May 2016 Run-Off Election Results

EAST TEXAS (AP) – A boost from former presidential candidate Ted Cruz may have helped an East Texas Republican win the nomination for a state Senate seat. Bryan Hughes beat David Simpson on Tuesday night in a primary runoff between the two state House members. Cruz called Hughes a “conservative fighter” in recorded phone messages to voters. Cruz seldom gets involved in legislative races and has been mostly quiet since ending his White House run. But the raucous support the U.S. senator drew at the Texas Republican Convention earlier this month was a reminder of his influence with GOP voters statewide. No Democrats bothered to run in the solidly conservative senate district. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who controls the Senate, had also endorsed Hughes to replace outgoing Republican Sen. Kevin Eltife.

Winner in Texas Education Runoff Thanks Rival

AUSTIN (AP) – The winner of a Texas education board runoff says he thinks Republican voters in March simply weren’t paying attention when they nearly nominated a retired schoolteacher who once claimed President Barack Obama was a gay prostitute. Keven Ellis said after his victory over Mary Lou Bruner on Tuesday night that primary voters likely tuned out their race partly because of the attention surrounding the presidential election. But Ellis, a local school board president, wouldn’t criticize Bruner and instead thanked her for her career as a schoolteacher. The 69-year-old Bruner came within a couple percentage points of winning the race outright in March.

A watchdog of the Texas State Board of Education says the state “escaped an education train wreck” after a retired schoolteacher who believes dinosaurs walked the Earth with humans lost her runoff election. Mary Lou Bruner’s defeat Tuesday night delighted the left-leaning Texas Freedom Network. The organization said in a statement that the 69-year-old Bruner would have been “the most embarrassingly uninformed” member on the state’s powerful education board.

In the race for the Texas House, District 5, unofficial returns has Cole Hefner beating Jay Misenheimer. The district became open when Bryan Hughes decided to run for the state senate. Hefner has no Democratic opposition in November.

In the Race for Smith County Constable, Precinct 4, John Smith, the incumbent, lost to challenger Josh Joplin by 17 votes. Joplin will now meet Democrat Larry Reddic in November.

SMITH COUNTY-Republican Primary
Railroad Commissioner
Gary Gates 2,382
Wayne Christian 6,002

Judge Court of Criminal Appeals-Place 2
Mary Lou Keel 3,773
Ray Wheless 4,263

Judge Court of Criminal Appeals-Place 5
Brent Webster 3,341
Scott Walker 4,483

Texas Senate- District 1
Bryan Hughes 6,976
David Simpson 2,214

Texas House-District 5
Cole Hefner 1,401
Jay Misenheimer 1,801

Smith County Constable, Precinct 4
(I) John Smith 483
Josh Joplin 500

State Board of Education-Place 9
Mary Lou Bruner 2,804
Kevin Ellis 5,754

Smith County Democratic Primary
Railroad Commissioner
Cody Garrett 179
Grady Yarbrough 325

State Returns
Republican Primary
Railroad Commissioner
91% of precincts reporting
Gary Gates 183,712
Wayne Christian 190,670

Judge Court of Criminal Appeals-Place 2
91% of precincts reporting
Mary Lou Keel 183,034
Ray Wheless 176, 382

Judge Court of Criminal Appeals-Place 5
According to the Associated Press – Scott Walker, GOP, nominated Criminal Appeals
91 % of precincts reporting
Brent Webster 148,766
Scott Walker 205,117

Texas Senate- District 1
According to AP – Bryan Hughes, GOP, nominated State Senate, District
81% of precincts reporting
Bryan Hughes 20,314
David Simpson 9,851

Texas House-District 5
100% of precincts reporting
Cole Hefner 6,989
Jay Misenheimer 4,582

State Board of Education-Place 9
According to AP – Keven Ellis, GOP, nominated State Board of
Education,
89% of precincts reporting
Mary Lou Bruner 22,148
Kevin Ellis 32,076

State Returns
Democratic Primary
According to the Associated Press – Grady Yarbrough, Dem, nominated Railroad
89% of precincts reporting
Railroad Commissioner
Cody Garrett 81,396
Grady Yarbrough 93,239