Texas Scorecard By David Vasquez March 2, 2022
RGV voters turned out in record numbers in the Republican primary. Democrats had a comparatively depressed turnout, in what will no doubt be seen as a validation of national political watchers’ predictions of a red wave in November.As voting for the Texas primaries has wrapped up, the eyes of the nation at large are on the Rio Grande Valley. Many observers expect 2022 to be a big year for Republicans and the GOP, predicting to see the party build on its 2020 inroads with Hispanic voters and believing it will have success in what has previously been Democrat stronghold. To that end, the GOP fielded a wide slate of candidates, and the party has data that suggests it may be successful.
The numbers suggest two trends that portend well for the GOP: enthusiasm and historic numbers among Republican voters, and depressed turnout for Democrats. Compared to the 2018 and 2020 primary elections, Republicans had significantly higher turnout. That trend is present across all four counties in the RGV, but especially in Starr County. In 2018, a total of 15 people voted in the Republican primary; in 2020, that number increased to 46. This year, a whopping 1,773 people in Starr County voted in the Republican primary.
Conversely, Democrats had generally lower turnout in the RGV Democrat primaries compared to 2018, and about a 7.83 percent lower turnout compared to 2020.
Here are some of the highlights from Tuesday night:
• State Rep. Ryan Guillen (R–Rio Grande City) was able to avoid a runoff in House District 31 against challenger Mike Monreal. Guillen made headlines in 2021 for switching parties and becoming a Republican, and he received an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
• In one of the most watched races for the open seat left by retiring State Sen. Eddie Lucio, conservative entrepreneur and business owner Adam Hinojosa appeared to narrowly avoid a runoff for the Republican nomination and will face off against either Sara Stapleton-Barrera or Morgan LaMantia, who are headed to a runoff for the Democrat nomination. Notably, State Rep. Alex Dominguez (D–Brownsville) will be out of the Legislature after he failed to make the runoff.
• In House District 37, the seat Alex Dominguez gave up to run for state Senate, San Benito CISD board member Janie Lopez won the Republican nomination and will face the winner of the runoff between Ruben Cortez and Luis Villareal Jr. In Senate District 20, Westley Wright, a real estate broker and small-business owner, won the Republican nomination and will challenge longtime Senate Democrat Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D–McAllen).
• The GOP fielded candidates for county judge in all four RGV counties.
• Lastly, in the race for Hidalgo County criminal district attorney, criminal defense attorney and municipal judge Toribio “Terry” Palacios won the Democrat nomination over Nereida Lopez-Singleterry in what was a heated race for the open position. Of note, Hidalgo County also has its first Republican candidate for district attorney in decades: Juan Tijerina, a criminal defense attorney from McAllen.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/state/gop-voters-energized-in-rio-grande-valley/
