The race for Texas House District 65 concluded with Mitch Little, a far-right Republican candidate, defeating progressive Democrat Detrick Deburr in a closely contested election.
At the time this article was published, Little had secured 59,982 votes (60.4%) to Deburr’s 39,403 votes (39.6%).
Little, who previously served on Attorney General Ken Paxton’s defense team during his impeachment trial, ran on a platform aligned with far-right positions, including banning abortion, advancing secession legislation, and opposing efforts to improve representation for communities of color. His victory follows his unseating of moderate Republican incumbent Kronda Thimesch in the March GOP primary.
Despite significant demographic changes in House District 65, located in rapidly growing Denton County, Little’s far-right platform secured him enough support in what remains a traditionally conservative area. The district, while experiencing an influx of younger and more diverse residents, remains a +8.3 Trump district as of 2020.
Deburr, a software engineer and long-time public servant, focused his campaign on expanding Medicaid, improving education funding, and enacting gun-control measures. Despite a strong campaign, Deburr was unable to overcome Little’s far-right backing.
*Updated on Nov. 7 with the correct result and percentages from the race.
