GOP primary runoff for open 12th congressional district in Tarrant, Parker counties
NORTH TEXAS — State Rep. Craig Goldman of Fort Worth and businessman John O'Shea face off for the open 12th Congressional District seat in next month's GOP primary runoff.
Goldman and O'Shea were the top two vote-getters among the five candidates during the March 5th GOP primary.
They're vying to succeed longtime Congresswoman Kay Granger who announced last year that she's retiring at the end of her term this year.
The 12th Congressional District is in much of the city of Fort Worth, Tarrant and Parker counties.
Goldman is endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker among other Republican lawmakers in Tarrant County.
O'Shea is endorsed by Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller among others.
Both O'Shea and Goldman told CBS News Texas their top priorities include securing the southern border and cutting federal spending.
The national debt is now more than $34.6 trillion and counting.
We asked each of them why they believe Republicans should vote for them in the May 28 runoff.
Goldman told CBS News Texas, "The difference is very clear. I've got a proven conservative voting record, 10 years' worth, in the Texas State House. My opponent has no record of doing anything. So, it's very clear, whether it's pro-life issues, whether it's the Second Amendment, we made constitutional carry into law in the State of Texas, whether it's spending billions of dollars to defend the Texas border, I've done it. I've been a part of it. I've been a leader in the Texas State House helping make those things happen."
O'Shea said, "The gentleman who is my opponent right now in the primary has been in the State House for the last 10 years and has been part of the House leadership, I would say is viewed more as part of the Republican establishment. Whereas I tend to fall under more as the America First-kind of Ken Paxton wing of the Republican Party. I think there is a bit of a civil war in the Texas Republican Party right now and I think having voters have a binary choice as to whether or not they would rather return back to the more establishment kind of George Bush wing of the Republican Party or a more America First-Donald Trump-Ken Paxton wing of the party. We now have the ability to offer that choice to the voters."
Former President Donald Trump has not endorsed either candidate in this race.
The winner of this primary will face Democrat Trey Hunt this November, but this is a Republican majority district and will likely remain so.
We are profiling this race on Eye On Politics this Sunday morning.
Plus, we'll take a deep dive into two propositions on the ballot in Frisco's municipal elections pitting the firefighter's association against city leaders.
Eye On Politics airs Sunday morning at 7:30 on CBS News Texas ON AIR and streaming.
Follow Jack on X: @cbs11jack
