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Texas Republican Rep. Jake Ellzey Takes US House Seat Over Susan Wright
Texas Republican Jake Ellzey won a special congressional election against Susan Wright, who has received support from former President Donald Trump.
Gov. Greg Abbott, another Republican, released a statement, saying that Ellzey will become “a strong and effective leader” for North Texas residents.
Ellzey carries more than 53% of the vote in the 6th Congressional District of Texas. Tallies from most precincts have already been recorded.
In May, Wright and Ellzey advanced to Texas’ Sixth Congressional District runoff. Many saw this as an indicator of what to expect in future contests. It was also perceived as a disappointment for Democrats who did not go further.
Susan Wright, the widow of the late Texas Republican Rep. Ron Wright, who died to COVID-19 complications in February, remained gracious despite her loss.
On Twitter, she said: “Special elections are special, and this one was no exception.” She added: “I want to congratulate Congressman-elect Jake Ellzey on his victory. I am praying for his success & wish him well. I will never forget the kindness the people of #TX06 have shown Ron & I for so many years. Thank you.”
Trump’s support played out in the periphery during the special election. In 2016, he came out victorious in the district by 12. Although he did lose some ground in 2020 against Biden after winning by only three points. According to political insiders, the contest between Ellzey and Wright serves as a litmus test for Trump’s influence in Texas and in general.
“The Trump candidate goes down in TX special That’ll give folks something to chew on!” a former senior adviser to President Obama, David Axelrod, wrote on Twitter.
Ellzey made no effort to distance himself from Trump. Instead, he worked to overcome the lack of the former president’s support through fundraising. He also showed off other endorsements, including one from former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
“One of the things that we've seen from this campaign is a positive outlook — a Reagan Republican outlook for the future of our country — is what the people of the 6th District really, really want,” Ellzey said, as per the Texas Tribune.
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