In Texas’ Senate race, Democrat MJ Hegar appears to be headed to the May 26 runoff against State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) after Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez conceded Wednesday. The three candidates were part of a 12-person field in the Democratic primary on Super Tuesday.
In Texas' Senate race, Democrat MJ Hegar appears to be headed to the May 26 runoff against State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) after Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez conceded Wednesday. The three candidates were part of a 12-person field in the Democratic primary on Super Tuesday.
The winner of the runoff will try to unseat Republican incumbent John Cornyn. The Senior Senator is seen as a heavy favorite in a state where a Democrat hasn't won a Senate seat since the 1970s.
With 99% of precincts reporting, Hegar has a spot in the runoff with 23%. West received 15% of the vote and Ramirez received 13% of the vote.
"This campaign was consistently underestimated," Ramirez said in a statement Wednesday." I ran as a progressive, as a Latina, and as a working mom. We ran this campaign unapologetically, and we all have so much to be proud of for what we’ve accomplished.”
West issued a statement in a tweet Wednesday afternoon.
U.S. Senate Democratic Primary Results
Three others in the crowded field, Amanda K. Edwards, Annie "Mama" Garcia and Chris Bell, averaged about 10% of the vote.
Prior to Super Tuesday, in , Hegar was named by 15% of respondents, to lead all candidates. West, who has served in the State Senate since 1993, was named by 7% of those polled.
Former U.S. Rep. Bell and Tzintzun Ramirez also both polled at 7%.
The other candidates on the ballot, Michael Cooper, Edwards, Victor Hugo Harris, Jack Daniel Foster Jr., Adrian Ocegueda, Sema Hernandez, D.R. Hunter and Garcia, were all named by 4% or less of those polled.
Forty-six percent of respondents answered they were not sure who they would vote for.
Since the leading candidate failed to secure more than 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held with the top two finishers on May 26.
