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HOUSTON - Alex Mealer beat Briscoe Cain in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. representative in Texas' 9th Congressional District, the Associate Press projects.
She will face Democrat Leticia Gutierrez in the November election.
About the candidates
Who is Alex Mealer?
According to her campaign website, "After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Alex volunteered and was ultimately selected to serve as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer (bomb squad) in the Army. Through her experience leading soldiers in combat and defusing bombs in Afghanistan, Alex has proven she has the skills necessary to lead during times of crisis.
Following her honorable service to our country, Alex graduated from Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School where she was an active member of the Federalist Society and the Adam Smith Society before moving to Houston to pursue a career in energy finance, where she worked on the execution of billion dollar transactions as a strategic advisor on mergers & acquisitions and capital markets financing for public and private companies.
While raising her young children and trying to navigate Harris County’s draconian COVID-19 response, Alex became increasingly focused on the dysfunction in Harris County government and ultimately decided to run for Harris County Judge against incumbent Lina Hidalgo.
As a first-time candidate competing in a crowded field of nine primary candidates, Alex was able to secure the Republican nomination (despite being outspent 3:1) by building a grassroots campaign focused on good government and conservative principles (fiscal discipline, election integrity, freedom from COVID-19 tyranny, and support for law enforcement)."
Who is Briscoe Cain?
According to his campaign website, "Cain is the only Texas House member ever ranked the #1 most conservative legislator for multiple sessions, according to Rice University’s respected, nonpartisan study. As a Member of the Texas Legislature, he leads the charge for limited government, secure borders, election integrity, and protecting life and liberty in the Texas Legislature.
During the 87th Legislative Session, Cain chaired the House Committee on Elections, where he authored the landmark election integrity bill that became a national flashpoint—prompting Democrats to flee the state in an attempt to block it. He also co-authored legislation to ban sanctuary cities, supported a $1.5 billion investment in border wall construction, and helped deliver a $5 billion property tax cut for hardworking Texans.
In the 88th Legislature, Cain served on the House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock, where he helped pass some of the strongest Right to Farm protections in the country. These laws shield farmers and ranchers from nuisance lawsuits—especially from newcomers to rural areas who object to regular farming activity—ensuring agriculture remains a cornerstone of the Texas economy and way of life."
About Texas' 9th Congressional District
This race is closely watched because District 9 will have a new representative for the first time in two decades. Democrat Al Green, who has represented District 9 since 2005, ran for District 18 instead due to the recently redrawn congressional map.
The district, which was recently redrawn in the recent mid-decade redistricting, covers much of east and southeast Harris County, as well as all of Liberty County.
The Source: The information in this article comes from election results and previous FOX 26 reporting.