According to unofficial election results from Harris County, DeAyala captured nearly 62 percent of the vote in a three-way contest with Democrat Mohamad Maarouf and Libertarian James Harren.
“I am humbled and honored voters have overwhelmingly elected me to serve as their next State Representative,” DeAyala said in a statement to The Texan.
“For more than a year, our campaign has worked hard to earn the support of residents of House District 133 and continue the legacy of leadership left by Jim Murphy. I am prepared to get working on Day One to address critical issues facing our district and Texas.”
The son of immigrants who fled communist Cuba, DeAyala is a senior partner at Buck Kennan law firm. Gov. Greg Abbott appointed him to a six-year term on the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, where he serves as chair of the Business and Finance Committee. DeAyala is also a trustee for the Windham School District, which provides education to inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
DeAyala received the endorsements of the Houston Police Officer’s Union and the Harris County Deputies’ Organization in a community that has repeatedly rated crime and public safety as a top concern this year.
Chairman of the Hispanic Republicans of Texas, DeAyala also earned endorsements from political action committees Texas Latino Conservatives and Bienvenido In Action.
The west Houston suburban and Energy Corridor district is rated R-57% according to The Texan’s Texas Partisan Index, but DeAyala’s 61.5 percent take in the three-way contest outperformed predictions.
Under redistricting, Houston-area legislative seats were not considered competitive, and incumbents easily won re-election Tuesday.
According to unofficial results, in other parts of the state, Republicans have flipped at least two open seats in the Lewisville and Round Rock areas. GOP candidates Kronda Thimesch and Caroline Harris have been declared victorious by Decision Desk HQ.
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Holly Hansen
Holly Hansen is a regional reporter for The Texan living in Harris County. Her former column, “All In Perspective” ran in The Georgetown Advocate, Jarrell Star Ledger, and The Hill Country News, and she has contributed to a variety of Texas digital media outlets. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Central Florida with a degree in History, and in addition to writing about politics and policy, also writes about faith and culture.
