Glasheen, Tepper begin Republican primary runoff race for State Representative District 84

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The race to represent District 84 in the Texas House of Representatives has narrowed to two candidates on the Republican ballot. David Glasheen and Carl Tepper garnered around 40 percent of primary votes Tuesday and will now campaign for three more months.

“I’m kind of excited to do it for a few more months because I really believe in the message that we’re talking about,” Glasheen said. “Number one, we have to secure the border and securing the southern border, finishing building the wall, it’s going to help us reduce crime right here in Lubbock. Work on lowering property taxes and make sure that parents know what’s going on in the classroom.”

Glasheen received the most votes in the four-way race with 4,886 or 42 percent. Carl Tepper received 4,691 votes or 40 percent. Both will proceed to a runoff on May 24th.

“I think I’d like to keep our campaign message about the issues,” Tepper told KCBD. “I’m passionate about Texas Tech, passionate about property taxes. We’re pro-life. We’re a social-conservative campaign. We’re a fiscal-conservative campaign. We’ve got some transportation issues coming up.”

Tepper said those transportation issues will be part of his focus if, given a chance to represent District 84, which now encompasses mainly the Lubbock metro area and northwest Lubbock County.

“I-27, the Ports-to-Plains Corridor, I think that’s going to be important to the future of Lubbock,” Tepper said. “Loop 88 is going to be important to the future Lubbock. I think there’s going to be some funding mechanisms at the legislature to help with those projects.”

Glasheen argues that his focus on the border, property tax, and abortion are local issues.

“We’ve had Republican majorities in the House and the Senate since the year 2003,” Glasheen said. “It took us 20 years to pass the Heartbeat Bill. It took us 20 years to pass constitutional carry. Those are local issues that matter right here in Lubbock.”

Both candidates have made their support of former President Trump an appeal to voters.

“I believe in President Trump’s vision for America and how we can make America great again,” Glasheen said. “I also think that I share the same characteristics as a political outsider who can come in and execute this vision for the future of our community without bowing down to the political establishment or the special interest groups.”

Tepper says he was the first major Republican Party of Texas leader to endorse Donald Trump.

“He taught us how to force our message through, not be apologetic for our message and make sure that it’s not just a message, but it’s an actual policy that gets through,” Tepper said. “The President did a good job with that. He’s become a leader and someone that we want to emulate going into the local and state levels.”

Kade Wilcox garnered 13 percent Republican primary votes, and Cheryl Little received 5 percent. Attracting those voters will be part of the remaining candidates’ mission.

“Look at my qualifications to do the job,” Glasheen said. “Look at the personality. I’m going to be the candidate that the other voters choose at the special election in May.”

“I respect everyone who voted for Kade and Cheryl,” Tepper said. “I hope they look at our campaign as an alternative going into the runoff.”

No Democratic candidate is running for District 84. The winner of the runoff will advance to the November general election and run unopposed to replace Representative John Frullo. He is not seeking reelection after first taking office in 2011.

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