Trump-backed candidate loses in Texas special election

Voters in North Texas delivered an upset Tuesday, picking GOP state Rep. Jake Ellzey to fill a vacant House seat over a candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Ellzey beat fellow Republican Susan Wright, the widow of former Rep. Ron Wright, 53 percent to 47 percent, when the Associated Press called the low-turnout, Republican-vs.-Republican runoff. Though Ellzey was better funded, Wright leaned heavily on her backing from the former president, who often plays kingmaker in Republican primaries.

Trump crashed into the race during the first round of voting in May, tapping Wright out of a crowded all-party primary and turning the contest into an early test of his post-presidency clout. He held two tele-town halls for her and taped a robocall for her, making the loss more painful.

But in his victory speech, Ellzey tried to downplay any tension and hinted at bright odds for the GOP.

"It's essential that we get this right," he said. "It's essential that we do it as Americans united, instead of Americans divided; Republicans united instead of Republicans divided, so once we take back the House and Senate in '22 and take back the White House in 2024, we take back our country."

The district, which spans the southern suburbs of the Dallas-Fort Worth region, used to be a GOP stronghold but has trended more competitive in recent years. Trump carried the district by just 3 points in 2020, after winning by a dozen in 2016.

But Democrats failed to capitalize on the fast-changing nature of the district. Their top vote-getter in May just barely missed the second runoff slot to Ellzey, who received nearly 14 percent of the vote. Wright led the pack with 19 percent.

It’s possible Ellzey benefited from Democratic voters who participated in the runoff to rebuff Trump. Though the runoff was between two Republican candidates, it was a special election open to all voters in the district.