Despite being challenged by establishment State Rep. Cindy Burkett (R–Mesquite) in the Republican primary, State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood) won Tuesday night’s election in a victory for conservatives in Senate District 2.
Entering the legislature after defeating liberal State Sen. Bob Duell (R-Greenville) in 2014, Hall has demonstrated one of the top conservative records in the Senate. Hall earned high marks on the Fiscal Responsibility Index during his two legislative sessions for his commitment to fighting and voting with taxpayers on conservative issues from property tax reform to protecting life.
After the conservative Texas Senate highlighted the schism between the upper chamber and the obstructionists in the House during the last session, Straus and the establishment machine saw an opportunity to play offense by taking out one of the chamber’s top conservatives. Burkett, who faced a likely re-election defeat from conservative challenger Jonathan Boos, announced shortly after the special session that she planned to run for Senate against Hall.
Burkett enjoyed the full support of the Austin establishment, as groups like the liberal Texas Association of Business and Texas Alliance for Life came to her aid and gave their full endorsement to her campaign. Hall, on the other hand, was endorsed by every conservative group, including Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Texas Right to Life, and Young Conservatives of Texas.
His campaign was also buoyed by strong support from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the conservative leader of the Texas Senate.
In the final weeks of the campaign, Burkett’s campaign began retreading debunked personal attacks, sending out a mail piece accusing Hall of domestic violence during a previous marriage, resulting in Hall’s campaign releasing an emotional response from his wife, Kay Hall.
Despite the negative attacks and establishment backing, Burkett was defeated by Hall in a race called in the early hours Wednesday, officially resulting in an election night where the establishment failed to take out any conservative incumbents.
Meanwhile, Boos won the Republican primary for Burkett’s House seat. Boos will face Democrat Rhetta Bowers in November. That race is expected to be a battleground for both parties in the general election.
Hall will face Democrat Kendall Scudder.
