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Editor’s Note: The following results are unofficial. The Colorado County results are of March 3; the statewide results are of March 9. Colorado County Elections Administrator Rebecka LaCourse said final counts will be announced on Friday, March 13.
As all candidates for countywide positions for Colorado County ran unopposed, those candidates all won their respective primaries.
Out of 14,552 registered voters in Colorado County, 4,129, or about 28.37%, voted in the March 3 Primary Election. Majority of voters voted early (58.83% of votes cast) and were Republicans (78.37% of votes cast).
According to the Texas Tribune, voter turnout in the first seven days of early voting surpassed any recent midterm or presidential election year. Both parties’ primary turnout exceeded 2018 totals for the last US senate race in Texas. For this election statewide, Democrats cast around 2.3 million ballots, and Republicans cast nearly 2.2 million. The Tribune reported that this election was the first time with higher Democratic turnout since 2020 for the Democratic presidential primary.
Republican Primary
While Colorado County Republican voters favored Ken Paxton significantly more than John Cornyn for the Republican candidacy for US senator (50.94% to 34.11%), Cornyn pulled ahead of Paxton statewide with 41.89% of votes compared to Paxton’s 40.68%. As neither candidate broke the 50% threshold to officially win, the two will be facing off in the upcoming run-off election on May 26.
Statewide votes trumped Colorado County’s selection for commissioner of agriculture. County voters favored Sid Miller with 58.61% of the votes. However, Nate Sheets won the primary after receiving 52.66% of votes statewide.
Republican Primary Runoffs: for US senator, Ken Paxton (40.68% statewide) and John Cornyn (41.89%); for attorney general, Mayes Middleton (39.12%) and Chip Roy (31.60%); for railroad commissioner, Jim Wright (32.07%) and Bo French (31.73%); for place 3 judge of court of criminal appeals, Thomas Smith (30.71%) and Alison Fox (31.26%); and for place 3 justice of the first court of appeals district, Todd Frankfort (43%) and Zach Gibson (25%).
Out of 10 propositions, county Republicans cast the most votes for proposition 8 (3,192 votes), “the Texas Legislature should reduce the burden of illegal immigration on taxpayers by ending public services for illegal aliens.” In addition, proposition 8 also received the most ‘yes’ votes (3,054 for 95.68%). Proposition 3 received the most ‘no’ votes (847 for 26.85%) for if “Texas should prohibit denial of healthcare or any medical service based solely on the patient’s vaccination status.”
Democratic Primary
Record-breaking turnout from Democratic voters focused on the highly publicized Democratic candidacy for U.S. Senator between James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett. In Colorado County, Crockett pulled ahead, receiving 53.43% of votes cast. However, Talarico won statewide, receiving 52.45% of votes.
The closest race for this county’s Democratic ballot was for chief justice of the 14th court of appeals district. Connie Gonzales won by three votes against Sarah Beth Landau. However, Landau won statewide with 55% of the votes.
Statewide votes once again trumped Colorado County’s selection for the district 85 state representative. Aaron Westerfield received 52.65% of votes in Colorado County but lost with 43% of votes to Lawrence Brandyburg who received 57%.
Democratic Primary Runoffs: for lieutenant governor, Marcos Isaias Velez (31.49% statewide) and Vikki Goodwin (48.01%); for attorney general, Joe Jaworski (26.43%) and Nathan Johnson (53.93%); and for place 7 justice of the 14th court of appeals district, William Demond (43%) and Michael Adams-Hurta (36%).
Out of 13 propositions, county Democrats cast the most votes for proposition 13 (869 votes), “Texas should prevent individuals with a history of domestic abuse from purchasing firearms by implementing ‘red flag’ laws.” However, proposition 7 received the most ‘yes’ votes (850 for 98.72%) for if “Texas should have a clean and healthy environment that includes water, air, and biodiversity. Texas must preserve the state’s natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational resources.” Proposition 8 received the most ‘no’ votes (190 for 22.54%) for if “Texas should legalize cannabis for adults and automatically expunge criminal records for past low-level cannabis offenses.”
