We emailed these live reports and updates throughout Tuesday night to our subscribers and friends.
General Election Update – Midnight
Texas officially sets record for number of votes cast in presidential election as 8.1M votes have been counted, breaking 2008 record.
With 84% of precincts reporting, Trump leads Clinton, 52-44. Trump appears to be performing no worse, and often better, than Mitt Romney in counties with Hispanic/Latino-majority populations.
CD23: Hurd’s lead over Gallego has shrunk to 49%-46% (4,539 votes) with 91% of precincts reporting. Still out are 17 boxes in El Paso Co., Hudspeth Co., Pecos Co., Reeves Co., Upton Co., and Val Verde Co. We know that Gallego leads Hurd by 571 votes in Val Verde Co. after early voting, and he should gain votes in those other boxes.
HD105: Rep. Rodney Anderson defeats Terry Meza, 50.1%-49.9% (101 votes)
HD117: Former Rep. Philip Cortez defeats Rep. Rick Galindo, 51%-49%.
HD118: Tomas Uresti defeats Rep. John Lujan, 55%-45%.
HD120: Barbara Gervin-Hawkins leads Rep. Laura Thompson, 78%-22%, with 1 box out.
General Election Update – 12:15 a.m.
CD23: Given the drop in Election Day turnout and Gallego’s small lead in Val Verde Co., we do not believe he can make up the 4,500-vote deficit he faces
SD19: Uresti leads 56-40 (95% reporting)
SD20: Hinojosa leads 68-32 (55%)
SD22: Birdwell leads 70-30 (98%)
SD24: Buckingham leads 72-28 (81%)
HD23: Faircloth wins 59-41
HD33: Holland wins 70-30
HD40: Canales wins 74-26
HD41: Guerra leads 57-43 with 2 boxes out
HD54: Cosper wins 55-45
General Election Update – 12:45 a.m.
After record-shattering early voting turnout, Election Day turnout statewide appears to be rather dismal. Election Day turnout is struggling to match 2014. Our subscribers will recall that we have previously mentioned how the similarly record-shattering early voting turnout of 2008 led to an Election Day when fewer people voted than in 2006.
Meanwhile, in 78% Hispanic/Latino Frio Co., Trump got 46% of the vote. Romney received 39% in 2012. Obama won by 817 votes, Clinton won by 179.
Statewide, Trump leads Clinton, 52.2-43.6 with 88% of precincts reporting.
In the RRC race, Mark Miller is at 5.26%. If that holds, the Libertarian Party will be guaranteed access to the ballot in 2018.
In Bexar Co., incumbent Republican Sheriff Susan Parmerleau lost to Democratic challenger Javier Salazar by around 4,200 votes. She faced a 57,857-vote deficit in straight-ticket voting. She won 63% of the vote from people who did not vote a straight-ticket.
HD120: Barbara Gervin-Hawkins has defeated Rep. Laura Thompson, 78%-22%
No new info from Harris Co. since 10:30 p.m.
CD23: Hurd has claimed victory. Hudspeth and Upton Cos. appear to be all that’s still out. Fewer than 1,000 people typically vote in Hudspeth Co., and Upton Co. is heavily Republican.
General Election Update – 1 a.m.
HD144: Former Rep. Mary Ann Perez wins rematch against Rep. Gilbert Peña, 60%-40%
Other Harris Co. races
HD126: Roberts wins 58-39
HD134: Davis wins 54-43
HD135: Elkins wins 55-45
HD137: Wu wins 67-30
HD147: Coleman wins 76-21
HD149: Vo wins 64-36
HD150: Swanson wins 63-37
Democrats sweep Harris Co. countywide offices
DA: Ogg wins 54-46
Sheriff: Gonzalez wins 53-47
177th Judicial District: Ryan Patrick, son of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, loses 51-49
General Election Update – 1:25 a.m.
CD23: Gallego has conceded. Hurd leads by 4,422 votes with 97% reporting. Hurd received 15K more votes than Canseco in 2012. Gallego received less than 2K more votes than he did in 2012.
So, our last update tonight ends with this summary:
- Republicans swept the statewide offices, extending their streak to 133 consecutive statewide race wins (including presidential races). The lone statewide Democrat, who switched parties in 2013, was defeated.
- Trump leads Clinton by 8 points, the smallest margin for a Republican presidential candidate since 1996.
- Clinton is within 0.1% of her husband’s 1996 performance and Obama’s 2008 performance.
- Libertarian Gary Johnson sets the record for a Libertarian presidential candidate with 3%.
- The Libertarians are poised to secure guaranteed access to the ballot in 2018 as RRC candidate Mark Miller is at 5.26% with 95% of precincts reporting. The Green Party did not qualify.
- Five House incumbents were defeated: Galindo (HD117), Lujan (HD118), Peña (HD144), Sheets (HD107) and L. Thompson (HD120). This is the same number as in 1992, 2004 and 2008.
- Texas set a record, barely, for total number of votes cast in a presidential election. Election Day turnout plummeted after record-shattering early voting turnout. Around three quarters of all votes cast were cast early, also a record.
- Trump appears to have done no worse, and potentially better, than Romney in counties with Hispanic/Latino majority populations.
Have a good night, and we’ll have a postmortem sometime tomorrow.
General Election Update – 8:25 a.m.
About 125 boxes remain out, or at least unreported, as of 8:15 a.m. today. Overall, 8.88M Texans have voted, which is the highest ever for a general election in the state, eclipsing the 2008 mark of 8.08M.
According to the Univ. of Florida’s United States Elections Project’s preliminary estimates of turnout, Texas ranked 45th nationally. Measured as percent of registered voters casting ballots, 2016 turnout is just 0.2% better than 2012 and 0.7% worse than 2008.
As of 8:15 a.m., 2.33M Texans voted on Election Day, by far the lowest for a presidential election year since the modern early voting period was established in 2001. That number is likely the lowest number of Texans voting on a presidential Election Day since 1960. Just 15% of registered voters cast ballots on Election Day, barely exceeding the 2014 percentage, which was the worst for even-year election. Election Day turnout, measured as the number of people voting, will barely finish ahead of 2010, when far fewer people voted overall, and slightly ahead of 2014, which was the lowest Election Day figure recorded since 1992.
Donald Trump’s 4.65M votes are the most ever for a presidential candidate in Texas. Hillary Clinton’s 3.85M votes are the most ever for a Democratic presidential candidate in Texas.
Trump’s 9-point lead over Clinton is the lowest margin for a Republican presidential candidate since 1996.
Gary Johnson’s 3.2% is the highest ever for either a Libertarian or Green Party presidential candidate in Texas. Jill Stein’s 0.8% more than doubles her 2012 performance as the Green Party’s nominee.
