratt and John Sheffield.
In other races:
- District Court incumbent Dawn Lantz had a commanding lead over challenger Frank Galvan.
- Texas District 53 Rep. Andrew Murr easily beat back a challenge from Wesley Virdell to move onto the Nov. 3 general election.
- State Senate District 24 was going to be a runoff between Republicans Peter Flores and Raul Reyes. Flores was the top finisher in the expansive district that stretches all the way to Abilene. The winner of the election will replace Dawn Buckingham, who was running and winning in her bid to earn the Republican nomination for Texas Land Commissioner.
- Gov. Greg Abbott crushed his Republican challengers, setting up a showdown with Democrat Beto O'Rourke in November. This is going to be expensive.
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will likely face George P. Bush, the current Texas Land Commissioner, in a May 24 runoff election.