Special runoff election to fill vacant San Antonio-area House seat set for Nov. 2

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Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that Nov. 2 volition beryllium the day of the peculiar predetermination runoff to regenerate erstwhile authorities Rep. Leo Pacheco, D-San Antonio, a spot that Republicans are pushing to flip.

Early voting begins successful a week.

The runoff for the Democratic-leaning spot successful House District 118 features Democrat Frank Ramirez and Republican John Lujan. Ramirez is simply a erstwhile staffer for the San Antonio City Council, portion Lujan concisely held House the spot successful 2016.

Lujan finished archetypal successful the archetypal peculiar predetermination precocious past month, getting 42% of the ballot to 20% for Ramirez. There were 2 different Democrats connected the ballot and 1 different Republican.

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Republicans person latched connected to the contention arsenic an aboriginal trial of their thrust to marque caller inroads successful South Texas aft President Joe Biden underperformed determination past year. Meanwhile, Democrats are moving to amusement they volition not beryllium upset similar they person been successful past peculiar elections successful the San Antonio area.

Nov. 2 is besides the day of the statewide law amendment election.

Over the weekend, Democrats cried foul aft seeing Lujan run lit that told voters the runoff was Nov. 2, adjacent though Abbott, who has endorsed Lujan, had not publically revealed the day yet. In a statement, Ramirez called connected Lujan to "answer to San Antonians instantly astir wherefore his run appears to beryllium conspiring with the politician to cheat HD118 voters retired of their close to person a just accidental successful who represents our community."

Under the predetermination code, Nov. 2 was 1 of 4 imaginable runoff dates that Abbott could person chosen based connected the timing of the canvassing of the peculiar election, which was Thursday, and his announcement of the runoff Monday. The different dates were each earlier — Oct. 23, Oct. 26 oregon Oct. 30. Nov. 2 already had a scheduled predetermination wherever voters volition beryllium asked to ballot connected law amendments.

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