AUSTIN, Texas — By noon on Tuesday, March 2, votes were still rolling in for the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Texas’ 30^th Congressional District. Rep. Jasmine Crockett led the pack with 47.97% of votes in a crowded race of nine.

“Well it looks like it’s over with just under 49%... we are heading to a runoff,” tweeted Crockett Wednesday morning. “We need all hands on deck! Let’s finish this race and get on to the business of District 30.”

To avoid a runoff and secure the Democratic nomination, Crockett needed to get over 50% of the votes. Her opponent in the May 24 primary election is no stranger to the world of politics. Jane Hope Hamilton, a Dallas native, was previously a chief of staff in the U.S. Congress. According to the Dallas County election results, Hamilton had nearly 18% of the votes, with 437 out of 440 voting precincts reported.

“I have walked the path of commitment for our community for over 20 years and you have been walking with me,” said Hamilton on Twitter Tuesday night. “They tried to buy this race, but they don’t know us. The people had a different ending in mind. Congressional District 30 is not for sale.”

Hamilton, similar to Crockett, received endorsements from local and statewide politicians. Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, congressional representative Marc Veasy, former City of Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk and Rep. Chris Turner were among her backers. A graduate of Lake Forest College, Hamilton double majored in mass communication and political science.

Hamilton touted her over 20 years in working for the community including, but not limited to her work to save 28,000 jobs at American Airlines in an economic downturn, suing Gov. Greg Abbott for voting rights disenfranchisement and ushering in a new era of criminal justice reform made her the ideal candidate to replace Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson who announced her retirement last year. Following her announcement, Johnson endorsed Crockett. In an interview with Spectrum News 1 on election night, Johnson, similar to Crockett, hoped to avoid a runoff.

“I’ve had two runoffs in my career, one when I ran for the Texas House which was 50 years ago and one when I ran for the Texas Senate which was in the 80s,” she said, reflecting on her career in Texas politics. “I never had a runoff for the congressional race, but I went until the end and I think she’ll be victorious.”

Crockett noted that the first call she received once news broke of Johnson’s retirement was from a colleague across the aisle. As a freshman lawmaker, Crockett has made friends on both sides, a benefit she insists is crucial when working on behalf of the people.

“Whether you agree with or disagree with me, you know that I’m coming from a genuine place,” she said. “When you come from a very real place you have real conversations with the people, so I absolutely believe I can get some things done. My biggest piece of legislation that we got moving got $50 million for Fair Park.

Fair Park is located in CD 30 as well as HD 100 and I had to have one of my Republican colleagues to carry the bill for me, because things had gotten a little hairy. But, that’s okay because I don’t care about whose name is out front. What I care about is the end result and the end result is that my district benefitted.”

Come May, Crockett hopes voters remember her achievements thus far in office and the platform she stands on now as a servant leader will be enough to get her to U.S. House District 30.

“We’ve taken all of the big steps we needed to take,” Crockett told Spectrum News 1. “It’s just a matter of time and so we’ll continue to do the work. We’ll continue to work hard and we will finish this race.”