Republicans held firm onto southern Denton County in Tuesday’s election, sweeping congressional, state and county contested elections to represent the area.
Political newcomer Brandon Gill, a 30-year-old Flower Mound resident endorsed by Donald Trump, easily won the U.S. House of Representatives seat for Texas’ 26th District, which had been held for over two decades by Michael Burgess, who chose to not seek re-election.
“It is my greatest honor and privilege to have earned the trust of Texans who call the 26th District home,” Gill said. “Thank you to our community for your patriotism and your votes, to President Trump for his endorsement, and to my beautiful wife Danielle for her support. I look forward to representing the people of Texas 26 in Washington, fighting the D.C. swamp, and defending the freedoms we all hold dear. We have a lot of work to do. We must seal the southern border and deport the illegal aliens inundating our communities, balance our federal budget, and demolish the woke and weaponized administrative bureaucracy.”
Incumbent Republican State Senator Tan Parker of Flower Mound was re-elected to District 12.
“Texans across Senate District 12 — spanning Wise, Tarrant, Dallas and Denton counties — came together with a shared vision to keep Texas strong, resilient and prosperous,” Parker said in a statement. “This win is a testament to the true spirit of our great state and the power of our community’s voice, which rang out loud and clear in support of accountable, principled leadership … I am incredibly grateful for the trust placed in me to continue this work, and I approach this responsibility with humility, determination, and a commitment to every person in Senate District 12.”
Republicans also won all four Texas House of Representatives seats that represents parts of southern Denton County.
Ben Bumgarner was re-elected in District 63 with 56 percent of the vote, Andy Hopper took District 64 with 65 percent of the vote, newcomer Mitch Little prevailed in District 65 with 61 percent of the vote, and Richard Hayes earned another term in District 57 with 58 percent of the vote.
“Thank you to everyone who believed in our vision for a brighter, more prosperous future for Denton County,” Bumgarner said in a statement. “I am deeply honored by the trust you’ve placed in me once again. This victory isn’t just a win for me – it’s a win for all of our community. I promise to continue working hard for every one of you, regardless of how you voted, and to make decisions that will move our district forward and delivering real results for Texans. From lowering property taxes, securing the border, to strengthening education, our work is just beginning. I especially look forward to expanding on the anti-human trafficking legislation our office passed last session.”
#txlege pic.twitter.com/5TxzbDUMhx
— Rep. Ben Bumgarner (@Bumgarner4HD63) November 6, 2024
“I am deeply grateful to the voters of House District 57 for once again placing their trust in me to serve as your State Representative,” Richard Hayes said. “This victory belongs to all of us who believe in conservative Texas values and desire to keep our state on the right path. Building on our achievements from last session, I look forward to returning to Austin in January to continue fighting for our Republican priorities – from securing our border to providing meaningful property tax relief.”
Every candidate that I backed in Texas House general election races won tonight.
We even had Republican candidates win seats that had been held by Democrats.
There are more than enough votes to pass school choice in Texas.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 6, 2024
In the only contested county-level race to represent at least part of southern Denton County, current Sheriff Tracy Murphree, a Republican, won re-election by a wide margin over Democrat Frederick Bishop.
Also on the ballots locally were school funding referendums called by Argyle and Northwest ISDs, which requested small tax rate increases to make up for state funding not keeping up with inflation. In both districts, voters rejected the tax rate hikes, and Northwest ISD said it will consider changing class sizes as a result.
Below are unofficial voting results from the Denton County Elections Office and, for races in districts that reach beyond Denton County, the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, as of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
U.S. House of Representatives, District 26 (48% of precincts reporting)
(R) Brandon Gill: 62.9%, 221,967 votes
(D) Ernest Lineberger: 35%, 123,724 votes
State Senate, District 12 (48% of precincts reporting)
(R) Tan Parker (i): 62.3%, 250,387 votes
(D) Stephanie Draper: 37.7%, 151,307 votes
State House of Representatives, District 57 (58% of precincts reporting)
(R) Richard Hayes (i): 58.8%, 49,240 votes
(D) Collin Johnson: 38.1%, 31,898 votes
(L) Darren Hamilton: 3.1%, 2,580 votes
State House of Representatives, District 63 (45% of precincts reporting)
(R) Ben Bumgarner (i): 56.2%, 43,636 votes
(D) Michelle Beckley: 43.9%, 34,073 votes
State House of Representatives, District 64 (48% of precincts reporting)
(R) Andy Hopper: 64.6%, 57,121 votes
(D) Angela Brewer: 35.4%, 31,310 votes
State House of Representatives, District 65 (45% of precincts reporting)
(R) Mitch Little: 60.6%, 55,447 votes
(D) Detrick DeBurr: 39.4%, 36,031 votes
Denton County Sheriff
(R) Tracy Murphree: 60%, 233,542 votes
(D) Frederick Bishop: 40%, 155,731 votes
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