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Primary Results: Biden Wins Texas; Van Duyne, Granger Take GOP House Races

Beth Van Duyne
Lauren Rangel
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KERA News
Former Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne held a party for her campaign for the 24th U.S. House seat at her headquarters in Grapevine.

Super Tuesday primary results from around Texas were slow to come in on election night and the following morning.

In the Democratic presidential primary, Joe Biden has won Texas with 34% of the vote while Bernie Sanders had almost 30%. 

President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn were both renominated by Texas Republicans as primary polls across the state closed.

Cornyn won with a strong lead over his primary challengers; he had over 75% of the vote. On the Democratic side, MJ Hegar was in the lead with 22% of the vote. But with 12 Democratic candidates, she was unable to get more than 50% of the vote. She'll head to a May runoff against Dallas State Sen. Royce West.

In the 24th Congressional District that includes parts of Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties,  former Irving mayor Beth Van Duyne maintained a strong lead with over 60% of votes. Among the Democratic candidates, Kim Olson came out ahead of Candace Valenzuela, but the two will head to a runoff election in May.

In the 12th Congressional District, longtime Fort Worth Congresswoman Kay Granger defeated Chris Putnam in the GOP primary with almost 58% of the vote. Putnam had accused her of not being supportive enough of President Trump, although the president had expressed support of Granger. 

In the race for Congress in the 32nd District, Genevieve Collins was able to defeat her competitors with over 50% of votes. Incumbent Colin Allred ran unopposed on the Democratic side.

In the Texas House, in District 108,  Joanna Cattanach won the Democratic primary with over 58% of votes. Republican Samuel Smith ran unopposed.

In Dallas County, incumbent Marian Brown won the county sheriff’s Democratic primary race with almost 60% of votes, and county commissioner Theresa Daniel prevailed in her primary, getting over 76% of votes.

Below you’ll find a full listing of results for races in North Texas and some statewide races. Here are some key contests:

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

democratic candidates on debate stage
Credit Matt Rourke / Associated Press
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Associated Press
From the left, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and businessman Tom Steyer.

Joe Biden won the majority of votes in Texas with 34% of the vote while Bernie Sanders finished second with almost 30% of the vote. 

Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg united behind Biden’s presidential bid on Monday as the Democratic Party’s moderate wing scrambled to boost the former vice president just hours before voting began across a series of high-stakes Super Tuesday states, including Texas.

The latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll and the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs poll suggested a tight race between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders in Texas, while a poll by The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler showed Sanders with a 10-point lead over Biden.

More than 1,300 delegates were at stake nationwide in Tuesday's primary race. That marks a third of the total available during the Democratic primary process. The Texas Tribune reports: “Texas will award 228 delegates March 3, the second-largest delegate trove among the 14 states that vote on Super Tuesday. Of those, 149 are awarded based on the results in each of the 31 state Senate districts. Another 79 are awarded based on the results of the statewide vote. A candidate must reach 15% in a district to compete for its delegates and 15% statewide to be eligible for statewide delegates.”

U.S. SENATE

 Sen. John Cornyn speaking on the Senate floor.
Credit Senate Television / Via Associated Press
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Via Associated Press
Sen. John Cornyn speaking on the Senate floor.

Incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn dominated his opponents and was renominated by Texas Republicans with over 76% of the vote. 

Cornyn had a big financial advantage; he has more than $12 million in the bank, according to a January story from The Texas Tribune. 

Among the 12 Democrats, MJ Hegar got the most votes. But she did not get over 50% of votes, so there will be a runoff election. Dallas State Sen. Royce West was hoping to get into that runoff Tuesday night.

“I’m nervous as all get out," West said at a party for Dallas County Democrats Tuesday.  “I feel real confident though that we will be in the runoff.”

Wednesday afternoon, the remaining results finally came in confirming that he will join Hegar.

U.S. HOUSE

Kay Granger
Credit Christopher Connelly / KERA News
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KERA News
Republican U.S. Rep. Kay Granger spoke at her watch party on election night at Blue Mesa Grill in Fort Worth.

»TEXAS' 24TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

In the wake of longtime U.S. Rep. Kenny Marchant’s retirement, seven Democrats and five Republicans ran for the 24th Congressional District.

Former Irving mayor Beth Van Duyne won outright with over 60% of votes. 

Among the Democratic candidates, Kim Olson came out ahead of Candace Valenzuela but still did not have over 50% of the votes needed to avoid a runoff election in May. 

Olson said Tuesday night she was prepared for a runoff and thought she could win the general election. 

"I think I'm the best candidate in order to take this district and tip it blue," Olson said.

Valenzuela said a May runoff would give the candidates time to get their messages out without being drowned out by talk of national races. 

This North Texas district includes parts of Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties.

»TEXAS' 32ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Five Republicans challengd freshman Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who is the only Democrat on the ballot.  Republican Genevieve Collins beat her competitors with over 50% of the vote. 

The district includes much of Dallas County and part of Collin County.

»TEXAS' 12TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Incumbent Kay Granger defeated Chris Putnam in the GOP primary. Granger, the most senior woman in her party in the U.S. House, was excited about being in the lead at her North Texas watch party Tuesday night.

With several dozen supporters there to cheer her on Granger said Putnam's challenge was unexpected. 

"When this happened it took me by surprise because it was someone that I didn’t know and I try to stay very close to my district," she said.

She also thanked her constituents for their longtime support. 

"You should never doubt that I don’t know who elected me," Granger said. "And who I owe my first responsibility. 

Chris Putnam has attacked Granger as insufficiently conservative and out of touch with her district after more than two decades in Congress. She's represented the district since the late 1990s.

Putnam's also slammed her on her record of supporting abortion rights early in her career, and for the federal spending she’s voted to authorize. Granger is the top Republican on the powerful House budget writing committee.

"My opponent this time would say: 'well she votes to spend this money'... well yeah, I write the bills," Granger said Tuesday defending her record. 

Granger's supporters say her experience and clout continues to be a boon to her district, which includes parts of Tarrant and Wise counties, as well as Parker County.

TEXAS TRIBUNE'S NORTH TEXAS ELECTION SCORECARD

The Associated Press and The Texas Tribune contributed to this report.