Kevin Roberts (politician)

Roberts ran without opposition in the Republican legislative primary on March 1, 2016, after the Republican incumbent, Patricia Harless, did not seek re-election. In the general election on November 8, 2016, Roberts received 58 percent of the ballots cast defeating Democrat, Joy Dawson-Thomas, and Libertarian Party candidate, Eric Moquin.

Upon the announcement of incumbent U.S. Representative Ted Poe's retirement effective in January 2019, Roberts announced his candidacy for the seat against a crowded field of nine other challengers. After Roberts placed first in the March 6th primary with 33 percent of the vote, Roberts faced retired U.S. Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw in a primary runoff election. A negative super PAC, funded by Roberts' brother-in-law, Mark Lanier, ran ads opposing Crenshaw's candidacy for the nomination.^[2]

Roberts was defeated by Crenshaw in the May 22 Republican run-off primary by more than a 2 to 1 margin.^[3] Roberts finished with 30.2 percent of the vote, compared to Crenshaw's 69.8 percent. Crenshaw won the seat in the general election on November 6, 2018.