As widely expected, Republican Wesley Hunt defeated Democrat Duncan Klussmann 64% to 35% to become the first representative of Texas’ newly drawn 38th Congressional District.
Hunt, a former Army captain and Iraq War veteran, benefitted from a map that Republican state lawmakers drew largely with him specifically in mind. TX-38 stretches across northwestern Houston and Harris County, including the suburbs of Jersey Village, Cypress, Tomball, and Katy. It includes conservative portions of what was previously Texas’ 7th Congressional District, a swing district prior to the 2021 redistricting cycle.
“Serving the people of Texas’s 38th Congressional District will be the greatest honor of my life,” Hunt said in an emailed statement. “The support our campaign received from every corner of the district has been overwhelming, and I am incredibly grateful to all my supporters for dedicating their time and resources to this extremely important cause.”
Hunt said his top priority would be to “restore our energy independence”, lower inflation, address security at the southern border, and “make our nation a safer place to live.”
“The American people have spoken, and they have overwhelmingly rejected the Biden Administration’s agenda and one-party Democrat rule in Washington,” Hunt said.
Earlier this year, political scientist Michael O. Adams of Texas Southern University broke down what’s known as the Partisan Voter Index of TX-38 for Houston Public Media.
“If we were to look at those voters in Congressional District 38, how they voted in the last presidential election, 58.4% of those voters voted for Trump and 40.2% of those voters voted for Biden,” Adams said.
Hunt previously ran, and lost, against Democratic Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher in TX-7 in 2020.
Klussmann, Hunt’s opponent, is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Houston’s College of Education. He served as superintendent of Spring Branch ISD for 11 years and as a member of the city council of Jersey Village.
Close by, Republican Morgan Luttrell beat Democrat Laura Jones 70% to 29% in Texas’ 8th Congressional District. Luttrell, a retired Navy SEAL, emerged from a crowded primary to succeed retiring Republican Congressman Kevin Brady. TX-8 stretches from the northern outskirts of metro Houston across nine counties, including portions of Harris County and all of Montgomery County (including Conroe).
Jones, Luttrell’s opponent, previously served as chair of the San Jacinto County Democratic Party.
Elsewhere across the region, all incumbent members of Congress easily won reelection. Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw beat Democratic challenger Robin Fulford by 66% to 34%. Democratic Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher defeated Republican challenger Johnny Teague in TX-7 by 65% to 35%. Democratic Congressman Al Green beat Republican challenger Jimmy Leon in TX-9 by 78% to 22%. Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee defeated Republican challenger Carmen Maria Montiel in TX-18 by 72% to 25%. Republican Congressman Troy Nehls triumphed over Democratic challenger Jamey Kaye Jordan in TX-22 by 63% to 35%. And Democratic Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia defeated Republican challenger Robert Schafranek in TX-29 by 72% to 28%.
Source: houstonpublicmedia
