Republicans Neugebauer, Conaway Leading in Special Congressional Election in Texas

TX Secretary of State website | 05-03-03 | Theodore R.

[Theodore R.]

In the special election to succeed Rep. Larry Combest, R-TX, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, the top 4 candidates, all Republicans, are thus far:

9 p.m. Central Time

Randy Neugebauer, 9,835 Mike Conaway, 9,643 Carl Isett, 8,331 -- endorsed by TX Right to Life David Langston, 6,127, former Democrat mayor of Lubbock

The counting continues. The top two votegetters will meet in a special election runoff in June.

[Theodore R.]

At 9:20 Central, time, Right-to-Life-endorsed Carl Isett, a Republican state representative from Lubbock, has moved into second place in the special congressional election.

Returns now show:

Neugebauer 12,241
Isett, 10,308
Conaway, 10,252
Langston, 7,700

[Theodore R.]

Two Democrat candidates are dividing 5 percent of the vote in this now heavily Republican district stretching from Midland to Lubbock. Until 1985, the district had continuous Democrat representation.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Ping me when you get the final numbers, please. :-)

[Theodore R.]

DJ, I may or may not stay up for the final numbers.

At 9:45 Central Time, Conaway had regained second place, with a plurality of 207 votes for Isett. It is unclear how many votes remain uncounted, but there is a large rural area geographically if not population-wise.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Which one were you backing ? I though Isett seemed like the best of the group.

[Theodore R.]

I am not in that district. I don't know anything about anyone other than Isett. It may be several hours before we can say for sure who gets in the second election. Isett may do better when scattered rural towns come in.

[Theodore R.]

Conaway still had 207 votes more than Isett for second place as of 9:50 Central Time.

[Theodore R.]

This current total is with 93 percent of the votes reporting. The remaining 7 percent will decide perhaps who gets the second slot. Isett's hope is that rural areas might give him the boost. Right now, I would bet on Conaway to be in second place.

[Theodore R.]

There are only six precincts outstanding, and Islett trails for second place by 196 votes.

[Tall_Texan]

I missed why a special election is needed to replace Combest. Any details?

[green team 1999]

bump

[maranatha]

He resigned because of personal reasons...family life has taken first place.

[deport]

RACE	NAME		PARTY	EARLY VOTES	PERCENT	TOTAL VOTES	PERCENT
U. S. Representative District 19 - Unexpired Term
	Richard Bartlett		REP	456	1.9%	1,040	1.8%
	John D. Bell		REP	653	2.7%	1,857	3.2%
	Jamie Berryhill		REP	784	3.2%	1,897	3.3%
	William M. (Bill) Christian		REP	491	2.0%	1,002	1.7%
	Mike Conaway		REP	6,221	25.5%	12,211	21.2%
	Thomas Flournoy		CON	41	0.2%	93	0.2%
	Kaye Gaddy		DEM	703	2.9%	1,338	2.3%
	E.L. "Ed" Hicks		IND	30	0.1%	81	0.1%
	Carl H. Isett		REP	4,878	20.0%	10,858	18.9%
	David R. Langston		REP	2,838	11.6%	7,978	13.9%
	Donald May		REP	229	0.9%	614	1.1%
	Randy Neugebauer		REP	5,201	21.3%	12,844	22.3%
	Julia Penelope		GRN	78	0.3%	221	0.4%
	Richard (Chip) Peterson		LIB	58	0.2%	152	0.3%
	Jerri Simmons-Asmussen		DEM	369	1.5%	884	1.5%
	Vickie Sutton		REP	776	3.2%	1,963	3.4%
	Stace Williams		REP	575	2.4%	2,504	4.4%
				---------------		---------------
		Vote Total		24,381		57,537
		Precincts Reporting		205	of	207 Precincts	99.0%
--------------------------------------------

[Tall_Texan]

Enough folks sure want the job, don't they? Unemployment high in that part of the state?

[maranatha]

Big district and it came out of the blue with a short time to run so everyone took a shot at it.

[Theodore R.]

As the headline first reported, the special election runoff in June will be between Neugebauer and Conaway.

Mike Conaway REP 12,211 21.2%

Kaye Gaddy DEM 1,338 2.3%

Carl H. Isett REP 10,858 18.9%

David R. Langston REP 7,978 13.9%

Randy Neugebauer REP 12,844 22.3%

Vickie Sutton REP 1,963 3.4%

Stace Williams REP 2,504 4.4%

---

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Vote Total 57,537

Precincts Reporting 205 of 207 Precincts 99.0%

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Not all minor candidates have been posted. This is the district that congressional candidate George W. Bush lost in November 1978.

[deport]

Unemployment high in that part of the state?

---

Word is that rabbits are scarce in the countryside...... I really don't know... I guess since is was an open seat and those that had ever thought of a moment of fame as a politician decided to give it a try....

[Theodore R.]

Combest resigned effective May 31 for personal reasons. He took office in January 1985.

[Theodore R.]

I think the unemployment rate is lower in that part of TX than elsewhere, but I don't know for sure. Usually, the unemployment rate is highest in Democrat South Texas. Democrats did so poorly; so the economy must not have been an issue.