Republicans Sweep Marquee Statewide Races, But Dallas County Stays Blue
More than 625,000 voters, about 44% of the 1,422,849 registered voters in Dallas County, cast ballots in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.
Turnout was down from the 2018 midterm elections when nearly 55% of the 1,338,788 registered voters in the county at the time voted.
Democratic challengers failed to beat incumbent Republicans in the marquee statewide races for governor, lieutenant governor, or attorney general, but Democrats swept local Dallas County races.
Incumbent Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins brushed off a challenge from Lauren Davis with 63% of the vote (386,089) to Davis’ 37% (231,253) in unofficial totals.
Joining Jenkins on the Dallas County Commissioners Court will be lawyer Andrew Sommerman, who beat incumbent J.J. Koch, the court’s lone Republican, with 53% of the vote (108,000) to Koch’s 47% (96,256).
Incumbent District Attorney John Creuzot also fended off challenger Faith Johnson with 59% of the vote (365,644) to Johnson’s 41% (249,467).
Incumbent State District Judge Mary Brown, a Democrat, received enough write-in votes to be reelected to the 301st District Court.
The election for the seat on the family civil court was odd because there was no candidate officially on the ballot for it.
Two others ran as write-in candidates – Earl Jackson, a Republican, and another Democrat, Michelle McKinney.
Brown received 36% of the vote (57,474), Jackson received 20% of the vote (31,991), and McKinney received 12% of the vote (18,559). A runoff is not required.
Per the Dallas Morning News, Brown, first elected to the seat in 2014, is presiding over a child custody case involving Jeff Younger, who is fighting to stop his child’s gender transition. A group carrying anti-transgender messaging protested in Brown’s neighborhood in October.
In state house races, State Rep. Morgan Meyer fended off a challenge from Democrat Elizabeth Ginsberg in House District 108 with 57% of the vote (49,436) to Ginsberg’s 43% (38,010).
In House District 114, Democrat John Bryant beat Republican Sarah Lamb with 66% of the vote (36,761) to Lamb’s 34% (18,960).
In congressional races, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred beat Republican challenger Antonio Swad with 65% of the vote (115,350) to Swad’s 35% (61,232).
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne beat Democrat Jan McDowell in District 24 with 60% (177,121) of the vote to McDowell’s 40% (119,097).
In District 30, Democrat Jasmine Crockett will replace Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, having won 75% of the vote (134,011) to Republican James Rodgers’ 22% (39,022).
