A shift to the right: Challengers win Republican Fort Worth area House runoffs
Longtime Fort Worth area Republican state lawmakers were swept out of office Tuesday by a slate of challengers who questioned the incumbents’ conservative credentials.
The wins represent a shift to the right following a primary season marked by fighting within the party.
A number of heated races across the state weren’t decided during the first round of voting in March, including four Republican primaries in the Fort Worth area that were settled in runoffs. Tuesday’s results solidified the slate of Democratic and Republican candidates on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Incumbents lost in three Fort Worth area Republican runoffs.
In House District 58, which covers Johnson and Somervell counties, Republican Rep. DeWayne Burns, a property and business investment manager, was defeated by former Glen Rose Mayor Helen Kerwin, who won 57.54% of votes, according to unofficial results from the Texas Secretary of State’s office.
In House District 64, which spans Wise County and part of Denton County, Republican Rep. Lynn Stucky, a veterinarian, lost to software engineer Andy Hopper. Hopper won 58.11% of votes.
The race for House District 91, which includes part of Fort Worth, North Richland Hills, Haltom City and Watauga, was also settled, with David Lowe, a stay-at-home dad who has been active in North Texas Republican politics, winning against Rep. Stephanie Klick, a nurse, with 56.58% of votes.
The Republican nomination for an open seat for House District 97 in southwest Tarrant County was won by John McQueeney, a business owner who defeated Cheryl Bean, also a business owner, with 51.41% of votes. Democrat Carlos Walker, the director of the Fort Worth school district’s Family Action Center, won 55.73% of votes against photographer Diane Symons. Incumbent Craig Goldman, a Republican, didn’t seek reelection, instead running for U.S. Congress.
Just before 9 p.m., Hopper declared victory in his contest against Stucky. He called the victory a “massive win for principled conservatives in Wise and Denton Counties” in a social media post.
“Our district strongly endorses closing the southern border, cutting property taxes, and passing school choice,” he said in the statement. “To Texans for Lawsuit Reform and every dark money interest group in Austin who spent hundreds of thousands lying to our neighbors, District 64 has been returned to the voters. Our conservative movement is resounding, and I thank every single person who believed in our mission.”
Stucky in a statement called his near-decade in the Texas House his “greatest honor.”
“While the outcome of tonight’s election was not what we had hoped for, it does not change my passion and commitment to leaving a legacy of faithful stewardship for the next generation,” Stucky said. “Over the last three years, Andy Hopper has pitted neighbor against neighbor and community against community in our district in a win-at-all-costs quest for power. Tonight, the votes in Wise County have borne that out. As for me and my house, we will continue to be faithful to our calling of service wherever that path leads us.”
In a separate statement to the Star-Telegram, Stucky, first elected in 2016, reflected on time in the Legislature, including work on border security, property tax relief, higher education and an “Athena Alert” bill.
Former President Donald Trump called to congratulate Kerwin at her campaign watch party, according to a video shared with the Star-Telegram by her campaign.
“That was an easy endorsement,” Trump said on the call, played on speaker for supporters. Kerwin’s daughter Brooke Rollins previously served as director of the Domestic Policy Council under Trump. “When I endorsed you, I said there’s no chance of a lose here. And we love your daughter, and she’s doing a fantastic job, but right now most importantly, congratulations. That’s a fantastic win, and it was not an easy one. “
In a statement, Kerwin thanked supporters for trusting her to be a “conservative, common sense voice in the State Legislature.”
“Our campaign was always about serving the grassroots and delivering the kinds of reforms we need for Texas to lead the nation in growth, opportunity and empowering freedom for our amazing citizens,” Kerwin said, encouraging “all Republicans, conservatives, and grassroots to come together and work as a united team to win in November.”
Burns declined to comment.
Lowe cheered his win in a statement Wednesday, promising to “drain the swamp, restore integrity to our government, and ensure that all of our voices are heard in Austin.” Lowe also ran against Klick in 2022.
“From the very beginning, our campaign has been about fighting for the conservative values and principles that we hold dear: defending life, liberty and property,” he said. “We have stood firm in our commitment to protecting your constitutional rights, eliminating the property tax, and doing whatever it takes to secure the southern border and protect the citizens of Texas.”
Responding to written questions, Lowe said he believes the House is more conservative as a result of runoff victories over incumbents.
“Most House Districts favored Real Republicans, not RINOs,” Lowe said, attributing his victory to an energized base, a campaign “firing on all cylinders” and voters not buying his opponent’s “BS.”
His priorities include “voting for a new House Speaker, Ending the Invasion, and putting us on a path to Abolish Property Taxes, for starters,” Lowe said.
