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Number of runoffs won by incumbent legislators seeking re-election, out of the number of runoffs involving incumbents seeking re-election since 1996.
Three incumbents seeking re-election were forced into runoffs when they failed to receive a majority of votes in this year’s primary:
- Doug Miller (R-New Braunfels)
- Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City), and
- Wayne Smith (R-Baytown).
Miller and Reynolds finished first in their respective primaries. Smith finished second.
All four previous runoff winners – Reps. Fred Brown in 2010, J.M. Lozano in 2012 and Richard Raymond in 2006, and the late Joe Moreno in 2002 – finished in first place during the primary. Another 10 incumbents lost their runoffs despite finishing first in the primary.
No incumbent legislator seeking re-election has won a runoff after finishing in second place in the primary since Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) in 1992.
Incumbents Who Finished in First Place
Ranked in order of margin (biggest to smallest):
2016 – Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City) faces Angelique Bartholomew after finishing first in the primary, 48%-24% (+24.4)
2002 – Rep. Joe Moreno (D-Houston) defeated Al Flores, 61%-35%, after finishing first in the primary, 47%-23% (+24.0).
2010 – Rep. Fred Brown (R-College Station) defeated Buddy Winn, 63%-37%, after finishing first in the primary, 44%-26% (+17.8).
2006 – Rep. Richard Raymond (D-Laredo) defeated Mercurio Martinez Jr., 58%-42%, after finishing first in the primary, 49.8%-32% (+17.6)
2006 – Rep. Al Edwards (D-Houston) lost to Borris Miles, 54%-46%, after finishing first in the primary, 48%-33% (+15.4)
2000 – Rep. Leo Alvarado Jr. (D-San Antonio) lost to Trey Martinez Fischer, 60%-40%, after finishing first in the primary, 42%-31% (+11.1)
2014 – Sen. Bob Deuell (R-Greenville) lost to Bob Hall, 50.4%-49.6%, after finishing first in the primary, 48%-39% (+9.7)
1998 – Rep. Gilberto Serna (D-El Paso) lost to Manny Najera, 53%-47%, after finishing first in the primary, 40%-31% (+9.2)
2010 – Rep. Delwin Jones (R-Lubbock) lost to Charles Perry, 58%-42%, after finishing first in the primary, 39%-32% (+7.1)
2012 – Rep. Jim Landtroop (R-Plainview) lost to Ken King, 54%-46%, after finishing first in the primary, 34%-30% (+3.7)
2016 – Rep. Doug Miller (R-New Braunfels) faces Kyle Biedermann after finishing first in the primary, 43%-40% (+3.6)
1998 – Rep. Nancy Moffat (R-Southlake) lost to Vicki Truitt, 61%-39%, after finishing first in the primary, 35%-32% (+2.9)
2012 – Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) lost to Donna Campbell, 66%-34%, after finishing first in the primary, 36%-34% (+2.1)
2012 – Rep. Sid Miller (R-Stephenville) lost to J.D. Sheffield, 55%-45%, after finishing first in the primary, 42.5%-41.5% (+1.0)
2012 – Rep. Chuck Hopson (R-Jacksonville) lost to Travis Clardy, 51%-49%, after finishing first in the primary, 47%-46% (+0.8)
2012 – Rep. J.M. Lozano (R-Kingsville) defeated Bill Wilson II, 54%-46%, after finishing first in the primary, 44.4%-43.7% (+0.6)
Boldface indicates won runoff.
Incumbents Who Finished in Second Place
Ranked in order of deficit (smallest to largest):
2002 – Rep. Tracy King (D-Uvalde) lost to Timo Garza, 52%-48%, after finishing second in the primary, 40.4%-39.9% (-0.5)
2014 – Rep. Stefani Carter (R-Dallas) lost to Linda Koop, 60%-40%, after finishing second in the primary, 35%-33% (-1.6)
2010 – Rep. Norma Chavez (D-El Paso) lost to Naomi Gonzales, 53%-47%, after finishing second in the primary, 48%-46% (-1.6)
2016 – Rep. Wayne Smith (R-Baytown) faces Briscoe Cain after finishing second in the runoff, 48%-44% (-4.4)
2008 – Rep. Buddy West (R-Odessa) lost to Tryon Lewis, 76%-24%, after finishing second in the primary, 44%-38% (-5.6)
2006 – Rep. Scott Campbell (R-San Angelo) lost to Drew Darby, 60%-40%, after finishing second in the primary, 40%-33% (-6.9)
2002 – Sen. Michael Galloway (R-Magnolia) lost to Tommy Williams, 54%-46%, after finishing second in the primary, 45%-35% (-10.4)
2004 – Rep. Gabi Canales (D-Alice) lost to Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles, 73%-27%, after finishing second in the primary, 45%-31% (-13.4)
1996 – Rep. Roberto Alonzo (D-Dallas) lost to Domingo Garcia, 54%-46%, after finishing second in the primary, 48%-33% (-14.8)
2004 – Rep. Roberto Gutierrez (D-McAllen) lost to Veronica Gonzales, 71%-29%, after finishing second in the primary, 49.4%-34% (-15.5)
Reynolds finished farther in front of his runoff rival than any other incumbent forced into a runoff since 1996. The three incumbents with the next highest leads won their respective runoffs.
Two incumbent members of Congress have also lost runoffs while seeking re-election. In 2014, U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Rockwall) lost to John Ratcliffe, 53%-47%, after finishing first in the primary, 45%-29% (+16.6). In 1996, U.S. Rep. Greg Laughlin (R-Bay City) lost to Ron Paul, 54%-46%, after finishing first in the primary, 43%-32% (+10.6), Both of those incumbents were first elected to Congress as Democrats.
