Most Abbott-backed candidates win over Paxton-backed candidates
Texas Republican split leads to shakeup in Austin
It was a tough day for several incumbent Republicans in the Texas Legislature, especially for those who voted against school vouchers or voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton. SMU political science professor Cal Jillson joined Good Day to talk about the outcome of Tuesday's primary election and how it may lead to an even more conservative legislature.
DALLAS - The split in the Republican party between Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton boosted turnout for Tuesday’s primary election.
It created several highly competitive races in the Texas House.
Gov. Abbott endorsed mainly incumbents who supported his school voucher plan. Many of them also voted in favor of Paxton’s impeachment. Paxton, in turn, supported several challengers.
In most cases, candidates backed by Abbott won.
One of the most high-profile of such races was in Paxton’s home of Collin County.
In District 67, Paxton impeachment manager Jeff Leach was supported by Abbott. Paxton backed former Allen City Councilman Daren Meis.
Leach won the nomination easily, getting almost two-thirds of the vote.
Gov. Abbott campaigned for Leach because of his support for school vouchers.
Texas Rep. Jeff Leach withstands challenge from Paxton-backed Daren Meis for Texas House seat
State Rep. Jeff Leach has claimed victory in the Texas House District 67 race, withstanding a challenge from businessman Daren Meis.
Meis made Leach’s support for Paxton’s impeachment the key part of his campaign.
Leach was one of Paxton’s top targets in his revenge campaign.
"We feel like we've been under assault and ambush for quite some time. We have since day one of this campaign tried to be and committed ourselves to being positive aspirational, honest with our voters talking about the good and the bad. Sharing very clearly where we are in the state of Texas, what we've accomplished and what we still have left to do," he said after winning the nomination.
Leach will face Democrat Makala Washington in the fall.
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Another Collin County Republican supported by Abbott and opposed by Paxton who won was District 66 incumbent Matt Shaheen. He beat Wayne Richard by 28 points.
Like Leach, Shaheen supports vouchers and voted in favor of impeachment.
One race where a Paxton-endorsed candidate barely beat an Abbott-endorsed candidate was in District 65 in Denton County.
Incumbent Kronda Thimesch of Lewisville lost by about 300 votes to Mitch Little.
Mitch Little, Ken Paxton's impeachment lawyer, wins Texas House District 65 primary
Mitch Little, a lawyer who defended Texas attorney general Ken Paxton during last year's impeachment trial, will be the Republican candidate in this November's House District 65 race.
Thimesch supported school vouchers and voted for Paxton’s impeachment. Meanwhile, Little was one of Paxton’s defense attorneys in the impeachment trial.
Assuming there is no recount, Little will face Democrat Detrick Deburr in the fall.