The race for Texas House District 2 is heating up as Gov. Greg Abbott has slated the special election runoff to take place on January 30, 2024. This comes after a scandalous departure of Bryan Slaton, who was unanimously dumped out of the House seat back in May following egregious personal misconduct per The Texas Tribune.
Republican rivals Jill Dutton and Brent Money are now set to face off, having emerged as the top two contenders in a contentious battle that earlier this month was more than just politics as usual. Dutton, known for her former presidency of the Republican Women of Van Zandt, is reportedly getting support from groups in league with House Speaker Dade Phelan. On the flip side, Money, a Greenville lawyer and past City Council member, is receiving backing from high-profile figures like Attorney General Ken Paxton and the right-wing Defend Texas Liberty PAC, despite being recently acquitted by the Senate following a House impeachment according to The Texas Tribune.
Vying to replace the disgraced former Representative Slaton, both Money and Dutton are campaigning to serve out the remainder of his term for a district that comprises Hunt, Hopkins, and Van Zandt counties. Slaton's downfall came sharply after he was found having given alcohol to a teenage intern and engaging in a sexual relationship with her—details that set the stage for his expulsion per FOX 4 News.
In a press release, Abbott's office revealed that early voting for the high-stakes runoff will kick off on January 22. As political alliances form and fracture, with Money enjoying the endorsement from Paxton and the embattled Defend Texas Liberty PAC, which seeks to reclaim its clout following the notoriety of hosting white supremacist Nick Fuentes at its leader's office, Dutton is pulling strength from those allied with Phelan, a key figure who supported Paxton's impeachment and is looking to oust Defend Texas Liberty from Republican circles after the Fuentes fiasco as reported by FOX 4 News.
