Democrat Nathan Johnson upset incumbent Texas Sen. Don Huffines (R-Dallas) on Election Day Tuesday.
Huffines, a real estate developer, had represented the 16th District since 2015.
During his short tenure as senator, Huffines traveled to Russia to investigate election meddling and, following reporting by NBC 5 Investigates, authored a bill in 2017 allowing Dallas County voters to decide the future of Dallas County Schools. After years of financial mismanagement and scandal, voters decided to shutter the agency.
After conceding to Johnson Tuesday, Huffines released the following statement.
“Public service in the Texas Senate was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m honored and humbled voters chose me as their voice in Austin for four years. I respect voters’ voice and congratulate Senator-Elect Nathan Johnson on his victory. Earlier today, at a polling location, I pledged to work with Mr. Johnson on a smooth transition to best serve the people of Senate District 16, and that’s a commitment I will honor.
Although my service in the Texas Senate will soon come to an end, I will keep working for common sense conservative solutions that Texans deserve. Our liberty comes from God, not the government, and it will remain my mission to make sure all levels of government reflect that simple but profound truth. The fundamental role of government is to defend our God-given liberty.”
Huffines' brother, Phillip, lost a primary battle in March against Angela Paxton to be the Republican candidate for Texas Senate District 8. Paxton went on to face challenger Mark Phariss on Election Day -- as of this writing, the result of that race has not yet been determined.
