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.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas's 6th congressional district | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Turnout | 16.05% (first round) 7.93% (runoff)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ellzey: 20–30% 50–60% Wright: 10–20% 20–30% 50–60% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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]
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Other | Undecided | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Data for Progress (D)[A] | April 5–12, 2021 | 344 (LV) | ± 5.0% | – | – | 9% | – | – | – | 13% | – | 10% | – | – | 10% | 2% | – | – | – | – | 16% | – | – | – | – | 22% | 2% | 14% |
Global Strategy Group (D)[B] | March 11–16, 2021 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | – | – | 6% | – | – | – | 8% | – | 6% | – | – | 4% | – | 2% | – | 1% | – | 9% | – | – | – | – | 18% | – | 45% |
Victoria Research (D)[C] | March 9–12, 2021 | 450 (LV) | ± 4.6% | – | – | 5% | – | – | – | 8% | – | – | – | 1% | 3% | 3% | 2% | – | – | – | 17% | – | – | – | – | 21% | 3% | 39% |
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[56] | Lean R | March 19, 2021 |
Inside Elections[57] | Lean R | April 23, 2021 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[58] | Likely R | April 15, 2021 |
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 |
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.[60] The Club for Growth spent heavily in the runoff, buying US $1.2 million in advertisements that supported Wright and attacked Ellzey.[60] The heavily negative tone taken by the Club for Growth ads towards Ellzey frustrated many Republican officials, some of whom backed Ellzey in protest.[60] 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.[60] 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.[60]
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[61] | Solid R | July 9, 2021 |
Inside Elections[62] | Solid R | June 18, 2021 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[63] | Safe R | July 21, 2021 |
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Susan Wright (R) |
Jake Ellzey (R) |
Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Viewpoint (R)[D] | July 19–21, 2021 | 400 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 44% | 34% | 12% |
American Viewpoint (R)[D] | June 1–3, 2021 | 400 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 49% | 34% | 11% |
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Susan Wright (R) |
Jana Sanchez (D) |
Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Data for Progress (D)[A] | April 5–12, 2021 | 344 (LV) | ± 5.0% | 53% | 43% | 5% |
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 |
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 | 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 |