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With the unofficial results tabulated, the March 5 Republican Primary in Southeast Texas elicited a high-ranking runoff.
Speaker of the House and incumbent State Rep. Dade Phelan will face newcomer David Covey in the May 28 runoff for the District 21 House seat. Covey, who garnered 46% of the 33,643 total votes, against Phelan, 43%, and Alicia Davis, 10%, was the first-round leader but failed to secure the necessary majority vote, according to the Secretary of State. The runoff winner will assume the District 21 seat because no Democrats filed in the primary. If Phelan wins, a vote of the Texas House prior to the end of last session will secure his continued position as House Speaker; Covey would not be eligible for the Speaker post.
Incumbent State Rep. Christian Manuel will return to his District 22 House seat after he won the Democratic Primary with 73% of the 9,652 ballots cast. Al “Jamie” Price Jr. was second with 22% and Luther Wayne Martin III had 4%.
No Republican will challenge for the seat.
For the District 18 House seat, Silsbee ISD school board president Janis Holt defeated incumbent State Rep. Ernest Bailes, receiving 53% of the 28,222 total votes. There is no Democratic challenger.
In the U.S. Representative District 14 race, incumbent GOP Congressman Randy Weber will face Democrat Rhonda Hart in November. Both were unopposed in the primaries. In the U.S. Representative District 36 race, incumbent Congressman Brian Babin received 81% of the vote to defeat Jonathan Mitchell in the GOP Primary. He will face Democrat Dayna Steele, who was unopposed, in November.
Orange County upsets
Voters decided on change in the Orange County Sheriff and Pct. 4 Constable posts. Since there were no Democrats seeking county offices, the GOP Primary winners secured their offices.
Newcomer Bobby Smith, a retired Texas Ranger, defeated three opponents in the GOP Primary for Orange County Sheriff. Smith received 56% of the 14,868 votes, while incumbent Jimmy Lane Mooney was second with 29%.
Incumbent Pct. 4 Constable Matt Ortego lost his position after challenger, sheriff’s deputy Joey Jacobs, won with 68% of the 4,072 votes.
For Pct. 2 constable, incumbent Jeremiah Gunter returned to his post with nearly 60% of the 3,654 total votes. David C. Bailey was second with 22% and Harold W. Hass finished with 19%.
Jefferson County
There were 31,183 ballots (18,744 Republican and 11,202 Democrat) cast in the primary election, according to information from the Jefferson County Clerk.
The lone contested county race in the Republican Primary was incumbent Vernon Pierce defeating Brandon Willis. Pierce finished with 60% of the 5,812 total votes. There is no Democratic candidate.
In the Democratic Primary, incumbent Sheriff Zena Stephen finished with 90% of the 11,832 votes cast against opponent Shanter R. Norman. She will face Republican Steven Broussard in the November election.
Incumbent Naomi Shower Doyle returns to her Pct. 1 Place 1 Justice of the Peace seat with 73% of the 4,979 votes, beating challenger Pamela Terry Haynes. Incumbent Democrat Pct. 1 Constable Jevonne “JC” Pollard received nearly 70% of the 5,003 votes to defeat Donald Jackson. And, newcomer Everett “Ed” Cormier Sr. is the new Pct. 6 constable after he defeated Lawrence Gobert with 71% of the 2,414 total votes.
Hardin County
With no contested county races, more than 10,200 registered voters cast ballots in the primaries. According to the county elections office, nearly half of the ballots (5,043) were cast during the early voting period.
Republican voters favored Donald Trump for president, Ted Cruz for U.S. Senator and Brian Babin as the District 36 congressman. Democrats favored President Joe Biden, Colin Allred for U.S. Senator and Steel to represent District 36.
Father, son win sheriff races
The neighboring counties of Jefferson and Newton will have new sheriffs, both related as father and son.
Father Chuck Havard is the new Jasper County sheriff and his son, Colton, was elected as the new sheriff of Newton County.
The elder Havard defeated Chief Deputy Scott Duncan in the Jasper County sheriff's race. Havard received 4,470 votes to Duncan’s 3,683.
Colton Havard defeated incumbent Sheriff Robert Burby, 1,972 to 976, in Newton County.
For additional election results, visit www.votetexas.gov.