A total of 5,316 Lampasas County residents -- 30.93% of the county’s 17,188 registered voters -- participated in Tuesday’s 2026 Republican Party and Democratic Party Primary elections.
Although no locally contested races will advance to a runoff election in May, several federal and state level offices are yet to be decided.
COUNTY RACES
With County Judge Randy Hoyer not seeking re-election, the race for the Republican nomination included David Millican, Edith Wagner Harrison and Jo Ann San Miguel.
Millican earned a convincing victory with 64.96% (2,722 votes), compared to Harrison’s 17.73% (743 votes) and San Miguel’s 17% (725 votes). Millican will face the Democratic candidate Wade Dudley Wooten in the November General Election. Wooten garnered 745 votes in his unopposed primary election. Millican thanked Republican voters for selecting him as their nominee.
“I am truly honored to be your Republican nominee for Lampasas County judge,” he said. “Thank you for your support and your vote.”
Incumbent Commissioner Mark Rainwater held off challenger Clint Lang for the Precinct 4 commissioner seat in the Republican Primary. Rainwater garnered 73.72% (937 votes) to Lang’s 26.28% (334 votes). Rainwater will not face a Democratic challenger in November, The commissioner used social media to thank voters for their support. “I am exceptionally humbled and thankful for the overwhelming support that was given to me during this election cycle,” Rainwater said in a statement on Facebook. “I am looking forward to serving the citizens of Lampasas County, and foremost Precinct 4, for four more years. For those that didn’t support me, I will work hard these next four years to gain your trust and support! Thank each of you from the bottom of my heart!”
The race for the Lampasas district clerk seat was between two Republican candidates, Dee Ann Crawford and Jerry Harrison. Crawford earned 74.73% (3,060 votes) compared to Harrison’s 25.27% (1,035 votes).
Crawford will be unopposed in the upcoming general election. She credited her supporters for the victory.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude for each and every voter who showed up and delivered a landslide victory,” Crawford said in a statement. “Thank you for believing in my vision for the district clerk’s office. Thank you for believing in me. And thank you for trusting me to serve as your next district clerk.”
The final contested county race was for the Precinct 2&3 justice of the peace seat. Incumbent Republican Camron Brister fended off challenger Kaitlan Ross by 80% (414 votes) to 19.14% (98 votes). Brister is not slated to face a Democratic challenger this November. In a statement to the Dispatch Record, he thanked supporters for giving him a fifth term in office. “It is truly an honor to serve this community, and I remain committed to carrying out the duties of this office with fairness, integrity and respect for everyone who comes before the court,” Brister said. “I am grateful for your confidence and look forward to continue serving the people of Lampasas County.”
KEY CONTESTED STATE RACES
Gov. Greg Abbott easily secured the Republican nomination with over 80% of the statewide vote. The Texas governor, who is eyeing a fourth term, will go head-to-head with Democratic Party nominee Gina Hinojosa in November.
Hinojosa, a state senator, earned 58.53% of the vote in the Democratic primary.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick comfortably secured the Republican nomination for a fourth term. The Democratic nominee for the November election is yet to be decided, as Vikki Goodwin and Marcos Isaias Vélez are slated for a runoff election in May.
For attorney general, there will be a runoff between candidates Chip Roy and Mayes Middleton for the Republican nomination. Middleton secured 39.12% of the vote, compared to Roy’s 31.6%.
In Lampasas County, voters preferred Roy, a U.S. congressman from the Hill Country, over Middleton, a state senator from the Galveston area, by 630 votes, or 14%.
The Democratic Party nomination for attorney general also is heading toward a runoff. State Sen. Nathan Johnson led the way Tuesday night, garnering 48.11% of the vote. Former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski finished second with 26.43%.
In the race for state comptroller, Don Huffines claimed victory in the Republican primary with 57.36% of the vote over Kelly Hancock (23.67%) and Christi Craddick (15.06%). Sarah Eckhardt secured the Democratic nomination for comptroller with 64.03% of the vote.
Huffines and Echardt will challenge for the seat in November.
Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller fell short in his re-election bid against challenger Nate Sheets. Miller secured 47.34% of the vote compared to Sheets’ 52.66%.
However, in Lampasas County, voters preferred Miller by 62.43% (2,479 votes) to Sheets at 37.57% (1,492 votes).
In November, Sheets will face Democratic Party nominee Clayton Tucker, a former Lampasas County Democratic Party chairman.
In the Democratic Primary for land commissioner, Benjamin Flores came out on top over Jose Loya by 55.75% to 44.44%. Flores will challenge incumbent Dawn Buckingham, who ran unopposed in the Republican Primary.
KEY FEDERAL RACES
In the Republican Primary for U.S. Senate, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn was unable to secure the 50% threshold to avoid a runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Cornyn edged Paxton just over 1% in the statewide vote, but the attorney general was favored over Cornyn by nearly 500 votes (1,949 to 1,483) among Lampasas County voters.
President Donald Trump is expected to make an endorsement in this race and ask the other candidate to drop out to avoid the runoff.
In November, Paxton or Cornyn will face James Talarico who captured the Democratic nomination over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Talarico, an Austinarea state representative, earned 52.45% of the statewide vote versus Crockett’s 46.21%.
For the 31st Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. John Carter came out on top in a 10-candidate field to claim the Republican nomination with just under 60% of the vote.
Carter’s November Democratic challenger is Justin Early, a cybersecurity specialist and armed forces veteran. Early earned a primary win over Central Texasarea lawyer Stuart Whitlow by 57.59% to 42.41%.
PARTY RESOLUTIONS
Both the Republican ballot and the Democratic ballot offered propositions on which voters could indicate by a Yes or No selection whether they favored the policy statement.
All 10 propositions from the Republican Party passed statewide, with approval ranging from 73% to 95%. Proposition 10 to ban Sharia law garnered the highest percentage of “Yes” votes across Texas.
The Democratic Party included 13 propositions, all of which received approval from its Texas primary voters. Proposition 7 to promote ”a clean and healthy environment that includes water, air and biodiversity” earned approval from 99% of voters statewide. In Lampasas County, 956 Democrats approved the proposition with just 2 opposed.