Residents of Texas House District 59, which includes Coryell County, appear to have a new representative starting in January.
Republican Shelby Slawson has been declared the unofficial winner over incumbent Rep. J.D. Sheffield, R-Gatesville, in the runoff for the district.
The Secretary of State’s website showed that Slawson received 61.5% of the votes, while Sheffield received 38.5% of the votes.
With no Democratic challenger, Slawson is effectively assured victory in November.
“What an incredible journey! For the last year the people in HD59 have been uniting around our shared values and building out a broad coalition of Central Texas conservatives ready to fight for our Texas,” Slawson said in a statement via email on Tuesday evening. “The election results bear witness to the power of us everyday citizens when we work together.”
Slawson, a Stephenville resident, also said she is looking forward to representing the district.
“I am honored, and deeply humbled, by the confidence our folks have placed in our campaign and look forward to serving you and fighting for you as we Keep Texas Red!” she said in the email statement.
In the three-way race in March, Slawson had received more votes than Sheffield but fell short of getting the more than 50% required, forcing Tuesday’s runoff.
Sheffield, 59, was first elected to the seat on Nov. 7, 2012.
District 59 covers eight counties — Comanche, Coryell, Erath, Hamilton, McCulloch, Mills, San Saba and Somervell.
Locally, Sheffield carried Coryell County, according to unofficial results from the county’s election office.
Coryell is the only county Sheffield had carried, according to the contest details on the Secretary of State’s website.
The 43-year-old Slawson is a native of the district, according to the biography on her campaign page. She is an attorney by training, and she is also an entrepreneur and executive of small businesses, her biography said.
Prior to the March primary, Slawson said she is a long-time advocate for the people of rural Texas.
Before early voting began in June, Slawson said one of her top priorities will be reigniting the economy that, she said, has taken “body blows” due to the coronavirus.
She also said that she believes it is an individual’s responsibility to take necessary precautions to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Her other top priorities are securing the Texas border, defending Second Amendment rights and investing in rural public schools, she said via email.
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