Nueces County primary: Here's what voting shows.
Unofficial, complete voting tallies on Tuesday showed candidates seeking high-profile contested elected positions in wide-margin primary races, including for Nueces County Commissioners Court and state representative – as well as a tight race that may lead to a Republican primary runoff election for district attorney.
As of 10:30 p.m., all vote centers were reporting full returns, which do not become official until canvassing.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the biggest local races.
Nueces County district attorney, Republican
The three-way race for winning the Republican party’s nomination for district attorney appeared late Tuesday likely go to a Republican primary runoff.
Unofficial, complete voting returns showed attorney Jimmy Granberry bringing in about 8,347 votes, or about 44%, followed by attorney James Sales, who saw 5,945 ballots cast in his favor, or about 31%.
Granberry could not immediately be reached following full vote center reporting, but after the release of early voting returns he told the Caller-Times that he was “honored and flattered.”
“This is my first rodeo, so I’ve never had to go through anything like this,” he said. “So far it looks promising.”
Assistant District Attorney Kristi Britt pulled in about 4,672 votes, or about 25%, according to the unofficial returns.
In a statement sent to the Caller-Times, Britt wrote that she was "obviously disappointed in the result but grateful for the journey.”
“I am thankful for all those that supported me,” she wrote. “I will continue to look for ways to serve my community."
Sales told the Caller-Times that should the numbers see he and Granberry go to a runoff, he hoped those who had supported Britt – who he said had run “a very strong race” – would support his campaign.
The race for the seat in November will likely be heated.
The seat was vacated by former Democrat district attorney Mark Gonzalez when he resigned last year to join the Democratic primary seeking nomination to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott subsequently appointed Granberry to the position as interim. His term expires Dec. 31, 2024, or until a successor is elected.
A private practice attorney, he had previously worked as a Nueces County assistant district attorney from 1990 through 1994.
Who is ultimately selected in the primary is expected to face attorney Terry Shamsie, uncontested in the Democratic primary, in the November election.
District 34 state representative, Democrat
Unofficial, complete voting returns for District 34 state representative in the Democratic primary showed former state representative Solomon P. Ortiz Jr. with more than double the votes in his favor compared to competitor Roland Barrera.
Unofficial returns tallied about 4,863 votes for Ortiz – about 73% of the total cast – and Barrera garnering about 1,803 votes, about 27%.
Joseph Ramirez, campaign manager for Ortiz, said the campaign “cannot take this win lightly,” citing among important issues education, as well as women’s rights.
“Even though we won the primary, we’re going to start campaigning tomorrow for the general election and deliver for South Texas,” he said.
Barrera, an independent insurance agent and benefits consultant, is a three-term city of Corpus Christi Council member.
He said late Tuesday that the campaign had worked hard to get his message out and suggested that they hadn’t been able to “escape the name (recognition.)”
Work will continue on the City Council and within the community, he said.
“We wish Solomon Ortiz the best,” Barrera said.
A position long held by Abel Herrero, the seat was vacated when Herrero chose not to seek re-election.
Ortiz previously served as state representative for the same area from 2006 to 2011.
He has previously served as deputy whip of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, according to his campaign website.
The nominee is expected to vie with uncontested Republican primary candidate, chemical engineer Denise Villalobos, for the seat in November.
Nueces County Commissioner Precinct 1, Republican
Unofficial, complete voting returns show a former Nueces County commissioner taking the Republican primary for the seat he served in previously.
The returns tallied about 3,340 votes for Mike Pusley – about 77% – and Rachel Caballero with about 1,019 votes, or 23% of the total cast in early voting.
Pusley said he was prepared to begin work for the general election.
“We’re very thrilled and I’m very thankful to the voters for their confidence,” he said.
Caballero could not immediately be reached.
Pusley was elected as Nueces County Commissioner for Precinct 1 three times, serving about nine years on the court. His last term was cut short when he resigned to run for county judge in November 2018.
Former Nueces County judge Barbara Canales won the election, and Pusley later ran and was elected to an at-large seat on the City Council in 2020 and again in 2022.
Caballero, who is self-employed in a small bookkeeping and light accounting business, has run for a City Council position in the past.
The position is currently held by Robert Hernandez, a Democrat.
Unofficial, complete voting returns showed about 1,364 votes supporting Hernandez, and about 840 cast for his challenger, Jesse Molina.
Nueces County Commissioner Precinct 3, Democrat
Unofficial, complete voting returns showed incumbent John Marez leading challenger Joe Ortiz, a building consultant, in the Democratic primary for Nueces County Commissioner Precinct 3.
Marez garnered about 1,758 early votes in the unofficial count – about 52% -- and Ortiz supported by about 1,630, or about 48%.
Marez has served on the commissioners court for two terms.
Larry Cantu Jr. will be the Republican nominee. Fellow candidate Rene Cervantes, a former police chief, died Monday.
More: A City Council member plans to run for a county commissioner seat. Here's who.
More: New Nueces County District Attorney named
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Nueces County primary election returns show high profile races
