Texans advance two Republicans, no Democrats to Congressional runoff

(The Center Square) – Voters advanced two Republicans and no Democrats in a Saturday election for Texas’s 6th Congressional District. Among the 23 candidates on the ballot, no one won 50%.

Republicans Susan Wright, wife of the late Rep. Ron Wright, R-Arlington, received the most votes of 15,052, or 19.2%, followed by Jake Ellzey who received 10,851 (13.85%). Democrat Jana Lynne Sanchez finished third, receiving 10,497 votes (13.39%). She conceded the race on Sunday.

“Democrats have come a long way toward competing in Texas but we still have a way to go,” Sanchez said in a statement. “Unfortunately, tonight we came up short, and two Republicans will be competing to represent this Congressional district.”

Susan Wright’s husband and former congressman, Ron Wright, lost his multi-year battle with cancer and died on Feb. 7 just weeks into his second term. The Sixth Congressional District includes parts of Fort Worth and Arlington in Tarrant County, as well as all of Ellis and Navarro counties.

“It’s been challenging at times, but the work goes on and he would want me to do what he did, which is engage with voters, hear what they have to say, and talk to them, so that is what we are doing,” Wright said of her late husband.

A long-time Republican activist in Tarrant County, Wright received hundreds of endorsements, including from former President Donald Trump.

Trump told supporters she “will be strong on the Border, Crime, Pro-Life, our brave Military and Vets, and will ALWAYS protect your Second Amendment.”

One day prior to the election, Wright sought help from federal law enforcement, after some supporters said they received robocalls that accused her of being responsible for the death of her husband. Wright’s campaign reached out to the FBI and the Department of Justice after they were made aware of the robocalls on Friday.

“This is illegal, immoral, and wrong,” she said in a statement. “There’s not a sewer too deep that some politicians won’t plumb. Imagine it: someone is attacking my late husband, the love of my life, a man who gave me such joy in life. I will not let darkness rule. I live by the light of Christ and his truth will sustain me – as it sustained me when I lost my husband.”

Finishing second on Saturday was Ellzey, a first-term state representative from Waxahachie in Ellis County. He ran against Ron Wright in the 2018 Republican primary, placing second in that election.

The date for the runoff election will be announced by Gov. Greg Abbott.

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