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ELECTIONS: Voters OK Sunrise Beach ESD, Horseshoe Bay bond issue

Cheryl Regmund wins Llano County treasurer's race

Republican candidate Cheryl Regmund celebrates with her husband, John, after learning she had a large lead over Libertarian Joe Burnes for the Llano County treasurer position, the only countywide race on the ballot. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey

Sunrise Beach Village voters approved the formation of Emergency Services District No. 5 and Horseshoe Bay residents voted in favor of an $8 million bond issue during the Tuesday, Nov. 8, midterm elections. In the only contested countywide race in either Llano or Burnet counties, Republican Cheryl Regmund beat Libertarian Joe Burnes for Llano County treasurer.

Regmund won with 88.64 percent of the vote to Burnes’ 11.36 percent.

“I’m just so excited that it all worked out,” Regmund told DailyTrib.com at a GOP election night party in Llano. “It’s awesome.” 

Regmund, who has 28 years’ experience working for the Llano Independent School District, was supported by retiring County Treasurer Teresa Kassell. 

Of the 740 Sunrise Beach Village voters, 512, or 69.19 percent, said “yes” to the new taxing district, while 228, or 30.81 percent, said “no.” The district will help fund the area’s volunteer fire department. 

Horseshoe Bay will get a new City Hall after voters approved the bond issue. The city is in both Burnet and Llano counties, so ballots from residents in each county were combined for the final vote. City residents in Burnet County voted 99 for and 128 against, while those in Llano County voted 1,647 for and 979 against. The bond issue passed 1,746 to 1,107.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATE

Burnet County will have a new state representative and a new state senator, both Republicans. 

Pete Flores won a four-year seat in the Texas Senate representing District 24, which includes Burnet and Llano counties. He garnered 64.35 percent of the vote to Democratic challenger Kathy Jones-Hospod’s 35.65 percent. Locally, Flores won 79.34 percent of the vote in Burnet County and 84.31 percent of the vote in Llano County.

Republican Ellen Troxclair defeated Democrat Pam Baggett for the District 19 seat in the Texas House of Representatives, which includes Burnet County. Troxclair won 72.67 percent of the vote districtwide and 79.4 percent in Burnet County.

State Rep. Andrew S. Murr, a Republican, was re-elected to the District 53 seat, which represents Llano County. He did not have a challenger.

VOTING NUMBERS

In Burnet County, 21,056 of the 36,072 registered voters, or 58.37 percent, cast ballots in the 2022 midterm elections. Of those, 13,930 voted early: 12,598 in person and 1,332 absentee.

Burnet County Republican Party Chair Kara Chasteen took issue with the low voter turnout. 

“I’m thankful that we (Republicans) won,” she said. “However, to the other 41 percent of registered voters: Why didn’t you vote?”

Burnet County Judge James Oakley was also happy with Tuesday’s results but is looking toward the future.

“I’m biased,” said Oakley, who is a Republican and ran unopposed for re-election to his seat on the county Commissioners Court. “I think we’re in a time where we need some real leadership on the issues that are important to me and folks that I resonate with. I think we’re at very much of a deciding point nationwide in terms of where we go.”

STATEWIDE RACES

As goes Burnet and Llano counties, so goes the state of Texas. Voters in the Lone Star State returned top Republican incumbents to office for another four years, which suited Llano County Republican Party Chair Becky Mears just fine.

“The focus for me is on statewide and national candidates and seeing where they fall,” she said. “I think this is a pivotal election. Our core values of conservative Republicans and conservative Democrats are so different from what the liberal and far-left progressives have. We’re very conservative in Llano County. It’s always been conservative.”

At the top of the statewide ticket, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott defeated Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke, 54.84 percent to 43.77 percent, in a race with four candidates on the ballot. 

Republican Dan Patrick remains lieutenant governor after winning 53.84 percent of the vote to Democrat Mike Collier’s 43.39 percent. 

In the race for attorney general, Republican Ken Paxton defeated Democrat Rochelle Garza, 53.51 percent to 43.57 percent. 

Republican Glenn Hegar was re-elected comptroller of public accounts, beating Democrat Janet T. Dudding 56.48 percent to 40.86 percent.

Republican Dawn Buckingham will be the new commissioner of the General Land Office after defeating Democrat Jay Kleberg, 56.24 percent to 42.06 percent. The General Land Office seat was open after Commissioner George P. Bush ran unsuccessfully for Texas attorney general in the March primary. 

Sid Miller continues as agriculture commissioner after defeating Democratic challenger Susan Hays with 56.41 percent of the vote. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Detailed election totals in Burnet County can be found on its Election Division webpage. Llano County results can be viewed here.

Results will not be final until certified by governing bodies later in November. 

Additional reporting by Nathan Bush and Dakota Morrissiey 

suzanne@thepicayune.com