Primary results for county, district, state and U.S. races
Kara Chasteen, chair of the Burnet County Republican Party's Executive Committee, gives an update on election results at the GOP election night party March 1 in the Reed Building, 402 E. Jackson St. in Burnet. Photo courtesy of James Oakley
Most local primary races were decided in Burnet and Llano counties on Tuesday, March 1, while one race is headed for a runoff in May. County, district, state, and federal races were on the Republican and Democratic ballots.
BURNET COUNTY
Republican voters picked incumbent Burnet County Judge James Oakley over challenger Doak Field, 5,369 to 3,232. Oakley does not have a Democratic challenger in the November general election. In fact, no Burnet County Democrats ran for county positions, so Republican candidates who won their March 1 race basically won the seat.
In other contested Burnet County GOP races, Cody Henson beat Angela Dowdle for County Court at Law judge, and Vicinta Stafford held off Sara Ann Luther for the county clerk nomination. Henson and Stafford are newcomers to those positions as the incumbents did not run for re-election.
Burnet County Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery easily held onto his seat with 84.2 percent of the votes over challenger Harold A. Hudson Jr.
In the Precinct 3 justice of the peace race, incumbent Janie Marie Hurst beat challenger Jeff Sellers, 985 to 835.
Uncontested GOP races in Burnet were:
- District clerk — Casie Walker
- County treasurer — Karrie Crownover
- Precinct 2 commissioner — Damon Beierle
- Precinct 1 justice of the peace — Roxanne Nelson
- Precinct 2 justice of the peace — Lisa Whitehead
- Precinct 4 justice of the peace — Debra Bindseil
- County chair — Kara Chasteen
The only Burnet County Democratic race was for county chair, which Mel Hazlewood won unopposed.
Burnet County voter turnout was at 29.8 percent.
LLANO COUNTY
The race for the Republican Precinct 4 justice of the peace nomination will be decided in a runoff election. None of the four candidates won more than 50 percent of the vote, forcing the top two into the runoff. Candidates Lisa Simpson and William Koch had the most votes. Simpson got 34.6 percent of the votes, and Koch had 28.15 percent.
The Republican and Democratic primary runoffs are May 24.
The other contested Llano County race was the GOP nomination for Precinct 1 justice of the peace between Marquis Cantu and Bebe Rocha. Cantu won 1,135 to 574.
Uncontested GOP races in Llano County were:
- County judge — Ron Cunningham
- District clerk — Ashley N. Inge
- County clerk — Marci Hadeler
- County treasurer — Cheryl Regmund
- County surveyor — John A. Ables
- Precinct 2 commissioner — Linda Raschke
- Precinct 4 commissioner — Jerry Don Moss
- Precinct 2 justice of the peace — Maureen Riggs
- Precinct 3 justice of the peace — Debra Edwards
- Precinct 1 constable (unexpired term) — Gary Silver
- County chair — Becci Mears
The only Llano County Democrat on the ballot was Candy Huff for county chair, which she won.
Llano County voter turnout was at 33 percent.
DISTRICT RACES
The GOP nomination for the newly formed District 24 state Senate seat, which includes Burnet and Llano counties, will be decided in the May 24 runoff between Pete Flores and Paul Reyes. The winner will face Democrat Kathy Jones-Hospod as well as possible third-party nominees in November.
District 24 was created by the Texas Legislature during the recent re-districting process.
The GOP nomination for the newly created Texas House District 19 also will be decided by a runoff election between Ellen Troxclair and Justin Berry. The winner will face Democrat Pam Baggett, who ran unopposed, in November.
Andrew Murr won the GOP nomination for Texas House District 53 and will face Democrat Joe P. Herrera in the general election.
District 424th Judge Evan Stubbs won the uncontested GOP nomination.
STATEWIDE RACES
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott held off a crowded field of challengers to win the Republican nomination for the office. He will face Democrat Beto O’Rourke and any third-party candidates in November.
Other key statewide outcomes for the GOP are:
- Lieutenant governor — Dan Patrick
- Attorney general — Ken Paxton and George P. Bush in May 24 runoff
- Comptroller of Public Accounts — Glen Hegar
- Commissioner of the General Land Office — Dawn Buckingham and Tim Westley in May 24 runoff
- Commissioner of Agriculture — Sid Miller
On the Democratic side, key race outcomes were:
- Lieutenant governor — Mike Collier and Michelle Beckley in May 24 runoff
- Attorney general — Rochelle Mercedes Garza and Joe Jaworski in May 24 runoff
- Comptroller of Public Accounts — Janet T. Dudding and Angel Luis Vega in May 24 runoff
- Commissioner of the General Land Office — Sandragrace Martinez and Jay Kleberg in May 24 runoff
- Commissioner of Agriculture — Susan Hays
FEDERAL RACES
August Pfluger ran unopposed in his bid for the GOP nomination for U.S. Representative District 11, and Republican John Carter beat his challenger with 71 percent of the vote to keep his Congressional seat for U.S. Representative District 31. No Democrat filed to run for either positions.
All results are considered unofficial until ballots are canvassed. For more information on the elections, visit the Burnet County Elections website, the Llano County Elections webpage, or the Texas Secretary of State’s website.