House District 10 includes all of Ellis County and part of Henderson County.
Unofficial results showed Brian Harrison received 41 percent of the vote with 4,613 ballots, while John Wray received 36 percent of the vote with 4,031 ballots. The two will continue to campaign for state representative until a runoff election to be set by Governor Greg Abbott. Turnout in the race was less than nine percent.
The lone Democrat in the running, Pierina Otiniano, finished third, receiving 11 percent of the vote with 1,281 ballots.
As for the remaining Republican candidates, Kevin Griffin made fourth place with eight having received 883 votes and Midlothian Councilman Clark Wickliffe received three percent with 351 votes.
Another GOP candidate, Susan Mellina Hayslip, filed the paperwork to place her name on the ballot. However, she would later endorse Harrison, calling him “the faithful conservative voice that we can all trust and the right choice for District 10.”
An independent candidate, Scott Goodwin, and Libertarian Matt Savino each received less than one percent of the vote.
Wray previously served in the seat from 2015 until Ellzey was elected and took office in January of this year. Ellzey would announce his candidacy for Congress only months later, cutting short his single term in the Texas House.
Harrison enjoys the endorsement of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and was the chief of staff to United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar during the Trump administration. He was also a candidate in the congressional race Ellzey won.
Abbott scheduled the special election after voters in the 6th congressional district elected Ellzey to the United States House.
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Hayden Sparks
Hayden Sparks is a senior reporter for The Texan and a lifelong resident of the Lone Star State. He has coached competitive speech and debate and has been involved in politics since a young age. One of Hayden's favorite quotes is by Sam Houston: "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."
