At 6:10 a.m., with 76 of 77 precincts accounted for:
Gene Seaman (R) 16,696
Juan Garcia (D) 16,672
If Garcia can win the last box by at least 25 votes, Democrats will pick a fifth Republican seat. They lost no seats of their own. The partisan division in the House of Representatives will be 81 R – 69 D. And speculation about a speaker’s race will abound.
Democratic pickups (4)
In Houston: Ellen Cohen 54.70%, Martha Wong 43.61%
In Dallas: Allen Vaught 50.10%, Bill Keffer 46.7%
In Austin: Valinda Bolton 50.24%, Bill Welch 45.55%
In Arlington: Paula Pierson Hightower 49.35%, Toby Goodman 47.17%
Wait till next year (R seats the Ds have a chance to win in 08):
In Houston: Jim Murphy 55.76%, Kristi Thibaut 41.76%
In Grand Prairie: Kirk England 49.15%, Kathy Hubener 48.07%
In Dallas: Tony Goolsby 51.94%, Harriet Miller 45.81%
In Arlington: Bill Zedler 52.47%, Christopher Youngblood 44.29%
In Stephenville: Sid Miller 55.37%, Ernie Casbeer 44.63%
In Round Rock: Mike Krusee 50.19%, Karen Feltenhaus 47.59%
In Mauriceville: Mike Hamilton 55.92%, Paul Clayton 44.08%
