Sessions separated from the rest of the field early and maintained that lead the whole way through. He secured a spot in the runoff and will face Renee Swann — Flores’ chosen successor.
Sessions finished with over 30 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, just 672 votes — under one percent — separates Renee Swann in second place and George Hindman in third. The next closest two were Elianor Vessali at 9 percent and Scott Bland at 7 percent.
Sessions told The Texan, “We are very encouraged to finish first in the primary with such a large field of candidates. We are well-positioned to win this runoff, winning so many counties across the district, and we are already gaining significant support since the results came in. We will run a vigorous runoff campaign and win this race.”
Swann reacted to the Super Tuesday results, stating, “I look forward to the runoff and am eternally grateful to our Central Texas friends, family, and patients who have helped propel our campaign forward.”
Taking a shot at her prospective runoff opponent, Swann added, “The message was loud and clear, with nearly 70% of the voters choosing someone who would bring a new perspective, a new vision, and new heart to be the voice of our conservative district.”
Hindman’s campaign had not yet responded to the request for comment by this publishing.
Meanwhile, Vessali posted, “I began this run hoping to be able to serve you all in DC and although that will not be the case, I intend to continue the fight of pushing Conservative values forward in the 17th District. I wanted to thank those candidates in this race who also ran positive campaigns and appreciate their willingness to serve. I look forward to building on those relationships as we all work together for the future of our District.”
Turnout in the race settled at about 68,500 — higher than this race in 2018, but lower than in 2016.
The runoff will occur on Saturday, May 26, 2020. The winner of that will likely have a smooth ride through the general.
This story will be updated as developments arise.
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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.
