On Tuesday at 9:20 p.m. Former Denton County GOP Chair Brent Hagenbuch emerged victorious in the Republican primary runoff, poised to succeed retiring state Senator Drew Springer.
Hagenbuch had a double-digit lead over attorney Jace Yarbrough and is expected to secure the seat in the November general election since Texas Senate District 30 is solidly Republican.
In the March 5 primary, Hagenbuch garnered 36% of the vote, while Yarbrough had gotten 34%.
Reflecting on his unexpected political journey, Hagenbuch said in a statement, “Serving in the Texas Senate was never anything I aspired to. It is God’s timing.”
Both Hagenbuch and Yarbrough campaigned as staunch conservatives aligned with the state’s rightward trajectory on key issues like abortion, gun rights, and immigration. However, unlike Yarbrough, Hagenbuch was able to secure endorsements from top Republican officials; Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott, former President Donald Trump, and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.
According to The Texas Tribune, despite his primary success, Hagenbuch’s campaign faced scrutiny over residency questions, with legal challenges from primary opponents Carrie De Moor and Yarbrough arguing he lived outside the district. Although a judge permitted Hagenbuch to continue his campaign, the lawsuit remains unresolved. If declared ineligible before late August, the GOP executive committee would select a replacement candidate, potentially positioning Yarbrough as a contender.
In November, Hagenbuch will compete against the Democratic nominee, Dale Frey, who won his primary runoff election last night with 57.1% of votes.
