Cruz beats Dewhurst

Maggie Wright, 66, is embraced by Ted Cruz, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, while he visits supporters and voters at St. Martin's Episcopal Church on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, in Houston. Maggie Wright, 66, is embraced by Ted Cruz, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, while he visits supporters and voters at St. Martin's Episcopal Church on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, in Houston. Photo: Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle Photo: Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 38 Caption Close Cruz beats Dewhurst 1 / 38 Back to Gallery

Texas' drift toward the Tea Party brand of GOP conservatism continued Tuesday when lawyer Ted Cruz scored a surprisingly easy win over David Dewhurst in the Republican primary runoff for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Cruz once was considered a long shot to take down well-heeled Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst – the favorite of the party establishment and Hutchison's heir apparent. But he steadily gained in the polls during their bare-knuckles campaign brawl, and his lead opened up as soon as the earliest returns were posted. By 8:30 p.m. the Associated Press had named Cruz the winner, and within an hour Dewhurst called Cruz to concede.

"Wow! We did it!," Ted Cruz told a jam-packed crowd of supporters at the J.W. Marriott Hotel near the Galleria. He reminded them that when he started his campaign, he was largely unknown. "This is a victory for the grassroots, We should take it as a providential sign that today would be the 100th birthday of Milton Friedman," he said.

Cruz praised God – "To Him be the glory" – and Martin Luther King Jr., and thanked a long list that included Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Ron and Rand Paul, Martin Luther King Jr. and even Dewhurst.

"I salute Mr. Dewhurst for his many years in the Air Force, in the CIA and as lieutenant governor," Cruz said.

Cruz said his win suggests "a great awakening" that is taking place across the country.

"Millions of Texans, millions of Americans are rising up to reclaim our country, to defend liberty and defend the Constitution," he said.

Dewhurst offered brief and emotional remarks to a room of supporters at the Omni Hotel a few hundred yards away from Cruz's much happier gathering.

"We got beat up a little, but we never gave up," Dewhurst said.

Dewhurst said he was not accustomed to coming up short in an election but that he will continue to advocate for the state's interests.

"We will never stop fighting for our beloved Texas," Dewhurst said, his voice cracking and his lips tightly pursed. "We will never stop fighting for our conservative principles. We will never stop fighting President Barack Obama and his liberal agenda."

Cruz supporters said his win is a sign of things to come.

"It shows that we're able to mobilize in a state this large, where everybody said it couldn't be done," said Ryan Seth Hecker, chief operating officer of FreedomWorks for America, a super PAC and Tea Party support group that backed Cruz. "What it shows is that real bottom-up energy can win here, and if it can win here, it can win anywhere."

The Club for Growth PAC claimed that Cruz's victory signals growing acceptance of a particular type of modern conservatism.

"Ted Cruz is a champion of economic freedom and we look forward to seeing him fight for America in the Senate," said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. "Ted Cruz won because he clearly articulated the pro-growth message that Republican voters across the country have responded to. Tonight, Texas Republicans have shown Washington that the people do not work for the politicians – the politicians work for the people."

On the Democratic side, former state Rep. Paul Sadler trounced San Antonio educator Grady Yarbrough for the chance to face Cruz in November.

In the 14th Congressional District, ultra-conservative Randy Weber claimed an easy victory over fellow Pearland resident Felicia Harris, a former city council member. Weber, a state representative once labeled among the most conservative members of the Legislature, was backed by Tea Party groups as well as Gov. Rick Perry and outgoing Congressman Ron Paul, who is retiring. Weber had more than 62 percent of the votes with most ballots counted.

On Houston's eastern flank, the newly drawn 36th Congressional District pitted eccentric former Congressman Steve Stockman against Baytown accountant Stephen Takach, and as ballots trickled in a narrow Stockman lead began to widen into an apparent victory. Stockman scored a stunning upset of longtime incumbent Jack Brooks of Beaumont in 1994, when a band of insurgents led by Newt Gingrich helped Republicans take control of Congress. But his penchant for bizarre behavior and outlandish accusations translated into one term in Washington, as he was defeated by Nick Lampson.

Stockman was backed by several prominent Christian conservatives as well as some Tea Party groups.

Another longtime Republican moderate, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth of San Antonio, also ended up a victim of the Tea Party crusade. He was trailing by a 2-1 margin to Donna Campbell with almost half the votes counted and certain to fail in his reelection bid after more than two decades in the Legislature.

One of the few Tea Party setbacks came in Central Texas, where former Texas secretary of state Roger Williams defeated Wes Riddle for the new Congressional District 25. Williams heavily outspent Riddle, founder of the Central Texas Tea Party, to all but claim the seat, which includes parts of Travis and Hays counties and was drawn to favor a GOP candidate.

In other Harris County races, James Cargas won the Democratic runoff for U.S. District 7 representative, topping Lissa Squiers. He will face incumbent Republican John Culberson in November. And two GOP nominations for state district judge also were decided. Michael Landrum beat Chris Gillet in the 129th District race, and Don Self topped Janet Townsley in the 152nd District contest.

mike.tolson@chron.com