KACAL WINS PRIMARY RUNOFF FOR HD-12; GERDES, KITZMAN WIN RUNOFFS FOR HD-17, HD-85

  

Kyle Kacal has defeated challenger Ben Bius in the Republican runoff election for House District 12.

Results from the Secretary of State’s office show the five-term incumbent received 57.9 percent of the vote, while Bius, a businessman from Huntsville, garnered 42 percent of the vote.

Kacal will not be opposed in November’s general election.

Kacal said the extra time between the March primary and Tuesday’s runoff allowed him more opportunities to visit with voters in the newly aligned district, and he feels that made the difference come Election Day.

 

Kacal said work now begins to prepare for the next legislative session in January, which he believes will be focused on addressing infrastructure and growth.  He plans to “hit the ground running” by visiting with city and county governments and school boards to learn about the issues most important to them.

Bius has not responded to KWHI’s request for comment.

Unofficial results show Kacal received 9,354 votes to Bius’ 6,797.  Kacal was the top vote-getter in Brazos, Grimes, Madison, Robertson and Walker counties.  Bius was the top candidate in Washington County.

Runoffs have also been decided for House District 17 and House District 85.

In House District 17, Smithville City Councilmember Stan Gerdes defeated Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape, with Gerdes tallying 51.2 percent of votes and Pape receiving 48.7 percent.  Gerdes won Bastrop and Milam counties, while Pape led in Burleson, Caldwell and Lee counties.

Gerdes will face off against Democrat Madeline Eden in November.

For House District 85, five-term incumbent Phil Stephenson fell to challenger Stan Kitzman, former Waller County Commissioner and current Brookshire-Katy Drainage District General Manager.  Kitzman received 58 percent of the vote, and Stephenson took in 42 percent.  Kitzman was the leading candidate in Austin, Colorado, Fayette and Waller counties, with Stephenson winning in Fort Bend County and Wharton County.

Kitzman will be on the ballot with Democrat Larry Baggett come November’s general election.