Texas Gov. Greg Abbott swears in Republican Drew Springer to state Senate seat

(The Center Square) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday swore in Republican Drew Springer to the state Senate representing District 30 in a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin.

Springer was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 2012. He ran for the Senate seat after several other seats were vacated in a political domino effect after former U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Heath, was named director of national intelligence last year.

State Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper, successfully ran to replace Ratcliffe in the U.S. House in the Republican-dominated district, and was sworn in Jan. 3.

Springer, who was endorsed by Fallon, will succeed him in the Texas Senate after defeating salon owner Shelley Luther in a special election Dec. 19 after neither received 50 percent of the vote in their Sept. 29 election.

On Sept. 29, Luther, a Denton County resident who went to jail after opening her hair salon in defiance of Gov. Abbott’s executive order shutting down the state, received 32 percent of the vote. Springer received 31.87 percent.

The margins were less close on Dec. 19 when Springer handily defeated her receiving 56 percent of the vote.

Jan. 23 is the date set for a special election to fill the Texas House District 68 seat vacated by Springer. Early voting begins Jan. 11.

The Jan. 23 date will allow for Springer’s successor to be sworn in within the beginning of the 140-day legislative session, which begins Jan. 12. State law allows the governor to order a fast-tracked special election when a vacancy occurs within 60 days of a legislative session.

Two Republicans announced their intent to run: Jason Brinkley, a Cooke County judge, and David Spiller, a Jacksboro ISD trustee and attorney.

Brinkley, who was in his second term as county judge, resigned his position to run.

“As a local elected official for over 10 years, I know that it is vital that we give property taxpayers relief, keep businesses open and protect jobs, deliver broadband Internet to rural Texans who need equal access to health care and education, and protect water resources vital to agriculture,” Brinkley said in a Dec. 20 statement.

Spiller said, “I look forward to advancing and defending the conservative principles, beliefs and values of the people of the district,” including “supporting law enforcement and first responders, securing our border, protecting life, safeguarding second amendment rights, sufficiently funding public schools, cutting taxes, making government more efficient, promoting economic development and opening up businesses.”

House District 68 includes the counties of Childress, Collingsworth, Cooke, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Fisher, Floyd, Garza, Hall, Hardeman, Haskell, Jack, Kent, King, Montague, Motley, Stonewall, Throckmorton, Wheeler, Wilbarger and Young.

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