Grand Prairie council member Junior Ezeonu was narrowly leading longtime state Rep. Chris Turner in what could be an upset for Texas House District 101’s incumbent, unofficial results show.
Meanwhile, Cheryl Bean, running for Texas House District 94, and Rep. David Cook, running for Texas Senate District 22, jumped to large leads in their respective races to replace state lawmakers who didn’t seek reelection.
Texas House District 101
Ezeonu, in his first run for a state seat, was leading the race with 52.7% of the vote over Turner‘s 47.3%, according to unofficial results at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. The Associated Press has not called the race.
District 101 includes central and south Arlington, along with parts of east Mansfield and parts of Grand Prairie.
Turner, who has held leadership positions among the Texas House Democratic Caucus, significantly outraised and outspent his opponent. He previously said this is the first time he faced a primary challenger since he was elected to the seat in 2013.
He campaigned on prioritizing public school funding and accessibility to affordable health care.
Ezeonu, 26, was the youngest member ever elected to the Grand Prairie City Council, unseating a 12-year incumbent in the process.
His priorities include increasing the state minimum wage to $15, repealing the state’s education savings account law that allows for public dollars to be spent on private schools, and making homeownership more affordable and accessible for Texas residents.
A Republican candidate did not run in the primary, meaning the winner of the Democratic primary will run unopposed in November.
Texas House District 94
District 94 had a packed Republican primary as five candidates vie for former state Rep. Tony Tinderholt’s seat. The district covers parts of west and central Arlington, Hurst and parts of east Fort Worth.
Tinderholt, who held the seat since 2015, announced he would not run for reelection in June, and a day later announced he was running for Tarrant County Commissioner for Precinct 2.
Bean, a business owner, was leading the race with 53.75% of votes, with nonprofit executive Jackie Schlegel trailing closest with 25%, according to the unofficial results. As of 5:20 a.m. Wednesday, the Associated Press has not called the race and 196 out of 199 vote centers in Tarrant County reported results.
Mortgage banker Mike Ingraham 6.9%, nurse Susan Valliant had 9.7% and entrepreneur Michael Daughenbaugh had 4.7% of the vote, according to the returns.
If no candidate has more than 50% of votes in their primary races, the top two vote getters will enter a runoff election in May.
The winner of the Republican primary faces Democrat Katie O’Brien Duzan in November.
Bean and Schlegel each raised significantly more financial and in-kind support and garnered more endorsements from state and county elected officials than their opponents.
Over the past month and a half, Schlegel and Bean have received large boosts from political action committees. The two also share legislative priorities: affordability, quality education that does not push political agendas and property tax relief.
Bean has been involved in local and state politics for years, previously running for a Texas House seat. She said her experience in shaping public policy, along with her former work in the defense industry and current ownership of a construction company, makes her stand out from others.
Another priority of Schlegel’s is medical freedom, an issue she spent years fighting for with her former organization, Texans for Vaccine Choice, and her current organization, Texans for Medical Freedom.
Senate District 22
Cook, who currently represents Texas House District 96, is poised to secure his spot on the November ballot, according to unofficial results.
Cook was leading the race with 67% of the votes, with McLennan County District Clerk Jon Gimble trailing closest at 24%, according to unofficial results. Nonprofit owner Rena Schroeder received 9%.
The GOP winner will face Democrat Amy Martinez Salas for Texas Senate District 22 in November.
District 22 covers parts of central Arlington, Euless and Mansfield. It extends west into Granbury and south toward Waco in Central Texas.
The seat opened after outgoing state Sen. Brian Birdwell was nominated in October for assistant secretary of defense by President Donald Trump. Birdwell’s nomination is awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation.
Birdwell held the Texas Senate seat since 2010, serving six terms.
Cook, who has represented Texas House District 96 since 2020, received endorsements from local, state and national levels, including Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. His priorities include property tax relief, advocating for stronger borders, cutting government spending, pushing for stronger public safety systems, and allowing parents to have more control over their children’s education.
Gimble serves on the Texas Judicial Council and was the first Republican elected McLennan County district clerk in 2015. His endorsements include the Young Conservatives of Texas and Waco-area GOP leaders, according to his campaign website.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 5:30 a.m. March 4, 2026, with the latest totals from unofficial results.
Chris Moss is a reporter for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@arlingtonreport.org.
Bianca Rodriguez-Mora is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at bianca@fortworthreport.org.
At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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