2021 Texas's 6th congressional district special election
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The 2021 Texas's 6th congressional district special election was held on May 1, 2021. The seat became vacant after incumbent Republican Ron Wright died on February 7 of COVID-19.
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May 1, 2021 (first round)[1]
July 27, 2021 (runoff) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas's 6th congressional district | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 16.05% (first round) 7.93% (runoff)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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  Ellzey: 20–30% 50–60% Wright: 10–20% 20–30% 50–60% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ron Wright's widow, Susan Wright from Arlington, who was endorsed by former president Donald Trump,[3] and Jake Ellzey (who lost the Republican primary for this seat to Ron Wright in 2018) of Waxahachie, who served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives starting on January 12, advanced to the runoff.[4] Ellzey finished ahead of Democrat Jana Lynne Sanchez of Fort Worth for the second place by just 354 votes.[5][6] Sanchez conceded defeat to Ellzey the day after the election.[7] The district was a Republican hold due to two Republicans advancing to the runoff.
The special election was expected to be competitive, due to the district trending Democratic in recent years and its suburban nature.[8] A nonpartisan blanket primary took place, in which all candidates were listed on the same ballot. Since no candidate had received over 50 percent of the vote, the race proceeded to a runoff between the top two candidates in the first round,[9] resulting in two Republicans advancing to the runoff.[7] The runoff took place on July 27.[10] Ellzey won the runoff election, earning 53.3% to Wright's 46.7%.[11]
Candidates
Republican Party
Declared
- Michael Ballantine, business and English lecturer[12]
- John Anthony Castro, attorney and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020[13][14]
- Mike Egan, former U.S. Army Special Forces Officer (Green Beret) and businessman[15]
- Jake Ellzey, state representative (2021) and candidate for Texas's 6th district in 2018[16][17]
- Brian Harrison, former chief of staff of Department of Health and Human Services (2019–2021)[18][19]
- Sery Kim, former SBA official[20]
- Travis Rodermund, police officer[21]
- Daniel Rodimer, former WWE professional wrestler and nominee for Nevada's 3rd congressional district in 2020[22][15]
- Jennifer Garcia Sharon, volunteer caregiver and nominee for Texas's 35th congressional district in 2020[15]
- Michael Wood, major in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve[23]
- Susan Wright, widow of former U.S. Representative Ron Wright[24][25] and a committeewoman for the Texas State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) for District 10.[26][27]
Filed paperwork
- Monty Markland, writer and producer[13][14]
- Asa Palagi, former candidate for Governor of Washington in 2020[14]
Declined
- Joe Barton, former U.S. Representative for Texas's 6th district[13]
- David Cook, state representative (2021–present)[13]
- David Hill, Mayor of Waxahachie[13]
- Cary Moon, Fort Worth city councillor[9]
- Andy Nguyen, deputy chief of staff for Ron Wright[13]
- Adrian Mizher, banker (ran as an Independent)[9][15]
- Katrina Pierson, former national spokesperson for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and senior advisor to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign[28][29][30]
- Manny Ramirez, President of the Fort Worth Police Officers Association[13][31]
- Tony Tinderholt, state representative (2015–present)[22]
- Bill Waybourn, Tarrant County sheriff[13]
- Jeff Williams, Mayor of Arlington (2015–2021) (endorsed Wright)[9]
Democratic Party
Declared
- Lydia Bean, small business owner, former state House candidate[32]
- Daryl J. Eddings, business owner[15]
- Matthew Hinterlong, developer[32]
- Tammy Allison Holloway, attorney[15]
- Shawn Lassiter, Leadership ISD Chief of Equity and Inclusion[32][33]
- Patrick Moses, former assistant director for Field Operations, Department of Homeland Security and Minister[22]
