Polk County voters split from statewide voters in historic general election

Texans turned out in droves during the Nov. 3 midterm general election and Polk County was no exception, with 39% of the registered voters in the county casting ballots. However, Polk County’s election returns did not mirror those of the statewide returns.

Early voting turnout throughout the state was unusually high, with many counties surpassing previous records. In Polk County, 26.04% of the registered voters cast ballots during the early voting period, a significantly higher percentage than usual.

Listed below are the unofficial local and statewide results. A “D” signifies Democrat, an “R” signifies Republican and an “L” signifies Libertarian. An “I” indicates the candidate is the incumbent and a “” indicates the winner.

United States Senator            Polk                 %                     Texas   %

James Talarico(D)                   4,532               25.91%            5,444,982        55.06%

Ken Paxton (R)                         12,558             71.79%            4,249,373        42.97%

Ted Brown (L)                          403                  2.30%              190,237           1.92%

United States Representative, District 10

Caitlin Rourk (D)                      4,348               24.94%            138,832           46.24%

Chris Gober (R)                       13,088             75.06%            161,425           53.76%

Governor

Gina Hinojosa (D)                    4,345               24.76%            5,230,789        52.8%

(I) Greg Abbott (R)                  12,952             73.82%            4,524,527        45.67%

Pat Dixon (L)    249                  1.42%              148,078           1.49%

Lieutenant Governor

Vikki Goodwin (D)                   4,243               24.26%            5,083,581        51.73%

(I) Dan Patrick (R)                    12,825             73.32%            4,484,652        45.63%

Anthony Cristo (L)                   276                  1.58%              170,444           1.73%

Attorney General

Nathan Johnson (D)                4,221               24.14%            5,133,629        52.38%           

Mayes Middleton (R)              12,988             74.27%            4,502,442        45.94%

Tom Oxford (L) 279                  1.60%              165,550           1.69%

Comptroller

Sarah Eckhardt (D)                  4,183               24.02%            5,014,496        51.3%

Donald Huffines (R)                12,942             74.31%            4,511,185        46.15%

1. Alonzo Echavarria-Garza (L) 232 1.33% 185,187           1.89%

Land Commissioner

Benjamin Flores (D)                4,090               23.52%            5,014,714        51.45%

(I) Dawn Buckingham (R)        13,036             74.98%            4,576,883        46.96%

Neill Snider (L)                         261                  1.50%              155,408           1.59%

Agriculture Commissioner

Clayton Tucker (D)                  4,154               23.90%            4,991,896        51.31%

Nate Sheets (R)                       12,918             74.33%            4,538,736        46.65%

Austin R. Kelly (L)                    307                  1.77%              199,024           2.05%

Railroad Commissioner

Jon Rosenthal (D)                    4,211               24.29%            5,103,177        52.52%

Bo French (R)  12,866             74.21%            4,426,141        45.55%

Arthur DiBianca (L)                 260                  1.50%              187,984           1.93%

Chief Justice, Supreme Court, Place 1

Maggie Ellis (D)                       4,239               24.37%            5,102,288        52.45%

(I) Jimmy Blacklock (R)            13,152             75.63%            4,625,886        47.55%

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 2

Chari Kelly (D) 4,224               24.32%            5,068,047        52.25%

(I) James P. Sullivan (R)           13,142             75.68%            4,631,182        47.75%

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7

Kristen Hawkins (D)                4,283               24.69%            5,112,073        52.78%

(I) Kyle Hawkins (R)                 13,066             75.31%            4,572,758        47.22%

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 8

Gisela Triana (D)                     4,164               24.03%            5,033,586        52.02%

(I) Brett Busby (R)                   13,162             75.97%            4,643,375        47.98%

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3

Okey Anyiam (D)                     3,907               22.53%            4,839,230        50.03%

Thomas Smith (R)                   13,091             75.49%            4,601,878        47.58%

Mark Ash (L)    343                  1.98%              231,048           2.39%

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4

Audra Riley (D)                        4,178               24.16%            4,996,898        51.75%

(I) Kevin Yeary (R)                    13,117             75.84%            4,659,299        48.25%

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9

Holly Taylor (D)                       4,204               24.33%            5,043,094        52.28%

John Messinger (R)                 13,076             75.67%            4,602,681        47.72%

State Board of Education, District 8

Dana Van de Walker (D)         4,156               24.05%            300,108           50%

(I) Audrey Young (R)                13,123             75.95%            299,544           50%

State Senator, District 3

Bobby Tillman (D)                   4,173               24.01%            93,016             31%

Trent Ashby (R)                       13,207             75.99%            211,888           69%

State Representative, District 9

Shelley Tatum (D)                    4,271               24.60%            17,582 26%

Rocky Thigpen (R)                   13,090             75.40%            49,899 74%

Chief Justice, 15^th Court of Appeals District

Jeremy Zimmerer (D)              4,113               23.83%            4,985,001        52%

Scott Brister (R)                       13,148             76.17%            4,636,992        48%

Justice, 15th Court of Appeals District, Place 2

Tom Baker (D)                         4,135               23.98%            4,998,287        52%

Scott K. Fiels (R)                      13,112             76.02%            4,618,116        48%

Justice, 15th Court of Appeals District, Place 3

Marc M. Meyer (D)                 4,112               23.86%            4,950,446        52%

April Farris (R)                         13,122             76.14%            4,654,820        48%

County Clerk

Ida Bencomo (D)                                             3,892               22.65%           

Margie West (R)                                              13,295             77.35%

Livingston ISD School Board

(I) Andrew Boyce                                            2,989               14.35%

Lorine Jefferson                                               2,712               13.02%

(I) John Allen Slocomb                                    3,129               15.02%

Howard Smith                                                 2,432               11.68%

Helen Murphy Wiggins                                   3,866               18.56%

(I) Kevin Grimm                                               3,789               18.19%

Devan Shannon                                               1,025               4.92%

Merek Brister                                                  885                  4.25%

Leggett ISD School Board

(I) Vicki Russell                                                92                    13.55%

Robert Nowlin                                                 80                    11.78%

Ra’Shod Jefferson                                            78                    11.49%

Sharlon Jackson                                               74                    10.90%

Jason McDonald                                             136                  20.03%

Tristan Batchelor                                             64                    9.43%

Taylor Jackson                                                 81                    11.93%

(I) Armando Diosdado                                     45                    6.63%

Angelina Pantel                                               29                    4.27%