After a special runoff election on Tuesday, Jefferson County residents will have a new senator representing them in Austin.
State Rep. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) beat state Rep. Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) for state Senate District 4 in a special runoff on Aug. 4.
The seat has been vacant since October, when Republican state Sen. Tommy Williams resigned to take a job with the Texas A&M University System. His unexpired term runs through 2016.
The district includes all of Jefferson and Chambers counties, a large chunk of Montgomery County and a tiny part of Galveston County on the Bolivar Peninsula.
A special election was first held May 10, four Republicans sought the senate seat: The Woodlands Township Director Gordy Bunch, Creighton, former state Sen. Michael Galloway and Toth. Creighton got 45.19 percent of the votes and Toth came in second with 23.71 percent. Since no candidate got more than 50 percent of the votes, a runoff was sparked.
Creighton, 44, has a background in business and law, is serving his third consecutive term in the Texas House of Representatives. Toth also serves in the Texas House, and owns two swimming pool companies.
On Aug. 5, Creighton garnered 67.37 percent of the votes over Toth’s 32.62 percent. Turnout was very low with only 22,584 total votes cast in a district that encompasses parts of five Southeast Texas counties.
Creighton was better funded, but both candidates had support from various local Tea Party groups. Most of the voters in the race came from Montgomery County, a Republican strong hold in the Houston suburbs.
Aug. 4 Runoff Special Election for State Senator, District 4
• All Counties
Brandon Creighton: 15,215
Steve Toth: 7,369
Total votes: 22,584
• Chambers County
Brandon Creighton: 588
Steve Toth: 163
Total votes: 751
• Galveston County
Brandon Creighton: 39
Steve Toth: 10
Total votes: 49
• Harris County
Brandon Creighton: 2,489
Steve Toth: 865
Total votes: 3,354
• Jefferson County
Brandon Creighton: 3,080
Steve Toth: 1,256
Total votes: 4,336
• Montgomery County
Brandon Creighton: 9,019
Steve Toth: 5,075
Total votes: 14,094
Creighton wins District 4 Senate seat in runoff
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