The many months promoting HAR Recommended Candidates to REALTORS® for the 2012 Primary Election cycle ended the night of  Tuesday, July 31. As the votes were tallied, both HAR Recommended Candidates and the REALTOR® volunteers that selected them eagerly anticipated the returns. Of our four Recommended Candidates for the Primary Runoff Elections, we had two wins and two losses.

Wins

Gene Wu, candidate for Texas House District 137, and Dr. Greg Bonnen, candidate for Texas House District 24, both face opposition in the November 6th General Election, so area REALTORS® will once again need to head to the polls to support them. Both men are very appreciative of the support that local REALTORS® have given them during this tough Primary Election cycle, and they look forward to working with REALTORS® to continue protecting homeownership and promoting a healthy real estate industry.

Losses

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, who has been a champion for REALTORS® on legislative issues affecting the real estate industry at the state level, lost his bid for the U.S. Senate. He now returns to the Capitol and continues as the state’s Lt. Governor. Jacquie Chaumette, candidate for Texas House District 26, will not be heading to the Capitol in Austin in January, but promises she will continue serving the Sugar Land and Fort Bend communities. Both candidates are extremely grateful for the support REALTORS® gave them during their Primary Election campaigns for office.

All in all, there will be at least 45 new lawmakers at the Capitol when the 83rd Legislature begins in January 2013 — five in the Senate and 40 in the House—and that’s before November’s general elections. Across Texas, the Texas Association of REALTORS® endorsed candidates in 126 primary races, of which 80 of them won.

A big thank you to every REALTOR® who went to the polls to support HAR Recommended Candidates!

By the Numbers: July 31st Runoff Results

U.S. Senate
David Dewhurst 43.8%
Ted Cruz 56.2%
Ted Cruz (R) vs. Paul Sadler (D) on the November 6th General Election Ballot

Texas House District 24
Greg Bonnen  8,578 (57.07%)
Ryan Sitton  6,281  (42.92%)
Greg Bonnen (R) vs. H.C. “Rusty Cates (D) on the November 6th General Election Ballot

Texas House District 26
Jacquie Chaumette  5,000  (41.01%)
Rick Miller  6,851 (58.98%)
Rick Miller (R) vs. Vy Nguyen (D) on the November 6th General Election Ballot

HD 137
Gene Wu 695 (61.6%)
Jamaal Smith 433 (38.4%)
Gene Wu (D) vs. M.J. Khan (R) on the November 6th General Election Ballot

Houston area REALTORS® are involved in the political process at all levels, promoting policies and supporting candidates who advocate for private property rights and home ownership in the greater Houston area, including Brazoria, Fort Bend and Montgomery Counties. Electing lawmakers who understand homeowners’ concerns and act accordingly is the Association’s top priority.

Political advertisement authorized by the Houston Association of REALTORS®