Greg Casar declares victory in Democratic primary election for 35th Congressional District

Democrat Greg Casar declared victory Tuesday night in the Democratic primary for the 35th Congressional District, after election night tallies showed him running well ahead of three opponents, including state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin.

Casar, a former Austin City Council member, had nearly 60% of the vote by 9:30 p.m.

“Tonight we won, but it wasn't about me," Casar said in his victory speech at Native Hostel in East Austin, one hour after the polls closed. "This election was about us, the power of the people and the power of our movement. Let’s celebrate the progressive movement in Texas.”

The 35th District — which includes East Austin, eastern portions of Hays and Comal counties and part of San Antonio — is one of the most liberal congressional seats in the state based on voting history.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, has represented the district since it was created a decade ago, but is running in the newly created 37th Congressional District. He declared victory in his primary contest shortly after.

With Doggett's departure, Casar and Rodriguez emerged as leading contenders in the race for the seat. The other candidates were former San Antonio City Council Member Rebecca Viagran and Austin consultant Carla-Joy Sisco. 

More:Greg Casar, Eddie Rodriguez vying for progressive vote in 35th Congressional District

Casar is among the most liberal members to ever serve on the Austin City Council and is credited as being a driving force behind the council’s push to redirect funding away from the Police Department and other significant policy shifts in recent years, including on homelessness, worker protections and immigration.

While those actions are lauded by some, they also prompted legal challenges and retaliation by Republican state leaders — and earned Casar his fair share of detractors among Democrats in Austin.

Casar earned endorsements from several high-profile progressive politicians, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who campaigned for Casar at events in Austin and San Antonio.

He also received support from local political fixtures in Austin, including Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County District Attorney José Garza.

"Greg’s a force of nature and has been such a fighter for working folk,” said Sean Hassan, an Austin Community College board member who attended Casar’s election night celebration with his 5-year-old son, Iliyan.

More:Greg Casar's legacy: A more progressive Austin City Council, but not without detractors

Rodriguez, who dubbed himself the "progressive who makes progress" in campaign materials, is ranked among the most liberal members of the Texas House, where he has been a fixture for nearly two decades.

He has been a leader in the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and helped coordinate Democratic resistance to a number of Republican priority measures, including legislation banning so-called sanctuary cities and the sweeping elections bill signed into law last year.

More:Election results from the 2022 Texas primary are in. Find Austin, county and state races here.

Rodriguez was endorsed by many of his colleagues at the statehouse, including Democrats who represent areas included in the 35th District: Reps. Sheryl Cole, D-Austin; Philip Cortez, D-San Antonio; Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, D-San Antonio; Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin; Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin; Donna Howard, D-Austin; Celia Israel, D-Austin; Ray Lopez, D-San Antonio; and Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio.

He also secured endorsements from U.S. Reps. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville; Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth; and Al Green, D-Houston, and the New Democrat Coalition in Congress and the local Black Austin Democrats and Capital Area Progressive Democrats.

More:State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez throws hat in race for Texas' 35th Congressional District

Casar will face off against the winner of the 10-way Republican primary.