Klick did not comment to the Star-Telegram Wednesday, but in a campaign email she thanked her supporters, congratulated Lowe and reflected on her work in the Texas Legislature.
“Because of this opportunity, we were able to leave Texas a better place than when we began our journey together, especially in defending life,” Klick said. ”Our impact in saving thousands of unborn babies each year will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. Additionally, after years of negotiations, we finally passed legislation to ensure that vulnerable patients will not have their life-sustaining treatment withdrawn against their will.”
The runoff came during a turbulent time in the Republican Party — fights were observed through endorsements, campaign donations and public comments and appearances. The party has been divided over issues like school vouchers — a top priority of Gov. Greg Abbott — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment, and the leadership of House Speaker Dade Phelan. (Phelan won a runoff of his own Tuesday.)
Across the state, Republican incumbents were unseated by challengers, both in March and in subsequent runoffs.
“The goal of Abbott, (Lt. Gov. Dan) Patrick and Paxton were, for various reasons, to punish Republican incumbents they were dissatisfied with in order to get a more tractable Republican majority in the House, that would be more willing to follow Patrick’s conservative Republican majority in the Senate — particularly on vouchers, which is Abbott’s principle concern,” said Cal Jilson, a SMU political science professor.
Abbott backed Kerwin, Stucky, Klick and McQueeney, as he looks to help elect candidates who will back education savings accounts, a voucher-like proposal that failed during the 2023 legislative session and subsequent special session. The policy would let public dollars be used for private school education.
Despite Stucky’s and Klick’s losses, Abbott claimed victory on his “school choice” priority and said the Legislature has enough votes to pass the policy.
“While we did not win every race we fought in, the overall message from this year’s primaries is clear: Texans want school choice,” he said. “Opponents of school choice can no longer ignore the will of the people.”
Paxton, backing candidates who opposed his impeachment and the challengers of those who supported it, endorsed Kerwin, Hopper, Lowe and Bean. Phelan’s campaign donated to Burns, Stucky, Klick and McQueeney. Criticism around Phelan have largely centered on his handling of Paxton’s impeachment and his appointment of Democrats to committee leadership. (Paxton was later acquitted during his Senate trial.)
What’s expected to be a speaker’s race full of fireworks is still ahead. The race’s winner come 2025 and the ultimate political makeup of the Texas House will likely set the tone of the session. Lawmakers return to Austin on Jan. 14.
Phelan will want to keep his leadership role, but a more conservative Republican majority in the House would likely want him out, Jillson said. Tom Oliverson, a Cypress Republican, has announced a speaker bid.
“They’ll want to select somebody else, and once the new speaker is selected, the Republican majority, I think, will be more cohesive,” Jillson said. “More willing to vote for social conservative goals on vouchers and a whole series of issues, and I think they’ll generally win on those social conservative preferences.”
If a more socially conservative speaker is put into place, the new leader may “turn the dogs loose,” Jillson said.
“Things could go pretty far to the right pretty quickly once it gets to the point in the session where you can pass bills,” he said.
The first few months of a legislative session is focused largely on committee hearings, meaning the bulk of votes on bills come later in the session.
“It’s going to take awhile to see how far the Republican majority has shifted to the right,” Jillson said.
Paxton warned that those who support Phelan as Speaker in 2025 will lose bids for reelection down the line.
“You will not return if you vote for Dade Phelan again!” Paxton said in a statement.
Phelan meanwhile asserted that his district “is not for sale, and our values are not up for auction.”
Phelan didn’t name specific donors or groups, but Texans for a United Conservative Majority PAC was a major financier of his opponent, David Covey. The group is largely financially supported by West Texas oilmen Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, according to Transparency USA, a website that tracks political donations.
Texas billionaires have also waded into the North Texas races.
Dunn, Wilks and groups they fund have financially backed candidates like Kerwin, Hopper, Lowe and Bean. Charles Butt of H-E-B through the Charles Butt Public Education PAC has donated to Burns.
Republicans must still secure victories against Democrats, third party candidates and independents in the fall.
Kerwin faces Libertarian Richard Windmann. Democrat Angela Brewer will appear on the ballot with Hopper. McQueeney and Walker, a Democrat, are challenging each other in November. Lowe is running unopposed.
In a statement Wednesday, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said the primary defeats of lawmakers who had been “deemed ultra-conservative” shows that MAGA extremists have taken over the Republican Party.
He called on Texans, regardless of partisan affiliation, to “support candidates who believe the government should be a place where people come together to solve problems and improve lives, who believe that no one man should be above the law, and who believe that the party should not come before principle.”
This story was originally published May 28, 2024 at 7:53 PM.
