A doctor from Georgetown has won the right to represent the region in the Texas Senate.
Charles Schwertner, currently a state representative, will all-but-assuredly move to the other side of the capitol to represent Senate District 5 with his victory Tuesday in the Republican primary. He was declared the winner by the Associated Press shortly before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, defeating Huntsville businessman Ben Bius by a wide margin.
No Democratic candidate ran for the office.
Steve Ogden has held the seat since 1997, but chose to retire. He backed Schwertner, who was in his first term in the Texas House representing District 20.
For the second straight election, Bius was unsuccessful in a bid for District 5. In 2010, he lost to Ogden, who had initially decided to retire, but changed his mind after Bius had announced his candidacy. Ogden took 68 percent of the vote in the Republican primary that year.
With redistricting, Senate District 5 will now encompass Brazos, Grimes, Walker, Madison, Leon, Robertson and Milam Counties locally. Williamson, Limestone and Freestone Counties are also in the district.
