(FOX NEWS) - A Republican candidate won a shocking victory Tuesday in Texas, capturing a state Senate seat that has been held by Democrats for 139 years -- and fizzling out Democrats’ “blue wave” aspirations to flip the Lone Star State.
Pete Flores, a former leader of the state Parks and Wildlife Department’s law enforcement division, won the reliably blue district against Democrat Pete Gallego.
“I owe this first to God and then to the grassroots in all of our counties in Senate District 19,” Flores said after his opponent conceded the race, the Texas Tribune reported. “Primarily this is an example of what happens when you have a united front and a grassroots effort. So now it’s time to go to work.”
The runoff election was held following the resignation of Democratic state Sen. Carlos Uresti, who was convicted of helping an oilfield service company he co-owned run a Ponzi scheme.
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