- Jana Sanchez, commentator, activist, and nominee for Texas's 6th district in 2018[14]
- Manuel R. Salazar, realtor[15]
- Brian K. Stephenson, systems engineer[15]
- Chris Suprun, paramedic and Republican faithless elector in 2016[15][34]
Declined
- Stephen Daniel, attorney and nominee for Texas's 6th district in 2020[32]
- Kim Olson, former candidate for Texas's 24th district in 2020[citation needed]
- Chris Turner, Minority Leader of the Texas House of Representatives[32]
Libertarian Party
Declared
- Phil Gray, property manager[15]
Independent
Declared
- Adrian Mizher, banker[15]
Endorsements
Organizations
Federal Officials
- Rick Perry, 47th governor of Texas (2000–2015) and 14th United States Secretary of Energy (2017–2019)[36]
Organizations
Federal Officials
- Paul Gosar, U.S. Representative from Arizona (2011–present)[42]
Organizations
Federal Officials
- Adam Kinzinger, U.S. Representative from Illinois (2013–2023)[44]
Newspapers
Organizations
Executive Branch Officials
- Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States (2017–2021)[3]
Federal Officials
- Jodey Arrington, U.S. Representative (TX-19) (2017–present)[47]
- Andy Biggs, U.S. Representative (AZ-5) (2017–present)[48]
- Lance Gooden, U.S. Representative (TX-5) (2019–present)[49]
- Kay Granger, U.S. Representative (TX-12) (1997–2025)[50]
- Troy Nehls, U.S. Representative (TX-22) (2021–present)[51]
- Chip Roy, U.S. Representative (TX-21) (2019–present)[52]
- Elise Stefanik, U.S. Representative (NY-21) (2015–present)[53][54]
State Legislators
- Stephanie Klick, state representative (2013–2025)[47]
- Matt Krause, state representative (2013–2023)[47]
- Tony Tinderholt, state representative (2015–present)[47]
Other Individuals
- Betsy Price, Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas (2011–2021)[50]
Organizations
Primary
Polling
Graphical summary
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
(D) Tammy Allison |
(R) Michael Ballantine |
(D) Lydia Bean |
(R) John Castro |
(D) Daryl Eddings |
(R) Mike Egan |
(R) Jake Ellzey |
(L) Phil Gray |
(R) Brian Harrison |
(D) Matt Hinterlong |
(R) Sery Kim |
(D) Shawn Lassiter |
(I) Adrian Mizher |
(D) Patrick Moses |
(R) Travis Rodermund |
(R) Dan Rodimer |
(D) Manuel Salazar |
(D) Jana Sanchez |
(R) Jennifer Sharon |
(D) Brian Stephenson |
(D) Chris Suprun |
(R) Michael Wood |
(R) Susan Wright |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data for Progress (D)[56][A] | April 5–12, 2021 | 344 (LV) | ± 5.0% | – | – | 9% | – | – | – | 13% | – | 10% | – | – | 10% | 2% | – | – | – | – | 16% | – | – | – | – | 22% | 2% | 14% |
| Global Strategy Group (D)[57][B] | March 11–16, 2021 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | – | – | 6% | – | – | – | 8% | – | 6% | – | – | 4% | – | 2% | – | 1% | – | 9% | – | – | – | – | 18% | – | 45% |
| Victoria Research (D)[58][C] | March 9–12, 2021 | 450 (LV) | ± 4.6% | – | – | 5% | – | – | – | 8% | – | – | – | 1% | 3% | 3% | 2% | – | – | – | 17% | – | – | – | – | 21% | 3% | 39% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[59] | Lean R | March 19, 2021 |
| Inside Elections[60] | Lean R | April 23, 2021 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[61] | Likely R | April 15, 2021 |
Results
Susan Wright came in first in the primary with 15,077 (19.2%) votes to Ellzey's 10,865 (13.8%) and Sanchez's 10,518 (13.4%). On Sunday, May 2, 2021, Sanchez conceded the race to Ellzey. Since no candidate received a majority, the top two candidates, Wright and Ellzey, proceeded to a runoff.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Susan Wright | 15,077 | 19.21 | |
| Republican | Jake Ellzey | 10,865 | 13.85 | |
| Democratic | Jana Sanchez | 10,518 | 13.40 | |
| Republican | Brian Harrison | 8,485 | 10.81 | |
| Democratic | Shawn Lassiter | 6,973 | 8.89 | |
| Republican | John Anthony Castro | 4,321 | 5.51 | |
| Democratic | Tammy Allison Holloway | 4,240 | 5.40 | |
| Democratic | Lydia Bean | 2,923 | 3.72 | |
| Republican | Michael Wood | 2,509 | 3.20 | |
| Republican | Michael Ballantine | 2,225 | 2.84 | |
| Republican | Dan Rodimer | 2,088 | 2.66 | |
| Democratic | Daryl J. Eddings Sr. | 1,654 | 2.11 | |
