Texas Rep. John Lujan beats Kristian Carranza in widely watched San Antonio race

Incumbent state Rep. John Lujan III narrowly defeated Democrat Kristian Carranza on Tuesday, allowing the GOP to hang onto a seat Democrats saw as a potential bright spot as they sought a rare gain in the Texas House.

With nearly all votes counted, Lujan — a former firefighter and sheriff’s deputy — pulled 51.8% of the vote to represent San Antonio’s House District 118, according to the Associated Press. That compares to political organizer Carranza’s 48.2%.

Political observers watched the race with eagle eyes because the district, which includes parts of South and East San Antonio, is one of the few that remains competitive after the state’s latest redrawing of political maps.

Upping the ante, the contest also has implications for whether Gov. Greg Abbott can  pass school vouchers through a previously reluctant Texas House. Both parties pumped millions into the race.

While Lujan and Carranza both have deep roots in District 118, the Democrat’s anti-school voucher message clearly fell short. Lujan has repeatedly defended Abbott’s controversial voucher plan, which would strip funding from public schools to help fund private school tuitions for residents.

Lujan’s win also came despite a significant late-campaign gaffe. He stated during a radio interview that he supported Texas’ abortion ban despite its lack of exceptions for rape and incest, adding that if he had a daughter and she’d been raped, “we’re going to have the baby.”

Carranza’s campaign quickly weaponized the soundbite, making it a centerpiece in attack ads.

Despite the loss, many observers thought Carranza had strong chance of turning district blue again thanks to months of block walking and door-to-door interactions to make her case.

“She’s worked her tail off and showed she respects her voters, and I think that makes all the difference,” said U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, an Austin-San Antonio Democrat who lent his support to Carranza’s campaign.

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This article appears in Oct 30 – Nov 5, 2024.