Primaries free of drama in Comal, Hays, Kendall
Drama was in short supply in local races in Comal, Kendall and Hays counties in Tuesday’s primary election, with a number of candidates running unopposed and a number of incumbents rolling easily into the November general election.
Here’s a county-by-county look at results from Tuesday’s voting, according to complete but unofficial results from elections officials:
Comal County
In Comal County, the primary election produced only a few competitive races, with a number of candidates facing no challengers.
In the sheriff’s race, incumbent Mark Reynolds ran unopposed in the Republican primary, while David Williams was the lone Democrat running for the seat, sending the two candidates to a matchup in November.
One of the few races to produce any drama was the battle for the Precinct 1 seat on the Comal County Commissioners Court. The Republican primary appeared headed for a runoff, with candidates Doug Leecock and Joyce Yannuzzi locked in a close race. Leecock captured 45.22% of the vote while Yannuzzi was at 40.66%. As neither won more than 50% of the vote, they will meet in a runoff May 28.
In the Democrats’ primary, Julie Sanders ran unopposed for the Precinct 1 nomination.
In the Commissioners Court Precinct 3 race, incumbent Kevin Webb was the lone Republican
on the ballot. In the November general election, he will take on Tanya Marroquin, who easily captured the Democratic nomination, pulling in 65.26% of the vote to outpace Bently Paiz, who had 34.74%.
Incumbent Tax Assessorcollector Kristen Hoyt ran unopposed in the Republican primary, while the Democrats didn’t field a candidate in the race.
Hays County
In Hays County, the most competitive race during Tuesday’s primary was for county tax assessor-collector, with the Democratic primary appearing
to be headed to a runoff.
According to final but unofficial results, Jessica Sanchez led three other Democrats in the race, taking 35.2% of the votes. She was followed by Jennifer Escobar with 26.84% and Cynthia Millonzi at 26.7%; those two candidates were separated by only 20 votes. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will meet in a runoff May 28.
The Republican Party did not field a candidate in the race to replace Jennifer O’kane, who is not seeking reelection as tax assessor-collector.
In the sheriff’s race, where Republican incumbent Gary
Cutler didn’t seek reelection, Anthony Hipolito ran unopposed in the GOP primary. On the Democrats’ side, Alex Villalobos captured the nomination, winning 69.06% of the vote to opponent Daniel Law’s 30.94%. according to complete but unofficial results.
The Precinct 1 and Precinct 3 seats are in play on the Hays County Commissioners Court this election cycle.
In Precinct 1, incumbent Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe won the Democratic primary, taking 59.61% of the vote to 40.39% for local business owner Alyssa Ramirez. No Republican was on the ballot in the primary, in effect sending Ingalsbe to another term on the court.
In the Precinct 3 race, Morgan Hammer won the Republican nomination, taking 53.31% of the vote, to defeat Teresa Shell, a Wimberley City Council member who captured 46.69%.
Hammer will face Rebecca Minnick in the November election. Minnick, who is also a Wimberley City Council member, ran unopposed in the Democrats’ primary for the seat.
Kendall County
In Kendall County, the one competitive local race in Tuesday’s primary looks like it will result in a new face on the Kendall County Commissioners Court. In the Precinct 1 race, challenger Jennifer Mccall appeared to claim a narrow win over incumbent Christina Bergmann in the GOP primary. According to complete but unofficial results, Mccall captured 1,077 votes, or 51.31%, while Bergmann had 1,022 votes, or 48.69%.
With no Democratic opponent on November’s ballot, the primary victory would in effect capture the seat for Mccall.
In Kendall County, where voters are reliably Republican, no Democrat bothered to run for any countywide office in the primary election.
Sheriff Al Auxier, Precinct 3 Commissioner Richard Chapman and Tax Assessor-collector James Hudson, all incumbents, ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
About 31% of Kendall County’s 37,736 registered voters cast ballots during the primary, according to elections officials.