Incumbent Terry Phillips, left, will face challenger J. Scott Herod in a May 28 runoff. The winner of the Republican primary runoff will face Democratic nominee Edith Wilson in the November election.

Longtime Smith County Commissioner Terry Phillips will not be on the November ballot after his challenger received the most votes in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff. 

Unofficial results of the runoff show voters overwhelmingly want to see businessman and rancher J. Scott Herod in the November race for commissioner. Herod received nearly 90% of the vote, besting Phillips. 

Herod received 1,773 votes, or 89.95%. Incumbent Phillips received 198 votes, coming to 10.05%, according to the unofficial results.

“The margin of victory is not necessarily as important as the fact that we’re going to move forward towards November and work hard,” Herod said Tuesday night after learning of the victory. “I’ve already spoken to Commissioner Phillips and I’m gonna need to lean on him and ask him some questions.”

Herod will face Democrat Edith Wilson in November as voters determine who they want to see represent Precinct 3 on the commissioners court.

The Precinct 3 area covers Lindale, Hideaway, Winona, part of the New Chapel Hill area, part of southeast Tyler and a small portion of Overton.

Since the primary, Herod has focused on learning more about county business, the role, and the people who work in the county. He expressed gratitude to his friends, family and supporters, acknowledging their crucial role in his successful campaign.

“I want to continue to be conservative like the fiscal seat there for the Commissioners Court and to me it’s just important that we have that good transition,” Herod said. “God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called, and so certainly I feel that through this process.”

In his vision for the position, Herod has emphasized the importance of clear and inclusive communication, a skillset he said he has refined through years of navigating various leadership roles and collaborating on large-scale projects.

Phillips took office in January 2009. Motivated by his belief in fiscal responsibility and constitutional conservatism, he pursued public office to advocate for accountability and transparency in government decision-making.

“I want to help Scott and make this process smooth, seamless, and just help him,” Phillips said Tuesday night. “I think he’s gonna do a good job and there’s no ill feelings, no animosity, no nothing. I just want the best for Smith County and him. As long as he does good, we’ll all be good.”

Phillips said he looks forward to traveling and expanding his real estate investment business. He mentioned he’s not quite ready to sit back and relax, but once his term is up, he won’t be involveed in politics.

Turnout

There were 1,973 ballots cast out of 38,457 registered voters, which is a 5.13% voter turnout. The majority of votes were cast during the week of early voting, as there were 1,258 ballots cast during that week compared to 600 on Election Day, and 115 of the votes were absentee ballots.

Background

In the March primary election, Herod received 2,968 votes, or 44.25% and Phillips received 2,141 votes, or 31.92%. A third candidate, Rusty Smith, received about 23.8% of the vote during the primary. A runoff election was held after none of the three candidates received more than 50% of the vote.

What’s next?

The final results will be posted after canvassing, which takes about two weeks.

Wilson and Herod will be on the ballot in November when voters determine the next Precinct 3 commissioner.