A former aide to ex-President Donald Trump defeated an establishment GOP state representative in Texas who spearheaded the impeachment of Trump-supporting state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Katrina Pierson, former national spokeswoman for Trump’s 2016 campaign, won the GOP primary against State Rep. Justin Holland on Tuesday, securing her spot in the general election for Texas’s 33rd legislative district outside Dallas. Holland, targeted by local Republicans for his votes against Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, faced criticism from conservative activists for his vote to raise the gun purchase age from 18 to 21 and his opposition to Abbott’s school voucher program, according to The Hill.
Abbott, who campaigned with Pierson in the final days of her election, congratulated the Trump aide in a social media post Tuesday night.“Congratulations to @KatrinaPierson on an incredible VICTORY in her Republican Primary Runoff in House District 33! #txlege,” Abbott’s campaign account posted on X. Paxton conveyed similar well-wishes to Pierson, who is anticipated to win in the general election.
“Congratulations to @KatrinaPierson for DEFEATING Austin RINO Justin Holland,” Paxton’s campaign account posted on X. “You have sent a strong message to Austin that if members continue to prioritize Democrats over our Conservative Agenda they will not return in 2026.”
State elections in Texas yielded mixed results for conservative activists. House Speaker Dave Phelan narrowly defeated a MAGA challenger despite opposition from Attorney General Ken Paxton for supporting the failed impeachment against him. President Trump also intervened, endorsing challenger David Covey, who lost by just 366 votes, according to NBC News.
“Tonight, I am immensely grateful to the voters of Southeast Texas, who have spoken loud and clear: in Southeast Texas, we set our own course—our community is not for sale, and our values are not up for auction,” Phelan wrote in a post on X Tuesday night.
Despite maintaining a healthy lead in Texas, President Trump may need to campaign for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), a former rival turned ally, who is contending with Democratic challenger U.S. Rep. Collin Allred of Texas. According to FiveThirtyEight, Cruz’s lead has fluctuated from +13 to just +6 since March, approximately half the lead that Trump holds over President Joe Biden.
