Abbott Crushes, Beto Moves Forward, and Runoffs Abound: What Happened in the 2022 Texas Primaries

This week from the Texas Observer.

THE LEDE RIO GRANDE VALLEY VOTERS FACE STARK CHOICES IN MAY RUNOFFS The Rio Grande Valley tends to elect a certain kind of Democrat: generally men, often conservative on issues from abortion to fossil fuels. This year, a new class of contenders including strong women candidates and progressives—along with an invigorated GOP—are threatening that status quo. Tuesday's primary results have only sharpened these political contrasts, offering Valley voters a number of stark choices in the May 24 runoffs.  KEEP READING View this email in your browser. STATEWIDE ELECTIONS REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES ABBOTT CRUSHES OPPONENTS WHILE PAXTON FORCED INTO RUNOFF In the first real primary challenge of his roughly 30-year political career, Governor Greg Abbott crushed his opponents in the Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, hauling in nearly 70 percent of the vote.  Meanwhile, the comically corrupt Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton failed to avoid a runoff in the face of serious challenges from three well-known and well-funded challengers. Paxton won about 43 percent of the primary vote with Land Commissioner George P. Bush capturing second place and the right to a runoff. Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller handily beat his opponent, East Texas state Representative James White, with roughly 60 percent of the vote.  Railroad Commission Chair Wayne Christian fell just a few points short of avoiding a runoff Tuesday night in his race against his challengers.     KEEP READING DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES THE PARTY IS INDECISIVE–EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO BETO Beto O'Rourke swept the vote as the Democratic gubernatorial primary winner and Susan Hays took agriculture commissioner with around 80 percent of the vote. Other statewide Democratic hopefuls will be going into runoffs.  The attorney general race will go into a run off. Frontrunner Rochelle Mercedes Garza leads with a little more than 40 percent of the vote, trailed by Joe Jaworski and Lee Merritt. The Democratic lieutenant governor race split along similar lines. Mike Collier, a subdued long-time accountant, lead with about 40 percent, setting up a runoff. Luke Warford was uncontested to be the Democratic candidate for railroad commissioner. KEEP READING LOCAL ELECTIONS THE KING OF LAREDO LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY IN MAY RUNOFF In an extremely close contest, South Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar narrowly escaped loss, but missed outright victory. Cuellar and Jessica Cisneros will have to duke it out for nearly three more months before voters decide who will hold the seat in a late May runoff. With almost all votes recorded, Cuellar secured 48.5 percent to Cisneros' 46.8 percent—a margin of just 807 votes.   PROGRESSIVE GREG CASAR TROUNCES COMPETITION IN CENTRAL TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARY   With about 60 percent of the vote, ex-Austin City Council Member Greg Casar—a staunch progressive and former labor organizer endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—beat his competition Tuesday evening in the Democratic primary for Texas' Congressional District 35. Support the Texas Observer with a tax-deductible donation or subscribe to the magazine. DONATE GET THE MAGAZINE THE MAGAZINE THE SPECIAL DOUBLE ISSUE The Export Boom: The United States' oil and gas export boom has been a decade in the making. All along the Texas coast, communities are fighting back against the industry's expansion. Locked Up and Left to Die: In Texas, dying in jail is "par for the course." Unchecked and Unbalanced: COVID-19 has provided Governor Greg Abbott the chance to wield more power than anyone in Texas history. He's not eager to give it back. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Copyright © 2022 Texas Observer, All rights reserved. Thank you for subscribing to The Texas Observer's weekly newsletter. Our mailing address is: The Texas Observer P.O. Box #6421 Austin, Texas 78762 The Texas Observer, a nonprofit, tries to save paper and money by contacting you via email.