November 8, 2018 600 AM
FAR WEST TEXAS – The Congressional District 23 race between incumbent Republican Will Hurd and Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones is considered too close to call, according to various news outlets.
With all regional-wide results in from Tuesday’s midterm general election, Ortiz was just fewer than 700 votes away from Hurd’s lead. CD-23 covers Presidio, Brewster, and Jeff Davis counties and stretches from east El Paso County to San Antonio and hugs the border to near Laredo.
The Texas Secretary of State Election Division reports Hurd with 102,903 votes, or 49.11 percent to Ortiz Jones’ 102,214 votes, or 48.78 percent, a slim edge for Hurd of 689 votes.
“This election is not over—every vote matters and must be counted,” said Noelle Rosellini, spokeswoman for Gina Ortiz Jones. “Gina’s campaign has been powered by grassroots energy from day one, and we won’t stop working until every provisional ballot, absentee ballot, and military or overseas ballot has been counted.”
Although many news outlets have called the race for Hurd, and Hurd himself declared victory Tuesday night, the results remain within the margin to request a recount, although Ortiz Jones had yet to do so by Wednesday afternoon.
According to the Texas Tribune, “…under Texas law, the difference in votes between the two candidates must be less than 10 percent of the winner’s total votes — in this case, about 10,000” in order to request a recount. Based on Texas State law, Ortiz would have to pay for the recount and would only be reimbursed if the results were overturned.
Locally, Far West Texas counties saw no surprises in party leanings for this race, with more than 70 percent of Presidio County voters and just over 50 percent of Brewster County going for Ortiz. Jeff Davis County went for Hurd, with over 60 percent of the vote.
Libertarian candidate Ruben Corvalen earned 2,643 votes, or 2.1 percent in the congressional race.
