By Matt Kyle | Assistant News Editor, Caitlyn Meisner | Staff Writer
Republicans kept their hold on McLennan County Tuesday night as both Texas state and U.S. Congress seats remained conservative.
Candidates gathered at the McLennan County Republican Party offices to meet constituents, monitor election results and rejoice in a conservative sweep of the state and national offices.
Attendance picked up around 7:30 p.m. when results started rolling in. Rep. Pete Sessions spoke to constituents and other Republican officeholders. The attendance of Wacoans and Baylor students trickled as the evening progressed.
Cheers erupted when Republican offices were called by Fox News, and much of the older crowd sat glued to the television, waiting for the governor results.
U.S. House of Representatives District 17
Rep. Pete Sessions was reelected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas’ 17th Congressional District, according to the Texas Tribune.
Sessions won with 66.5% of the vote against Mary Jo Woods, who took 33.5% of the vote with almost 91% of the votes counted.
In McLennan County, Sessions won 67.94% of the vote, and Woods won 32.06% of the vote.
During his upcoming term, Sessions said he hopes Republicans in Congress are able to work with the Biden administration to pass bipartisan legislation. He said it is easy to represent his hometown of Waco, given the people know him and his family well.
“There may be Democrats that will not vote for me, and I understand that,” Sessions told The Baylor Lariat Tuesday night at the McLennan County Republican Party offices. “But their ideas are certainly not against this country. Nationally, the Democratic Party has pushed that agenda. They are against law enforcement. They’re against rule of law. They want to take over our schools. And I think by and large, Waco, Texas, knows what that would do to Waco, Texas.”
Sessions previously served as a congressman in Texas’ 5th Congressional District, located in Dallas, from 1996 to 2002. He moved to Texas’ 32nd Congressional District, also located in Dallas, in 2002. He served there until he was defeated by Baylor graduate and former NFL player Colin Allred.
In 2020, Sessions ran for representative of Texas’ 17th Congressional District, located in his hometown of Waco, and won. This will be Sessions’ second term representing Waco and his 13th term overall.
Texas State Senate District 22
Texas state Sen. Brian Birdwell was reelected to the Texas Legislature for the 22nd District, defeating Libertarian candidate Jeremy Schroppel.
Birdwell won with 74.6% of the vote against Schroppel, who received 25.4% of the vote with almost 83.7% of the votes counted.
In McLennan County, Birdwell won with 74.77% of the vote, and Schroppel grabbed 25.23% of the vote.
Birdwell said during his upcoming term, he wants to return the $27 billion budget surplus to Texans and address immigration at the border.
“I have forged a reputation as a respected leader in the fight for the sanctity of life, limited government, individual liberties, low taxes and economic policies which have led to record jobs, growth and unparalleled opportunity for Texas citizens,” Birdwell’s website reads.
Birdwell said it is his job to represent everyone, not just those who voted for him.
“My service is to the district as a whole, so whether they vote for me or not, I still have an obligation,” Birdwell said. “They may disagree with me on a vote not cast, but we live under the consent of the governed, and that consent is best measured by the majority at the ballot box.”
Birdwell was initially elected to the Texas State Senate in a special election in 2010. This will be his fourth term in office.
Texas State House District 56
Texas state Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson was reelected to his seat in the Texas Legislature, defeating opponent Erin Shanks — a lawyer and former Baylor law professor.
Anderson won 70.18% of the vote against Shanks, who received 29.82% of the vote.
During his upcoming term, Anderson said he hopes to continue addressing immigration at the Texas border.
Anderson said political parties only matter for elections, and in his role, he represents everyone regardless of political affiliation.
“You got to have the parties for elections,” Anderson said. “Somebody calls our office with a problem, we don’t say, ‘Are you a Republican? Are you a Democrat?’ We don’t say anything like that. We represent everybody on both sides of the political spectrum. I look forward to representing all those folks.”
Anderson was initially elected to the Texas State House in 2004. This will be his 10th term in office.
