Texas Democratic Primary Wrap-Up

[I started this as a Facebook post, it ran a bit long, so I just decided to put it here--easier for those interested to share.]

Yesterday's Texas primaries were pretty good to the progressive House and Senate candidates spotlighted by this blog, most of whom either won or made it to runoffs to be held later this year (the Texas runoff system is triggered when no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote).

--Born-again progressive Beto O'Rourke handily won the Democratic Senate primary, beating progressie Sema Hernandez and capturing over 61% of the vote. He will face Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz in the general.

--In the much-contested 7th District, progressive Laura Moser will take on EMILYs List-backed corporate "Democrat" Lizzie Fletcher in a runoff. Progressive Justin Westin finished in 3rd place. This race drew a lot of attention because the DCCC savagely attacked Moser only days before the vote but corporate "Democrat" Alex Triantaphyllis, who was recruited by the DCCC, finished in 4th, drawing only 15.7% of the vote.

--In the 12th District, progressive Vanessa Adia's opponent withdrew from the race at the last moment. Adia will go on to face Republican incumbent Kay Granger in the general.

--In the 14th, progressive Adrienne Bell dominated Levi Barnes, raking in nearly 80% of the vote. She'll go on to face Republican incumbent Randy Weber in the general.

--In the 16th, progressive Veronica Escobar dominated a crowded field, capturing over 61% of the vote. She'll face off against Republican Rick Seeberger in the general but this is a very strong Democratic district, the seat Beto O'Rourke gave up to run for Senate, and her win in the primary virtually guarantees she's going to Washington.

--In the 21st, Progressive Mary Wilson and the DCCC's pick, self-financing "ex"-Republican Joseph Kopser, will face off in a runoff. Progressive Derrick Crowe fared relatively poorly, finishing in 3rd place with only 23.1% of the vote. Today, he endorsed Wilson.

--In the 22nd, progressive Letitia Plummer will face off against Sri Kulkarni (who seems relatively progressive) in a runoff. Progressive Steve Brown finished in third place.

--In the 23rd, progressive Rick Treviño will square off against Gina Jones in a runoff. Jay Hulings, the DCCC's conservative pick, finished in 4th place.

--In the 26th, progressive Linsey Fagan defeated Will Fisher--she will advance to the general, where she will face Republican incumbent Michael Burgess.

--In the 29th, Sylvia Garcia, who, when I was researching her, seemed a pretty standard-issue Democrat, crushed self-funder Tahir Javed in a one-sided massacre. This is a heavily Democratic district; Garcia is virtually guaranteed to win the general. Hector Morales suffered perhaps the worst progressive defeat of the evening, finishing in 4th place with only 3% of the vote.

--In the 32nd, Colin Allred and Lilian Salerno--the two progressives in the crowded primary--will now compete in a runoff. Ed Meier, Hillary Clinton hecubi and backed by the Clinton machine, finished in 4th place with only 13.7% of the vote.

--In the 26th, progressive Dayna Steele crushed Jon Powell; she will go on to face Republican incumbent Brian Babin in the Fall.

Other notes, both good and bad: The Associated Press reports today that turnout in the Democratic primaries was the highest it had been in 16 years. Believe it or not, Texas has apparently never sent a Latina to congress; wins in two heavily Democratic districts mean it will probably be sending two this year (Escobar and Garcia). The 28th District is heavily Democratic and could elect a good candidate but instead, Henry Cuellar, a "Democrat" who votes with Trump over 60% of the time, ran unopposed there and will be going back to congress next year. Trumpanzee Kathaleen Wall spent $6 million trying to get the Repub nomination in the 2nd District and ended up in 3rd place--didn't even make the runoff.

--j.