Texas held one of the earliest primary elections in the country, which meant that the nation focused its attention on many of the races that impact our neighborhood.

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In a hotly contested Democratic race to challenge Republican Pete Sessions for Texas’ 32nd Congressional District, which covers most of East Dallas, M-Streets, neighbor and former Tennessee Titan Colin Allred led all vote-getters with 39 percent. But he didn’t get enough votes to avoid a runoff with Swiss Avenue native Lillian Salerno, a former Obama staffer and small business owner who won 18 percent of the vote. East Dallasite Ed Meier, who led all the Democratic candidates in fundraising, finished fourth. Lakewood resident Pete Sessions easily won his primary with 79 percent of the vote.

In Texas’ 5th Congressional District, which covers parts of Lakewood and east of White Rock Lake, Lance Gooden will be in a runoff with Bunni Pounds for the Republicans. Both defeated former state representative Kenneth Sheets, who used to represent the neighborhood. Dan Wood was unopposed as a Democrat.

In Texas 30th district, which covers Hollywood Santa Monica and Lakewood Hills, Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson was reelected with 64 percent of the vote. There is no Republican challenger.

In the Texas Senate, Royce West was uncontested in his District 23, which includes Old East Dallas, Vickery Place and Lakewood Heights. In District 2, which covers Hollywood Santa Monica, Lakewood Hills and east of White Rock Lake, Kendall Scudder was unopposed as a Democrat and incumbent Republican Bob Hall defeated Cindy Burkett with 53 percent of the vote. In District 16, which covers Lakewood, Wilshire Heights, the M Streets and north of Mockingbird Lane, Nathan Johnson was elected with 70 percent of the vote. He will represent the Democrats against Republican incumbent Don Huffines, who was uncontested.

In the Texas House, East Dallas residents Joanna Cattanach and Zac Duffy battled to take on incumbent conservative Morgan Meyer in District 108, who was uncontested. Cattanach defeated Duffy with 63 percent of the vote in a district that covers East Dallas, Downtown and the Park Cities. In District 107, which covers Lakewood, East Dallas and parts of Mesquite, incumbent Democrat Victoria Neave was unopposed, and Lakewood resident Joe Ruzicka overcame neighbor Brad Perry by just six votes to make it to a runoff against Deanna Maria Metzger, who won 45 percent of the vote. Perry has endorsed Ruzicka in the runoff. In District 100, which covers Forest Hills, Little Forest Hills and Casa Linda, Eric Johnson won with 70 percent of the vote, and will not face a Republican challenger. District 114, which dips into East Dallas north of White Rock Lake, had Lisa Luby Ryan defeat incumbent Jason Villalba with 53 percent of the vote in the GOP primary. She will face Democrat John Turner, who went unopposed.

In State Board of Education District 12, which covers most of East Dallas, former Dallas ISD Board candidate Suzanne Smith will face Laura Malone-Miller in a Democratic runoff after missing a majority by just 2 percent. Pam Little will represent the Republicans after running uncontested.

Former Judge and East Dallas neighbor Vickers Lee Cunningham Sr.  will be in a runoff against J.J. Koch for Dallas County Commissioner District 2 after securing 34 percent of the vote.