State Rep. Steve Toth beat incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw for the Republican nomination in Texas’ 2nd Congressional District, coming one step closer to representing the Houston-area seat.
Toth opened a wide lead in the Republican primary on Tuesday as results came in and declared victory hours before The Associated Press called the race in his favor.
“Congressional District 2 voters want a representative in D.C. who will stand firm in his convictions, fight for his constituents, and follow through on his promises. I won’t let them down,” Toth said in a news release.
Toth’s commanding lead was a reversal of fortunes for Crenshaw, who had in previous years sailed through the primaries with double-digit leads. The sudden overtaking comes despite Crenshaw having raised $1.3 million more than Toth.
Toth is among the Texas Republican Party’s most conservative members who have repeatedly questioned the commitment of leadership and Gov. Greg Abbott to the GOP’s values. The Conroe Republican framed the race as a referendum on the future of the Republican Party, an effort that garnered support from several conservative leaders, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Turning Point Action.
Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL currently in his fourth term, is a conservative in his own right. Since being elected to the seat in 2018, the Houston-area Republican has made barring federal funding for gender-affirming care and targeting Mexican cartels a focus. His endorsements include leading conservative organizations such as the National Rifle Association and a swath of local elected officials.
But Crenshaw has clashed with Republican allies over several issues, including his support for Ukraine aid and the 2020 election results, which he voted to certify. Crenshaw was the only Texas Republican incumbent in the House who ran without Trump’s endorsement.
