The recount of the primary race for the District 55 state representative Republican nomination is over.
Hugh Shine defeated incumbent Rep. Molly White by 104 votes in a recount of the Republican primary on Thursday, according to Shine's campaign manager Jordan Overturf. That's 14 voters fewer than his win on Super Tuesday.
"I was very confident that the election's numbers were going to hold because Bell County has traditionally run very good elections," Shine said. "I would like to personally thank Ms. White for her public service. I am hopeful we have an orderly transition."
Shine thanked his wife and his supporters for all of their help throughout his campaign.
"Thank you for the opportunity to become your next state representative. I will serve our community with dignity, respect, and lots of hard work," he said.
White requested a recount of the March 1 results because of ballot issues, like polling locations running out of ballots, having to make copies of ballots, and even some places supposedly using sample ballots.
In an interview with News Channel 25 on Monday, Shine said he wasn't concerned about the recount and said he had a feeling it would go in his favor.
He was mostly concerned about his mother-in-law, who fell the night of the election and fractured her neck. She was recovering in the hospital until Tuesday, when she was transferred for rehabilitation and is doing much better, Shine said Thursday.
The recount results were announced just a few minutes after 6 p.m.
Shine says he and his wife were on their way to have dinner when he was informed about the results. He didn't think the recount would have been completed in one day.
He hopes to celebrate his win by taking a drive to the coast and going fishing with his son.
White's campaign could not be reached for comment before 10 p.m. on Thursday.
White posted on her Facebook page the following statement after our story aired on the Nightbeat:
"[On Thursday] we conducted a recount for House District 55 due to many reports of polling places having to use copied ballots, sample ballots and even blank pieces of paper for voters to cast their votes. After every vote was tallied we came up 104 votes short out of the 19,060 cast. The most important thing we learned today is that Precinct 105 had 106 ballots that were NOT counted on election day. Were it not for our recount these people's voices never would have been heard. Every vote counts and I hope the elections administration in Bell County has learned from this experience," said White in a statement. "I will continue to serve the community I love for the remainder of the year, and will passionately defend our conservative values wherever the Lord leads me in the future. God Bless you and God Bless Texas."
News Channel 25's Estephany Escobar contributed to this story.
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