2006 Texas House of Representatives election

The 2006 Texas House of Representatives elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Texas voters elected state representatives in all 150 State House of Representatives districts. The winners of this election served in the 80th Texas Legislature. State representatives serve for two-year terms. Republicans maintained control of the House, losing five seats to the Democrats.

Background
Following the 2002 elections, the Republicans gained control of the House, giving them a governmental trifecta for the first time since Reconstruction. Democrats gained a net of one seat back from the Republicans in the 2004 elections, holding onto many rural districts that Republicans had targeted.

Special Elections
District 48: A special election was held on January 7, 2006, to fill the unexpired term of Rep. Todd Baxter, who resigned on November 1, 2005. Democrat Donna Howard received 49.46% in the special election, narrowly missing the 50% mark needed to win outright, so she faced Republican Ben Bentzin in the runoff on February 14, 2006. Howard won the runoff with 57.62%, flipping the district.

Results
Democrats gained a net of five seats from the Republicans.

House race summary, Districts 1–25

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House race summary, Districts 26–50

 * District 33
 * Incumbent Vilma Luna was unopposed in Democratic primary and was to be unopposed in the fall, but she withdrew from the race, allowing the Democratic Party a new nomination process and giving the Republican Party the chance to make its own nomination.


 * District 48
 * Ben Bentzin, unopposed in the Republican primary, withdrew from the race for House District 48 on August 21, 2006. Under the Texas Election Code, when a party nominee withdraws from a contested race, the party does not have the option to replace the candidate unless the candidate has been declared ineligible.


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