In Northeast Texas, a vacant seat in the Texas House of Representatives has been filled. But voters have yet to choose who will appear on local ballots this November.
Republican Jill Dutton defeated fellow Republican Brent Money in a special runoff election to fill the office yesterday. Unofficial totals show Dutton winning by 111 votes. The candidates will face each other once again in the March 5 Republican Party primary.
Both Dutton and Money won their home counties. Money, a Greenville attorney, took Hunt County by 483 votes (3,262 to 2,779). Dutton, a Republican activist from Ben Wheeler, won Van Zandt County by 348 votes (2,812 to 2,464). In Hopkins County, Dutton defeated Money by 246 votes (1,239 to 993).
Texas House District 2 has been without a state representative since Republican Bryan Slaton resigned and was then expelled from the Texas House last May. The Republican nominee will face Democratic candidate Kristen Washington in the November election.
The Hunt County GOP Club is hosting a forum this Friday evening at the Landmark on Lee Street featuring Dutton, Money and other Republican candidates. Money and Dutton will also participate in a Meet the Candidates forum next Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fletcher Warren Civic Center in Greenville. That event is free, but attendees must register at The Greenville Chamber of Commerce website, GreenvilleChamber.com.
The last day to register to vote in March is Feb. 5. Early voting for the March 5 primaries begins on Feb. 20 and ends on March 1.
