A former Trump campaign official has won a tight primary fight and will now serve as the representative of a deep-red Texas House district.
Republican Katrina Pierson, who served as the spokesperson for former President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, defeated incumbent state Rep. Justin Holland in Tuesday’s primary runoff for Texas’ 33rd House District, and is the presumptive winner of November’s general election since no Democrat candidate is standing in the race.
Pierson had the backing of Republican Texas Gov. Gregg Abott, who sought to oust incumbent Republicans opposed to some of his policy objectives.
Republican Texas state Rep. Justin Holland and Republican challenger Katrina Pierson. (Texas State House, Getty Images)
Holland, who was first elected in 2016, opposed key legislation supported by Abbott that would have paved the way for Texas parents to send their children to private or religious affiliated schools using public funding. A group of 21 Republicans, including Holland, joined all Democrats in opposing the measure last year.
Holland has also faced scrutiny for a number of other positions he’s taken, including supporting legislation last year that would have raised the age to purchase “assault” style rifles from 18 to 21, and voting in favor of impeaching Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
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Katrina Pierson, former national spokesperson for the Trump administration, listens during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Pierson gained Paxton’s backing ahead of the March primary, while Abbott endorsed her ahead of the runoff.
Republicans currently hold 86 of the 150 seats in the Texas state House, a majority of 11.