HD 52 in Williamson County is an open seat due to incumbent state Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock) opting to cross county lines and run in HD 50.
“Thank you to the voters of Williamson County who elected me as their candidate for the Republican party this November,” Harris stated after results rolled in. “It is an honor [and] a privilege to fight for Texas. With my victory tonight, to God be the glory. I look forward to knocking more doors for this November.”
McGuinness said in defeat, “The initial full vote count last night showed us losing a razor-close race in the primary runoff.”
“It’s heartbreaking to lose a close race like this, but I’m at peace with the result for my own sake. My concern has been and is for [Williamson County] and Texas.”
Harris lost the early vote by 116 votes, but carried the Election Day vote by 229.
This matchup was one of several pitting Governor Greg Abbott against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), with Abbott taking the proxy victory.
Harris, a Texas Senate staffer for Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), also supported Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont). Should she win in November, her first vote cast will be for the next session’s speaker, who is likely to be Phelan again with no signs of opposition materializing.
HD 52 leans Republican after redistricting, and Harris faces Democrat Luis Echegaray in the November general election.
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Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson is a senior reporter for The Texan and an Ohio native who graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2017. He is an avid sports fan who most enjoys watching his favorite teams continue their title drought throughout his cognizant lifetime. In his free time, you may find Brad quoting Monty Python productions and trying to calculate the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow.
