Changes

Gallego, considered more liberal than Flores, carried the endorsement of the usually independent ''Laredo Morning Times,'' though Flores was reared in [[Laredo]]. The newspaper like Gallego opposed the  2017 "bathroom bill" that would have required transgender Texans to use the public rest room according to their genitalia at birth. Though the measure was blocked from a vote in the state House, Flores still supports it because numerous crimes have been reported involving transgenders in rest rooms. Gallego also opposes the sanctuary cities bill, which was passed into law. That legislation, he claims, alienates law enforcement from the immigrant community, but Flores supports the sanctuary cities law because law-enforcement officers are sworn to uphold all laws. Governor Abbott dispatched the Department of Public Safety at an estimated cost of $800 million over two years to help federal officials secure the border. Gallego claims that those funds would have been better spent on public education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/opinion/editorials/article/Gallego-earns-nod-in-SD19-runoff-race-13213595.php?utm_campaign=hptexas|title=Gallego earns nod in Senate District 19 runoff race|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|accessdate=September 9, 2018}}</ref>

Gallego, considered more liberal than Flores, carried the endorsement of the usually independent ''Laredo Morning Times,'' though Flores was reared in [[Laredo]]. The newspaper like Gallego opposed the  2017 "bathroom bill" that would have required transgender Texans to use the public rest room according to their genitalia at birth. Though the measure was blocked from a vote in the state House, Flores still supports it because numerous crimes have been reported involving transgenders in rest rooms. Gallego also opposes the sanctuary cities bill, which was passed into law. That legislation, he claims, alienates law enforcement from the immigrant community, but Flores supports the sanctuary cities law because law-enforcement officers are sworn to uphold all laws. Governor Abbott dispatched the Department of Public Safety at an estimated cost of $800 million over two years to help federal officials secure the border. Gallego claims that those funds would have been better spent on public education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/opinion/editorials/article/Gallego-earns-nod-in-SD19-runoff-race-13213595.php?utm_campaign=hptexas|title=Gallego earns nod in Senate District 19 runoff race|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|accessdate=September 9, 2018}}</ref>

With final results on September 18, Flores scored an unexpected upset over Gallego in a year in which Texas Democrats confidently expect to ride a blue wave to major victories on November 6. Flores polled 23,576 votes (53 percent); Gallego, 20,911 (47 percent). Flores' victory was assured with his 81 percent margin in Medina County and his 64 percent in Uvalde County, both west of San Antonio. Gallego carried the Bexar County precincts with nearly 54 percent, but the margin was insufficient for him to overcome Flores district-wide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/sep18_332_state.htm?x=0&y=0&id=107|title=2018 Special Runoff Election Returns|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accesdate=September 18, 2018}}</ref>Flores' term will expire in January 2021; like President Trump, he faces reelection in 2020.

With final results on September 18, Flores scored an unexpected upset over Gallego in a year in which Texas Democrats confidently expected to ride a "blue wave" to major victories on November 6, fueled largely by popular U.S. Senate candidate, [[Beto O'Rourke]]. Flores polled 23,576 votes (53 percent); Gallego, 20,911 (47 percent). Flores' victory was assured with his 81 percent margin in Medina County and his 64 percent in Uvalde County, both west of San Antonio. Gallego carried the Bexar County precincts with nearly 54 percent, but the margin was insufficient for him to overcome Flores district-wide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/sep18_332_state.htm?x=0&y=0&id=107|title=2018 Special Runoff Election Returns|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accesdate=September 18, 2018}}</ref>Flores' term will expire in January 2021; like President Trump, he faces reelection in 2020.

 

==References==

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