四虎影院

Whomever Republican voters back in the runoff for U.S. Rep. Kay Granger鈥檚 seat could signal the direction of their party.

Republicans Craig Goldman and John 翱鈥橲丑别补 are locked in a May 28 runoff for the GOP nomination for the 12th Congressional District of Texas. Both men tout their conservative bonafides, but each is rooted in a different wing of the Republican Party.

Goldman, a six-term state legislator, is a top lieutenant for Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan. The Fort Worth Republican has garnered the endorsements of Granger, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

翱鈥橲丑别补, an investor, is a close friend of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. 翱鈥橲丑别补 has the backing of Paxton, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who acted as a national security adviser to President Donald Trump.

The district covers west Tarrant County and most of Parker County. This election marks the first open race for the seat since Granger, R-Fort Worth, was elected in 1996. She is of service in Congress.

The race went to a runoff after no one in the field of five candidates secured more than 50% of the vote. One former candidate, Aledo Republican Clint Dorris, previously told the Fort Worth Report that he saw the .

Goldman won 44.4% of the vote in the March 5 primary. 翱鈥橲丑别补 secured 24.2% 鈥� a 20 percentage point difference.

Republican runoff voters likely will be more conservative than those in the first round of voting, said Thomas Marshall, a retired political science professor.

During an April debate, Goldman contrasted himself and his opponent. He said he has a proven public conservative voting record, and that 翱鈥橲丑别补 doesn鈥檛.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the difference between John and I,鈥� Goldman said.

Camilo Diaz

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Fort Worth Report

翱鈥橲丑别补 describes himself as a political outsider. He has served as a Republican Party precinct chair.

Votes Goldman pointed to as proof of his conservatism include ones in support of banning abortion in Texas, protecting Second Amendment rights to own a gun, conservative fiscal management and cutting property taxes.

That was not enough for 翱鈥橲丑别补, who said Republicans in the state House should have addressed all of their party鈥檚 key issues.

鈥淢r. Goldman is running on his record, and I am running on his record as well,鈥� 翱鈥橲丑别补 said.

Paxton, the state鈥檚 attorney general, is a central figure in the runoff.

, joined 60 state House Republicans to impeach Paxton over allegations of misconduct. for impeachment.

鈥淭he articles of impeachment did not say innocent or guilty. There鈥檚 not one member of the Texas House that voted innocent or guilty on that occasion,鈥� Goldman said. 鈥淭hey said, as members of the grand jury, is there enough evidence for there to be a trial? So, that is what the Senate did.鈥�

The state Senate later on all 16 articles of impeachment.

翱鈥橲丑别补 is an ally of Paxton, who has campaigned in the district alongside his pick to replace Granger.

The impeachment is part of a larger issue within the GOP, 翱鈥橲丑别补 said.

鈥淭here is a war in our Republican Party. One side has to win and the other side has to lose,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 the America First candidate who鈥檚 going to support President Trump鈥檚 agenda, endorsed by our attorney general, Ken Paxton, who is fighting for our America First values. The choice is clear.鈥�

Experience and varying opinions on the attorney general aren鈥檛 the only wedges between 翱鈥橲丑别补 and Goldman. Their policy stances are, too.

The U.S. has been too much of an interventionist in world politics, 翱鈥橲丑别补 said. Instead of spending billions on the conflict in Ukraine, 翱鈥橲丑别补 wants the federal government to be more focused on the U.S.-Mexico border, which he said should be shut down as a way to hinder drug cartels and illegal immigration.

As for the Ukraine conflict, 翱鈥橲丑别补 described the U.S. as pushing Russia into the arms of China. Russia is stronger than ever, he said.

鈥淭hey are showing that they are out producing the entire NATO with military equipment, material. Their army is far from demoralized,鈥� 翱鈥橲丑别补 said.

Jacob Sanchez

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Fort Worth Report

The nation can both support Ukraine and secure the U.S.-Mexico border, Goldman said. He blamed President Joe Biden for the lack of funds and attention at the border, and said that鈥檚 why the . The federal government should send federal troops to the border, he said.

Financially supporting Ukraine is necessary to ensure American troops are not sent to eastern Europe, Goldman said. Without sufficient support, Goldman expects Russia President Vladimir Putin to take more land and possibly attack U.S. allies.

鈥淗e wants to take Ukraine and he鈥檚 not going to stop there because the very next border that he takes will be Poland,鈥� Goldman said. 鈥淎nd guess what: Poland is a member of NATO. Then we have to respond.鈥�

Despite their differences, 翱鈥橲丑别补 described himself and Goldman as the best candidates currently running for the 12th Congressional District.

鈥淩egardless of who wins in this primary runoff, unequivocally, whoever wins is far better than the Democratic alternative,鈥� 翱鈥橲丑别补 said.

Whomever wins faces Democratic nominee Trey Hunt, who Granger defeated in 2022.

鈥淚 am a mental health worker and a homeless housing coordinator, and I am running as a Democrat for the open Congressional seat in the purple district of Texas鈥檚 12th District. We can win, but I need your help to raise awareness,鈥� Hunt .

The district has not sent a Democrat to Congress since 1994.

Granger鈥檚 successor will join a short list of five people who have represented the 12th Congressional District since 1919.

Voters now decide the sixth.

Jacob Sanchez is an enterprise journalist for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or . At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .

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