Sonny McAfee defeated Angela Dowdle by 6,240 to 3,637 in the Republican primary for 33rd Judicial District Attorney.

No contest. The 33rd Judicial District’s District Attorney Republican race, so close in the general election, turned into a runaway in the July 31 runoff. Wiley “Sonny” McAfee disposed of Angela Dowdle, 63.5% to 36.5% in the four counties in the district.

McAfee, who lost Burnet and San Saba counties in the four county region in the May 29 primary, won Burnet on Tuesday, 2,806 votes to 1,906, and captured San Saba, 473 to 309. McAfee garnered bigger percentage victories in Llano – 2,160 to 1,074 – and Blanco county – 801 to 348.

Dowdle, an attorney in Burnet, had waged a strong campaign that tore into McAfee for being somewhat new to the Hill Country. McAfee’s rebuttal was he had much more prosecutorial experience than his opponent. He sent out a forceful flyer near the end of the runoff, which also stressed Republican sheriffs and seven retired Texas Rangers supported him.

“We did a lot of work in all four counties,” said McAfee. “We had supporters who really talked old-fashioned politics and introduced me to the voters.

“My goal in office is to get rid of the backlog of cases, especially those involving the abuse of children.

“We want to set in place a team approach for solving and prosecuting cases.”

In the GOP battle for nomination for the U.S. Senate, Ted Cruz won against Lt. Governor David Dewhurst with 631,316 (56.79%) votes to 480,165 (43.2%). Blanco County’s votes nearly mirrored the state results with a split of 53.74% to 46.25%.

In other Republican primary runoffs, Christi Craddick took the railroad commissioner candidacy against Warren Chisum by 398,124 to 592,411. For railroad commissioner (unexpired term), incumbent Barry Smitherman won with 583,022 against Greg Parker’s 355,245 votes. John Devine received 498,937 votes to David Medina’s 437,637 in the Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 4, Republican primary runoff race.

Blanco County voters who cast ballots in the Democrats’ primary runoff election went along with the rest of the state, selecting Paul Sadler over Grady Yarbrough in the U.S. Senate race. Sadler defeated Yarbrough by 148,805 to 87,090.