Thought the elections were over? Think again. Republican Brian Walker may have lost House District 11 to incumbent Rep. Chuck Hopson, D-Jacksonville, by 200 votes after a recount, but now he’s requesting that Speaker Tom Craddick appoint a special master to look into possibly negating the result.
The run-off results were certified by the governor’s office and the secretary of state on Dec. 8, but Walker wants them overturned, claiming that there were voting irregularities in Cherokee County and most especially precinct 36 – Hopson’s home precinct (Capitol Annex has a copy of the original petition.) So now he’s asking for a do-over: either a full special election, or just another vote in Cherokee Co.
This isn’t Walker’s first stab at this office: Back in 2006, he came second to Larry Durrett in the Republican Party Primary (Durrett lost to Hopson that November, 46%-51%). But asking the speaker to appoint a special master is an extreme move and could lead to a political bloodbath in a House already divided over Craddick’s powers.
The last time such a petition was heard was back in 2005, when Rep. Hubert Vo, D-Houston, kicked out Republican incumbent Talmadge Heflin: Heflin filed a complaint, Special Master Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas, had to go through the contested ballots one by one, and Vo’s win stood.
This article appears in December 12 • 2008.
