Though many of the Republican primary runoff elections featured candidates from opposing wings of the party, taxpayers in Congressional District 21, which includes portions of Austin, San Antonio, and much of the Texas Hill Country, faced a positive choice in the contest between two conservative candidates in Chip Roy and Matt McCall.
On Tuesday, Roy won the contest and thus the Republican nomination—besting McCall by securing 52.7 percent of the vote to his 47.3 percent.
After thanking supporters in New Braunfels, Roy and his family celebrated in a uniquely Texan way.
What else do you do after election night in Texas? pic.twitter.com/Ea7AvvczOn
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) May 23, 2018
A known commodity in conservative circles, Roy has a strong record from his work in politics, most recently for the Texas Public Policy Foundation as the organization’s Vice President of Strategy. Roy has also served the First Assistant Attorney General under Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Chief of Staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R–TX). He has been endorsed in the race by Cruz, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Texas Right to Life, Congressman Louie Gohmert (R–TX), Club for Growth, talk radio host Mark Levin, and a number of other conservative individuals and organizations.
McCall, meanwhile, is a known local commodity after waging two previous campaigns against Congressman Lamar Smith (R–TX), whose decision to forego a re-election campaign opened up the seat. In both campaigns McCall finished a distant second to Smith, but did crisscross the district speaking to groups, knocking on doors, and campaigning aggressively.
Roy now moves on to the general election in a seat that Democrats are making an aggressive play for. Once considered “safe,” CD 21 is one that could flip if the long foretold “blue wave” ever makes landfall.
Roy faces Democrat Joseph Kopser, who won a runoff election of his own tonight, in the November general election.