| Republican | Mike Egan | 1,544 | 1.97 | |
| Democratic | Patrick Moses | 1,189 | 1.52 | |
| Democratic | Manuel R. Salazar III | 1,120 | 1.43 | |
| Republican | Sery Kim | 889 | 1.13 | |
| Republican | Travis Rodermund | 460 | 0.59 | |
| Independent | Adrian Mizher | 351 | 0.45 | |
| Democratic | Brian K. Stephenson | 271 | 0.35 | |
| Libertarian | Phil Gray | 265 | 0.34 | |
| Democratic | Matthew Hinterlong | 252 | 0.32 | |
| Republican | Jennifer Garcia Sharon | 150 | 0.19 | |
| Democratic | Chris Suprun | 102 | 0.13 | |
| Total votes | 78,471 | 100.00 | ||
Runoff
A runoff was held on July 27 between Susan Wright and Jake Ellzey. In the campaign prior to the runoff, Wright relied heavily on Trump's endorsement in order to further her candidacy, but was considered to have run a poor campaign.[63] The Club for Growth spent heavily in the runoff, buying US$1.2 million in advertisements that supported Wright and attacked Ellzey.[63] The heavily negative tone taken by the Club for Growth ads towards Ellzey frustrated many Republican officials, some of whom backed Ellzey in protest.[63] Ellzey's campaign also engaged in strategies that were suspected as being designed to appeal to Democrats, with him declaring himself a "champion of public education" in text messages to Democratic-leaning potential voters, as well as noting that Wright was endorsed by former president Donald Trump.[63] Defending Main Street, a Super PAC that was supporting Ellzey, targeted Democrats with advertisements, but Ellzey himself denied that he was specifically targeting Democrats, instead claiming that his statements were designed to be bipartisan.[63]
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[64] | Solid R | July 9, 2021 |
| Inside Elections[65] | Solid R | June 18, 2021 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[66] | Safe R | July 21, 2021 |
Endorsements
Executive Branch Officials
- Rick Perry, 47th governor of Texas (2000–2015) and 14th United States Secretary of Energy (2017–2019)[36]
U.S. Representatives
- Joe Barton, U.S. Representative (TX-06) (1985–2019)[67]
- Dan Crenshaw, U.S. Representative (TX-02) (2019–present)[63]
Newspapers
Executive Branch Officials
- Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States (2017–2021)[3]
U.S. Senators
- Ted Cruz, United States Senator from Texas (2013–present)[70]
U.S. Representatives
- Jodey Arrington, U.S. Representative (TX-19) (2017–present)[47]
- Andy Biggs, U.S. Representative (AZ-5) (2017–present)[48]
- Lance Gooden, U.S. Representative (TX-5) (2019–present)[49]
- Kay Granger, U.S. Representative (TX-12) (1997–2025)[50]
- Troy Nehls, U.S. Representative (TX-22) (2021–present)[51]
- Chip Roy, U.S. Representative (TX-21) (2019–present)[52]
- Elise Stefanik, U.S. Representative (NY-21) (2015–present)[53][54]
State Legislators
- Stephanie Klick, state representative (2013–2025)[47]
- Matt Krause, state representative (2013–2023)[47]
- Tony Tinderholt, state representative (2015–present)[47]
Other Individuals
- Betsy Price, Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas (2011–2021)[50]
Organizations
- Club for Growth Action[71]
- Elevate PAC[72]
- New York Young Republican Club[55]
- Republican Party of Texas[73]
- Susan B. Anthony List[74]
- Texas Federation of College Republicans[75]
- VIEW PAC[76]
Polling
Susan Wright vs. Jana Sanchez
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Susan Wright (R) |
Jana Sanchez (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data for Progress (D)[56][A] | April 5–12, 2021 | 344 (LV) | ± 5.0% | 53% | 43% | 5% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jake Ellzey | 20,837 | 53.27 | |
| Republican | Susan Wright | 18,279 | 46.73 | |
| Total votes | 39,116 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
By county
| County[2] | Jake Ellzey Republican |
Susan Wright Republican |
Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Ellis | 6,784 | 56.68% | 5,185 | 43.32% | 1,599 | 13.36% | 11,969 |
| Navarro | 1,398 | 43.87% | 1,789 | 56.13% | -391 | -12.27% | 3,187 |
| Tarrant (part) | 12,655 | 52.82% | 11,305 | 47.18% | 1,350 | 5.63% | 23,960 |
| Totals | 20,837 | 53.27% | 18,279 | 46.73% | 2,558 | 6.54% | 39,116 |