VanDeaver wins runoff
Incumbent Gary VanDeaver won the runoff election for House District 1 on Tuesday, May 28 defeating local businessman Chris Spencer. In what will go down as one of the most contentious, most expensive races in our area, VanDeaver won the highly contested race with a total vote of 11,690 to Spencer’s 10,163, with VanDeaver receiving 53.5 percent of the total vote. State Representative VanDeaver was first elected in 2014 and has been re-elected by his district five times, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and now in 2024.
This was a much tougher race for the incumbent. One reason was that he aligned himself against the Texas Governor in one of Greg Abbot’s biggest initiatives, school choice. VanDeaver was one of 21 candidates who opposed the governor’s School Choice plan and joined himself instead with the Democrats. A fact that was drilled into the area voters. Also, locally, Spencer received Cass County Support. As an area business owner and someone involved in the community, he won the vote in Cass getting 2425 to VanDeaver’s 1756 votes.
The governor did get his way statewide though. According to KSAN “He ultimately defeated 11 out of the 15 incumbents he challenged by endorsing their opponents.” The Texas Tribune pointed out that six of his incumbent opponents on this issue went down on election night. Now, the governor has most likely received enough backing to push through his agenda in the future.
For a small district race, House District 1 fundraising nearly topped over 2.5 million dollars and 1.5 million in currently shown expenses. According to transparencyusa.org VanDeaver received $1,580,300 in total Contributions and $1,038,109 in total expenses shown, with these entities contributing the most money: $295,200.00 - Dade Phelan – ENTITY $265,608.82 - The Charles Butt Public Education Political Action Committee – ENTITY $254,189.93 - Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund – ENTITY $114,673.00 - Texas Farm Bureau – AGFUND While Spencer brought in a total of $908,530 in total contributions and $575,600 in total expenses showing in expenses showing at this point with these entities contributing the most money: $552,838.33 - Greg Abbott – ENTITY $70,412.00 - Cognizant Management Solutions LLC – INDIVIDUAL $62,125.00 - Family Empowerment Coalition PAC ENTITY $50,000.00 - Gilbert C Hine Jr – INDIVIDUAL After the race on election night, Spencer congratulated his opponent, “Today is a new day! I want to thank everyone for their support! It’s been an experience of a lifetime, and one that I will cherish.
I want to congratulate Representative Gary VanDeaver on his victory. No matter the circumstance, he has always been so very kind and gracious to me. It is my honor and privilege to pray for him as he represents us in Austin for his sixth term. I encourage all of us to do the same. Again, thanks for everything!”
VanDeaver released this statement: “I am deeply humbled by the overwhelming support I have received from the families and communities of our district in this election. The big city politicians and D.C. Super PAC’s believed they could pour millions of dollars in false advertising into our district and fool us into believing their lies. Unfortunately, in many parts of Texas tonight, they succeeded. But here in Northeast Texas, we rejected their gutter politics for what it is.
Your vote of confidence strengthens my resolve to fight for the unique needs of Northeast Texas - for our schools, our main street businesses, the traditional values we hold as sacred, and for the very future of our way of life.
A sense of community may not matter too much to the world anymore, but it does here, and tonight’s result is a testament to that fact. I will take the truth that we declared tonight in our comer of Texas to every comer of Texas, and to the Capitol in Austin, not only on behalf of my constituents, but also on behalf of every Texan who wants a government that serves the people, and not the other way around.
Today Spencer released this to the Journal-Sun: “We are so grateful for the support that we had! It was an incredible experience for us, but we are glad that it is over. We congratulate Representative VanDeaver for his win and will pray for him as we begin his sixth session.”