Schatzline came out on top with almost 44 percent of the votes cast while Laura Hill garnered almost 37 percent.
According to official data compiled via The Texan’s Texas Partisan Index, 54 percent of the district voted Republican averaged over the last two general elections. The Republican nominee is likely to win the seat in November.
Schatzline is a newcomer to public office. He currently serves as the director of operations for The Justice Reform, an anti-human trafficking organization. He has also been a pastor, college professor of economics, and has helped start mentorship programs in area schools.
He was endorsed by groups like Texas Right to Life, Texas Home School Coalition, and Texas Values.
Among the priority issues listed on his website are fighting against divisive issues in public education, lowering property taxes, securing the border, and advocating for the unborn.
“I am humbled and honored to be in this position going into a runoff. I want to say thank you to all of our voters and all of our supporters for making this possible,” Schatzline wrote in a statement to The Texan. “It is evident that Texas is ready for a true conservative who is going to fight indoctrination in our schools, secure our border, lower our property taxes, and defend our liberties at all costs. I can not wait to win this runoff and represent the great people of District 93 at the state level.”
Hill, who was the former mayor and city council member of Southlake, runs a family-owned company, Downey Publishing.
She lists securing the border, public safety, and jobs and the economy as her top issues on her website.
“I’m grateful to be in this position and to have the continued opportunity to share my conservative values and vision for this remarkable district,” said Hill in a statement to The Texan. “I’ll continue to talk about my proven record of cutting taxes, increasing police and fire budgets and fighting for Texas businesses. House District 93 is an economic engine, so important to Texas’ future.”
Tarrant County Conservatives criticized Hill for testimony before the Texas Legislature in 2017 in which they say she opposed property tax reform by asking legislators to vote against Senate Bill 2, the GOP-backed Property Tax Reform & Relief Act of 2017.
Hill has been the subject of some scrutiny about her residency, though she claims she lives in the district. Hill and her husband, Joe McSweeney, own a home valued at over $1 million in Southlake, which also has a homestead exemption according to the Tarrant Appraisal District records. Only a homeowner’s principal residence can qualify for a homestead exemption, the Texas Comptroller’s website states.
Fort Worth City Councilmember Cary Moon was also a candidate in the race. On his campaign Facebook page, Moon thanked his supporters and congratulated Schatzline for being the frontrunner in the race.
The runoff for House District 93 will take place on May 24.
Update: The article has been updated to include a comment from Hill.
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Kim Roberts
Kim Roberts is a regional reporter for the Texan in the DFW metroplex area where she has lived for over twenty years. She has a Juris Doctor from Baylor University Law School and a Bachelor's in government from Angelo State University. In her free time, Kim home schools her daughter and coaches high school extemporaneous speaking and apologetics. She has been happily married to her husband for 23 years, has three wonderful children, and two dogs.
