For the past 14 years, Silvestre Reyes has represented Texas’s 16th congressional district. Thanks to a surprisingly strong challenge from Democrat rival Beto O’Rourke, that could soon change.
Todd Gillman of the Dallas Morning News reports: “Rough start for Rep. Silvestre Reyes, despite an endorsement from President Obama. The former House Intelligence Committee chairman trails former El Paso councilman Beto O’Rourke 51-43 – that’s 2,000 votes — in early returns. Returns are just coming in from El Paso, where polls close an hour later than the rest of the state due to the time zone difference.”
It’s far from over, though. If O’Rourke falls short of a majority, the race will proceed to a run-off.
O’Rourke, a former El Paso councilman, aired a television ad last week which asserted that Reyes “used the influence of his office and taxpayer money to improve the lives of family members and advance his career,” according to the El Paso Times. “The ad recounts the circumstances of a $200 million federal contract awarded without a competitive bidding process to a company that hired Reyes’ children and donated to his campaign. That company was International Microwave Corp., or IMC.”
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Twitter reaction:
Wooooohooooo!!!RT @KFOX14 Early voting results: O'Rourke 51.34% Reyes 43.31%
— Jackie Lopez (@JLOnassis) May 30, 2012
Hell yea!! Beto O'Rourke is beating Reyes!!! I only hate O'Rourke a little less
— Amanda Piedra (@aman_Duh_rock) May 30, 2012
o__O reyes was chill when i met him in DC RT O'Rourke 51.3%, Reyes 43.3%, Tilghman 3.0% via AP http://t.co/va8wRasJ #TXPrimary
— Him Ranjit (@himranjit) May 30, 2012
UPDATE: Reyes loses. No run-off:
https://twitter.com/BetoForCongress/status/207785118511804416
Beto O'Rourke has defeated Silvestre Reyes in the Democratic primary with final election results in.
— KVIA ABC-7 News (@abc7breaking) May 30, 2012
https://twitter.com/NathanWurtzel/status/207700123751424000
https://twitter.com/BetoForCongress/status/207783587368538112
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