Troy Nehls wins GOP primary in competitive Texas House district

Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls won the GOP primary in Texas’s 22nd District on Tuesday and will now head to one of the most competitive House races of the 2020 cycle.

Nehls defeated former businesswoman Kathaleen Wall in the race to replace outgoing Rep. Pete Olson (R), prevailing by 71 percent to 29 percent, with 49 percent of precincts reporting, according to the Associated Press.

He will now face off against Sri Kulkarni, a former diplomat who narrowly lost to Olson by 5 points two years ago. Kulkarni won the March 3 primary outright, avoiding a runoff.

Democrats are confident that Kulkarni is in a better position this year, having already raised more money than he did last cycle. They also believe that the race will be less of an uphill climb against a non-incumbent.  

The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, rates the race as “Lean Democratic.”