November 22, 2023 – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has set the date for the runoff election for Texas House District 2 which includes Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties. After neither candidate received 50% of the votes cast in the November 7th election, a runoff was required and will occur on January 30, 2024.
That office was vacated back in May of 2023 by Royse City representative Bryan Slaton. Six candidates ultimately were on the November 7th ballot, with Brent Money receiving 32% of the vote and Jill Dutton receiving 25% of the vote. Residents in Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties have remained unrepresented in the Texas House since May for the remainder of the regular session of the Texas Legislature and the unprecedented four special sessions ordered by Governor Abbott since the regular session ended.
The two candidates are viewed as polar opposites as Money has the backing of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Dutton is backed by Dade Phelan who backed Paxton’s impeachment proceedings. Both campaigns employed election location “supporters” who stood just outside polling places in Hopkins County to confront voters as they went in to vote. Some of those supporter’s enthusiasm bordered on harassment as they stood in the pathway of potential voters. Voters can expect more enthusiastic supporters during the runoff election in January.
Both candidates continue to try to appeal to voters in the three counties through their campaign websites. Dutton’s website describes the candidate as: “Jill Dutton is a strong Christian who grew up with a heart for service and a sense of duty to our state and nation. A strong conservative, Jill and her husband run a successful construction consulting business. She is a former School Board Member with Van ISD in Van Zandt County. As a board member, Jill fought for our Christian, conservative values and for the parents and students in our community. Jill is a strong advocate for lowering property taxes. She also supports fully securing the border, empowering parents in our schools, defend the second amendment, preventing child gender modification, and dedicated to protecting the life of our most vulnerable Texans from conception to natural death.“
Brent Money’s campaign website homepage focuses on securing campaign contributions as well as touting his accomplishments as an attorney. “I’m a sixth generation Texan who has had the privilege of serving for many years as the city attorney for Greenville, Quinlan, and other cities while also representing businesses and individual clients in a variety of civil matters. I served two terms on the Greenville City Council before being termed out in 2021. My law practice and real estate title business employs 40 people and serves hundreds more each month, many of whom are your family and friends.”
The winner in January’s runoff, either Money or Dutton, will then turn around in March 2024 and run again during the primary election
