HD68 special: Just under 1K people voted early in person or by mail through Friday, the end of an abbreviated and weather-challenged early voting period. Outstanding mail ballots will likely push total early votes above the previous low of 1,037 for the 2016 special runoff election for HD120.
Since 1996, 17 candidates in a special election for Congress or the legislature in Texas finished the special election at least 10 points ahead of their runoff opponents, including Spiller. Ten of the previous 16 first-place finishers went on to win the runoff, including four of the five first-place candidates who finished at least 20 percentage points ahead of their rival in their respective special elections:
- 28.7% – U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla over Ciro Rodriguez, CD23 (2006) – LOST
- 26.2% – Diego Bernal over Nunzio Previtera, HD123 (2015) – WON
- 25.8% – David Spiller over Craig Carter, HD68 (2021)
- 24.3% – Craig Estes over Greg Underwood, SD30 (2001) – WON
- 21.7% – John Cyrier over Brent Golemon, HD17 (2015) – WON
- 21.5% – Brandon Creighton over Steve Toth, SD4 (2014) – WON
- 19.9% – Mike O’Day over Randy Weber, HD29 (2007) – LOST
- 19.6% – Ciro Rodriguez over Juan F. Solis III, CD28 (1997) – WON
- 18.6% – Fred Rangel over Ray Lopez, HD125 (2019) – LOST
- 17.9% – Trey Martinez Fischer over Jose Menendez, SD26 (2015) – LOST
- 17.0% – Ken Bentsen over Dolly McKenna, CD25 (1996) – WON
- 16.8% – Carlos Uresti over Sylvia Mendelsohn, HD118 (1997) – WON
- 15.9% – Sarah Eckhardt over Eddie Rodriguez, SD14 (2020) – WON (opponent withdrew)
- 13.9% – Ina Minjarez over Delicia Herrera, HD115 (2015) – WON
- 12.4% – Lorraine Birabil over James Armstrong III, HD100 (2019) – WON
- 12.3% – Chris Bell over Joan Huffman, SD17 (2008) – LOST
- 10.7% – Carolyn Bilski over Leighton Schubert, HD13 (2015) – LOST
Tuesday is Election Day. Our live coverage will begin at 7 p.m. CST.
CD6 special: Fort Worth educator Shawn Lassiter has withdrawn from the race for city council to run for the late U.S. Rep. Ron Wright’s (R-Arlington) seat as a Democrat. She is at least the second Democrat to declare for the race, joining 2018 nominee Jana Lynne Sanchez. At least three Republicans have announced for the race: Mansfield entrepreneur John Anthony Castro, Dallas writer and producer Monty Markland, and Austin/Seattle entrepreneur and former Washington gubernatorial candidate Asa Palagi. Susan Wright, the late congressman’s wife, is considering the race. No date has been set for the special election, but it is expected to coincide with the May 1 general election.
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