Cruz beats Dewhurst in Senate runoff

July 31, 2012, 8:27 pm by Adam Troxtell

Former Solicitor General Ted Cruz has defeated Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the Republican Primary runoff for U.S. Senate.

Tea Party-affiliated Cruz took 56 percent of the vote, while mainstream republican Dewhurst received 43.2 percent. Dewhurst officially took Burnet County 57.63 percent to 42.37 percent. The race gained national attention because it presented the new wave of Tea Party ideals against the established republican standard.

On the Democrat side, former State Rep. Paul Sadler stormed to victory over Grady Yarbrough for the chance to challenge Cruz in November. Sadler led with 63.08 percent of the vote compared to Yarbrough's 36.91 percent, with 50 percent of precincts reporting. Burnet was also firmly in Sadler's hands, as he took 83 percent of the county vote.