In a closely watched runoff race for the City Council District G seat, prominent Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee conceded to incumbent Mary Nan Huffman on Saturday night. Buzbee, who previously served as the defense attorney for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, acknowledged falling short in a Facebook post and extended his best wishes to Huffman in her continued service to the residents of District G.
“We entered this campaign against an incumbent on literally the last day of filing,” Buzbee explained in his post. “Despite our tardy entry and the apparent opposition from the entire Houston political establishment, with hard work and grassroots support, we pushed an incumbent into a runoff. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we fell short.”
At the time of his concession, Buzbee trailed Huffman with 43 percent to her 56 percent, with Election Day ballots still undergoing counting.
Buzbee’s defeat follows his performance in the Nov. 7 general election, where he secured 41.29 percent of the vote compared to Huffman’s 49.45 percent, just shy of the 50.1 percent required for an outright victory. In the month leading up to the runoff, both candidates invested substantial funds, with their campaigns collectively spending over $500,000, according to campaign finance reports.
Mary Nan Huffman’s victory concludes an intensely scrutinized and contentious city council race that showcased a clash between Buzbee, a flamboyant trial lawyer known for representing Astroworld Festival victims and individuals suing former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, and Huffman, a trusted incumbent vying for representation in one of Houston’s affluent districts.
Despite Buzbee’s courtroom theatrics, Huffman secured the Nov. 7 vote with over an eight-point lead. Reflecting on her previous accomplishments, Huffman’s campaign highlighted her success as a council member, overseeing the approval of more than 50 infrastructure projects in District G and facilitating the reopening of a library damaged during Hurricane Harvey. Additionally, she emphasized her endorsements from law enforcement entities, including the police officers’ union, three Harris County Constables, and other police organizations.
Huffman, a former prosecutor for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office who currently serves as an attorney for the Houston Police Officers’ Union, initially secured her city council seat through a special election in early 2022, replacing Greg Davis.
