Incumbent Matt Shaheen has successfully held onto his seat in Texas House District 66, defeating Democratic challenger David Carstens in a closely contested race in Collin County.
At the time this article was published, Shaheen had received 52,443 votes (61.7%) to Carstens’ 32,512 votes (38.3%).
Shaheen, who was endorsed by major political action committees such as Border Health PAC and Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, faced a strong challenge due to his controversial vote to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas House. This vote alienated some of his traditional Republican base, but Shaheen managed to maintain enough support to secure victory.
Despite the shifting demographics in Collin County, which has gradually moved left in recent years, Shaheen’s name recognition and long-standing ties to the community helped him withstand the growing Democratic pressure.
David Carstens, a Democratic challenger backed by ActBlue, focused his campaign on progressive issues, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Shaheen’s established presence in the district.
Shaheen’s victory ensures continued Republican control of HD66, but the narrowing margins highlight Collin County’s changing political dynamics.
