Changes

On June 19, 2018, Uresti resigned from the Senate. [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] then called a special election for July 31 to fill the five months remaining in the term. Uresti had urged that the seat remain vacant pending a special election for November 6, the date of the national congressional elections when Democratic turnout was expected to be much higher than it would be for a special election..<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2018/06/20/gov-abbott-calls-for-july-election-to-fill-state.html|title=Gov. Abbott calls for July election to fill state senate seat|publisher=''San Antonio Business Journal''|author=Sergio Chapa|date=June 20, 2018|accessdate=June 21, 2018}}</ref> A week later, Uresti was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.<ref name=ksat>{{cite web|url=https://www.ksat.com/news/former-state-sen-uresti-to-be-sentenced-in-fraud-case-on-tuesday|title=Former State Sen. Carlos Uresti sentenced to 12 years in prison: Uresti found guilty of eleven felonies relating to fraud, money laundering|publisher=KSAT Television|author=Ben Spicer|date=June 26, 2018|accessdate=June 29, 2018}}</ref>U.S. District Judge David Ezra ruled that Uresti could remain free on bond until the conclusion of a federal bribery charge in Reeves County. That trial is scheduled to begin on October 28, 2018.<br>

On June 19, 2018, Uresti resigned from the Senate. [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] then called a special election for July 31 to fill the five months remaining in the term. Uresti had urged that the seat remain vacant pending a special election for November 6, the date of the national congressional elections when Democratic turnout was expected to be much higher than it would be for a special election..<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2018/06/20/gov-abbott-calls-for-july-election-to-fill-state.html|title=Gov. Abbott calls for July election to fill state senate seat|publisher=''San Antonio Business Journal''|author=Sergio Chapa|date=June 20, 2018|accessdate=June 21, 2018}}</ref> A week later, Uresti was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.<ref name=ksat>{{cite web|url=https://www.ksat.com/news/former-state-sen-uresti-to-be-sentenced-in-fraud-case-on-tuesday|title=Former State Sen. Carlos Uresti sentenced to 12 years in prison: Uresti found guilty of eleven felonies relating to fraud, money laundering|publisher=KSAT Television|author=Ben Spicer|date=June 26, 2018|accessdate=June 29, 2018}}</ref>U.S. District Judge David Ezra ruled that Uresti could remain free on bond until the conclusion of a federal bribery charge in Reeves County. That trial is scheduled to begin on October 28, 2018.<br>

Eight candidates, including Uresti's brother, Tomas Uresti,  state Representative Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio, former state Representative and [[U.S. Representative]] Pete Gallego, former congressional candidate Charles Urbina Jones, and Flores<filed for the special election to fill's seat.<ref name=ksat/><ref>Jasper Scherer, "Pair of Democrats aim for Uresti's Senate seat", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 7, 2018, pp. 1, A11.</ref><br>​

Eight candidates, including Uresti's brother, Tomas Uresti,  state Representative Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio, former state Representative and [[U.S. Representative]] Pete Gallego, former congressional candidate Charles Urbina Jones, and Flores<filed for the special election to fill's seat.<ref name=ksat/><ref>Jasper Scherer, "Pair of Democrats aim for Uresti's Senate seat", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 7, 2018, pp. 1, A11.</ref>

A retired game warden from Pleasanton in Atascosa County, Flores had lost to Uresti in the 2016 general election. He narrowly led in the first round of the special election but finished short of a majority. In the forthcoming runoff election, Pete Flores faced Democrat Pete Gallego, who now lives with his wife in [[Austin]] but pays utilities and is still registered to vote in his native Alpine in Brewster County. Flores polled 8,965 votes (34.5 percent) to Gallego's 5,406 (32.5 percent). Roland Gutierrez finished third with a critical 4,4431 votes (26.6 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/jul31_330_state.htm?x=0&y=0&id=236|title=Election returns|date=July 31, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=July 31, 2018}}</ref> Flores faced daunting prospects because the total Republican vote in the special election, 36.1 percent, was far from a majority of the ballots cast.<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "GOP has special-election hopes for seat held by Uresti", ''San Antonio Express News'', March 11, 2018, p. 2.</ref><ref>Jasper Scherer, "Pair of Democrats aim for Uresti's Senate seat", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 7, 2018, pp. 1, A11.</ref><br>​

A retired game warden from Pleasanton in Atascosa County, Flores had lost to Uresti in the 2016 general election. He narrowly led in the first round of the special election but finished short of a majority. In the forthcoming runoff election, Pete Flores faced Democrat Pete Gallego, who now lives with his wife in [[Austin]] but pays utilities and is still registered to vote in his native Alpine in Brewster County. Flores polled 8,965 votes (34.5 percent) to Gallego's 5,406 (32.5 percent). Roland Gutierrez finished third with a critical 4,4431 votes (26.6 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/jul31_330_state.htm?x=0&y=0&id=236|title=Election returns|date=July 31, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=July 31, 2018}}</ref> Flores faced daunting prospects because the total Republican vote in the special election, 36.1 percent, was far from a majority of the ballots cast.<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "GOP has special-election hopes for seat held by Uresti", ''San Antonio Express News'', March 11, 2018, p. 2.</ref><ref>Jasper Scherer, "Pair of Democrats aim for Uresti's Senate seat", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 7, 2018, pp. 1, A11.</ref><br>​