Republican Pete Flores upsets Democrat Pete Gallego in race for Uresti seat

TX tribune ^ | 9/19/2018 | TX tribune

[mikelets456]

Republican Pete Flores defeated Democrat Pete Gallego on Tuesday night in the special election runoff for Senate District 19, a major upset in a Democratic-friendly seat with implications for the balance of power in the upper chamber.

With all precincts reporting, Flores beat Gallego by 6 percentage points in the race to replace convicted former state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio. Flores had 53 percent of the vote and Gallego 47 percent in unofficial returns.

Gallego conceded to Flores around 9 p.m., according to both campaigns. With the victory, Flores will become the first Hispanic Republican to serve in the Texas Senate.

[cpdiii]

I lived in thzt disrict for years as a youth. It was solid Democrat the Democrat party was the honorable opposition.

It is no longer honorable and this is now red.

People now have jobs. They vote their pocket book. It is a very poor district with the exception of oilfield jobs. The oilfield has many open jobs for those that wish to work

I did in the sixties and seventies. It gave me the money to go to university and as a result became a geologist pharmacist and pilot

America is great

[Signalman]

Newt was on Hannity and he mentioned this race and two other races in November where the underdog GOP candidate is in front. I think the Dims are going to be in a state of shock come this November.

[painter]

It should also send a shockwave through the “Bozo” O’Rourke campaign because 68% of Senate District 19’s voters are Hispanic, and the District has a published poverty rate of 18.8%. Significantly, Flores ran on strict border control, and is pro: life, 2-A, family, energy, veterans; and, is anti-taxation.

It’s the first time in 139-years that a Republican has held the Texas District 19 Senate seat.

This should be a message to ALL Republicans running this fall!!!

[Lazamataz]

Makes your predictions more believable.

[Lazamataz]

Did our resident hand-wringers notice this race?

This means nothing. Democrats are motivated and Republicans don't care. Look for a 90-seat Democrat House majority and the Senate being a 27-seat pickup for Democrats.

[rhinohunter]

Actually it’s only 24% White !!!

And you are correct about CrookedH carrying it by 12...

[Atlantan]

From Wiki:

Texas Senate District 19 is 66% hispanic.

The district is one of the largest legislative districts in the United States, containing all or part of 17 counties and covering more than 35,000 square miles and about 400 miles of the Texas-Mexico border.

[Atlantan]

Scroll to see victory speech. This seat hasn’t been held by the GOP since 1879.

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Polls-close-at-7-p-m-in-Senate-District-19-13239398.php

[hadaclueonce]

If the rat had won, Morning Joe and his bands of parrots would have been crowing all morning.
Not.
Crickets.....

[trebb]

Doesn’t matter what the polls said - long-term history makes it an upset.

[Svartalfiar]

This marks the first time in the state’s history that Republicans will hold a super-majority in the Texas Senate.

And, if we can get a half-decent replacement for Straus, this might actually be worth something!

[jimmygrace]

It does matter if the polls were very wrong in favor of the democrat. That portends good tidings for the midterms.