Jill Dutton wins Texas House seat over Brent Money in runoff

Republican Jill Dutton won a special election for the Texas House by a very narrow margin.

She defeated Greenville lawyer Brent Money in a runoff in District 2, which covers Hunt, Hopkins and Van Zandt counties.

Dutton won by 111 votes out of more than 13,000 cast.

The race was a test of competing factions in the Republican Party.

Dutton was backed by House Speaker Dade Phelan, while Money was backed by Governor Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.

Dutton will finish the term of Bryan Slaton, who was expelled for sexual misconduct with an intern.

She and Money are not done campaigning.

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The two face off in the March Republican primary for a full term in the Texas House.