William Tell
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State Rep. David Simpson said Wednesday night that his campaign tally of overseas and provisional votes added to last week's GOP primary preserve his second-place finish and send him to the runoff against fellow lawmaker Bryan Hughes in their race for the Texas Senate.
"With all the votes in from all counties I am still ahead with nine votes," he said, adding he was sharing his number crunching with candidate James K. "Red" Brown's campaign.
"Everything's still got to be canvassed," Simpson added, referring to official verifications of the March 1 primary taking place in the district's 16 counties today.
Brown campaign spokeswoman Missy Merritt said she had received the spreadsheet Simpson sent and forwarded it to the camp's number cruncher.
She had no further comment and declined to publicly discuss whether that campaign has a different unofficial total.
The final tallying by elections offices this week came as the fourth candidate in the race endorsed Simpson, who had finished second by a wide margin to Hughes of Mineola.
Simpson also announced the endorsement of a former opponent Wednesday as provisional and overseas votes continued being added to last week's totals.
Simpson gained the endorsement of Mike Lee, who finished fourth in the race.
Hughes of Mineola took by far the most votes in the March 1 party primary, with 63,844. He did not achieve the 50 percent-plus-one vote necessary to avoid a runoff, however, and on primary day appeared headed to a May 24 rematch with Simpson.
That could change as late-tallied votes are counted. Simpson held the runoff slot on primary day by a slim 13-vote margin over U.S. Army Major Gen. James K. "Red" Brown of Lindale.
Gregg County on Wednesday released new results, which were to be canvassed at noon today by the local GOP. Those added 17 votes to Hughes' tally. Simpson gained 15, and Brown got another 11 votes. Lee gained one vote.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Lee referred to Simpson's moral character as a reason Lee was endorsing his bid to represent the 16-county Senate District 1:
"As Texans, we will continue to be called on to defend the rights and liberties of every freedom loving resident here in the Lone Star State," the retired Navy hovercraft pilot wrote in the statement jointly released by both campaigns.
"Today, I offer my support and endorsement to the only man running for Senate District 1 who has the moral character and sense of duty to make a last stand for Texas. ... I ask you to join me and pray for his success."
Simpson expressed gratitude for the nod from the Queen City funeral home owner.
"I'm honored to have the support of Mike and many of his supporters," Simpson wrote. "East Texans want an independent voice representing them that is not beholden to Austin special interests."
Whoever winds up in second place after all votes are canvassed today would need to draw most of the other two candidates' supporters to topple Hughes as the eventual winner.
Hughes' three opponents attracted 69,193 votes last week, slightly more than 52 percent of balloting in the race.
New voters can enter the runoff picture, too.
"People who did not vote in the primary election can vote in the primary runoff for either party," said Alicia Pierce, spokeswoman for Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos. "If you did vote in the primary, you have to stick with the same party."
http://www.news-journal.com/news/2016/mar/10/simpson-claiming2nd-place/
