The Palestine Herald, Palestine, Texas

Local News

Discussion

Add a comment on this story
August 1, 2012

County votes mirror state in primary runoff

By PAUL STONE Palestine Herald-Press

PALESTINE — Anderson County mostly mirrored the state as a whole in Tuesday’s party primary runoff elections, with the county following the company line in all six races in the two major parties.

Anderson County had no local races on either party’s runoff ballot, with county Republicans voting on a total of four state and federal races and Democrats two.

Of Anderson County’s 25,919 registered voters, approximately 10.5 percent — or 2,726 persons — cast a ballot in one of the party’s primary runoffs.

In Anderson County, a total of 2,563 persons voted in the Republican party primary runoff, while 163 voted in the Democratic party primary runoff.

Both parties had runoffs to determine their U.S Senate nominee.

Late Tuesday night with almost 80 percent of the state reporting, Ted Cruz,  who garnered the support of so-called “Tea Party” members statewide, led Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the Republican runoff by a 56-to-44 percent margin and was clearly headed to victory. In near-similar fashion, Cruz carried Anderson County with 52 percent of the total votes.

State Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples issued a statement congratulating both GOP candidates for waging a hard-fought battle.

“Congratulations to Ted Cruz and Lt. Gov. Dewhurst on a hard fought campaign and to both for fighting for an accountable government that lives within its means,” Staples said in a statement released late Tuesday night. “As Republicans, we must now rally behind our nominee. Texans must continue to send this message to Obama and the overreaching federal government that we are taking our country back.”

The Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate will be Paul Sadler, a former state representative from Henderson, who led Grady Yarbrough by a 63-to-37 percent margin with just over half of the state’s precincts reporting. Sadler’s familiarity helped him carry Anderson County more decisively by a 77-to-23 percent margin.

Other races on the Anderson County Republican ballot and the projected winners with almost 80 percent of the state’s precincts reporting included:

• Christi Craddick led Warren Chisum for Texas railroad commissioner by a 60-to-40 percent margin.

• Barry Smitherman led Greg Parker for an unexpired term for Texas railroad commissioner by 62-to-38 percent margin.

• and John Devine led David Medina for Place 4 justice on the Texas Supreme Court by a 54-to-46 margin.

The victorious GOP candidates all carried Anderson County as well.

On the Democratic ballot, Linda S. Mrosko led Tom Berry by a 61-to-39 percent margin with much of the state reporting to gain the party’s nomination for U.S. representative, District 5.

Mrosko, who got 63 percent of the vote in Anderson County, will battle Republican incumbent Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, in the fall.

This year’s primary election cycle in Texas was pushed back approximately 2 1/2 months due to legal challenges to the state’s redrawn political boundaries.



Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald

Text Only
Local News
Magazines
Podcast
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
AP Video
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends Aug. Trial Set for Ohio Man in Triple Kidnapping Car Crash in NYC's East Village Injures 8 Obama Renews Call for Nuclear Reductions Raw: Car Jumps Curb in NYC, Injures 8 Unusual Heat Wave Bakes Alaska Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide