Spencer Wins Texas House District 1 Seat
Cass County businessman Chris Spencer claims the vacant District 1 seat in Texas House, while Bryan Hughes appears headed for another Senate term.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Chris Spencer won the Texas House District 1 seat in the general election, receiving 14,303 votes to Sean Huffman's 7,231. Unofficial tallies show Bryan Hughes leading the Texas Senate District 1 race with 14,635 votes in Bowie County and 8,638 in Cass County.
Why it matters
The seat had been vacant since Gary VanDeaver resigned in September, so Spencer's win fills a gap in the district's House representation. Spencer, a Cass County businessman endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, is expected to take office with the district's representation restored.
Spencer received 14,303 votes against Huffman's 7,231 in the House District 1 race, with 8,445 of 10,769 ballots in Cass County. The tallies are unofficial and have not yet been certified across the district's five counties.
The players
Chris Spencer
Cass County businessman who won the Texas House District 1 seat and was endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Bryan Hughes
Texas state senator who appears headed for another term representing Senate District 1.
Greg Abbott
Governor of Texas who endorsed Chris Spencer in the House District 1 race.
The details
Results reported from Bowie County show Hughes leading Senate District 1 with 14,635 votes to Laticia Ambroz's 6,907, while Cass County returned 8,638 votes for Hughes against 2,122 for Ambroz. Spencer has said he hopes to serve on the House Natural Resources Committee if elected.
Timeline
September: Gary VanDeaver resigned, leaving the District 1 seat vacant.
November 3, 2026: General election held, with Spencer and Hughes results reported.
Political Context
Spencer's win arrives on the same ballot where Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott, who had endorsed him. The result shows Abbott's endorsement did not carry statewide, even as it coincided with a local House win in District 1.
Texas House District 1 residents will have a representative in the state House once Spencer takes office, ending the vacancy left by VanDeaver's resignation. Residents of the five-county district will see their local legislative representation restored once certification is complete.
The takeaway
Local House seats can remain vacant for months after a resignation, so voters should watch for when a winner is certified and sworn in. Checking county election pages once results are certified confirms the final tallies.
Further reading
Track results and races in the Texas Elections section for more on contests like this one.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Texarkanagazette.
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