AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott is looking to oust another Texas House member who voted against school vouchers when the May runoff occurs. Incumbent Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, will face political newcomer Chris Spencer in House District 1 in northeast Texas. 

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Greg Abbott is looking to oust another Texas House member who voted against school vouchers when the May runoff occurs

  • Incumbent Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, will face political newcomer Chris Spencer in House District 1 in northeast Texas

  • VanDeaver is one of the rural Republicans who voted against vouchers, seeing them as a threat to the long-term financial health of public schools in his district

Abbott is backing political newcomer Spencer in the race to represent Texas House District 1. VanDeaver didn’t respond to our latest interview request, but he did appear on Capital Tonight last week. 

“I think if vouchers were the real issue, then that’s what all the ads and mail pieces would have been about,” said VanDeaver. 

VanDeaver is one of the rural Republicans who voted against vouchers, seeing them as a threat to the long-term financial health of public schools in his district.

Conversely, Spencer says the voters support the policy. 

“Our rural public schools do a wonderful job,” said Spencer. “But I support the right of the parents to make the decision that’s best for their child. One size fits all doesn’t work.”

Apart from school choice, both candidates support the governor’s priority items to eliminate property taxes and secure the border. 

“What’s motivating my campaign is to assist with border security,” said Spencer. “It’s very important since President Biden and the federal government have abdicated the responsibility to secure the border. The governor needs all the help he can get.” 

VanDeaver agrees and criticized a number of the attack ads against him that focused on the border as misleading and false. 

“If the governor needs anything at the border, it’s because he hasn’t asked for it. The House has given him everything he’s asked for. And I have voted for everything he’s asked for,” he said. 

Both candidates are well-funded, and experts aren’t surprised by the surge in primary election spending.

“The biggest thing is increasing fractionalization within the parties, especially the Republican Party, that drives more primary spending,” said Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. 

However, expert suggest money could get less politically energized Republicans to the polls on May 28.