GAINESVILLE, Texas — Cooke County voters went to the polls Tuesday in the March 3 primary election, deciding a contested county judge race and weighing in on a high-profile U.S. Senate battle that remains unresolved.
Early voting turnout signaled strong interest. Approximately 3,130 Cooke County residents cast ballots during the early voting period from Feb. 17 through Feb. 27 — up from 2,657 early votes in the March 2024 primary. About 69 percent of early ballots were cast in the Republican primary, with 22 percent in the Democratic primary, a notable shift from 2024 when roughly 95 percent went Republican.
County Judge
Business owner Karla Metzler won the Republican primary for Cooke County Judge with approximately 62 percent of the vote, avoiding a runoff and securing the nomination outright. She defeated attorney Fred Haiman and retiree Kerri Kingsbery in a three-way race.
The seat opened after incumbent County Judge John Roan filed for re-election but withdrew his candidacy in December, leaving no incumbent on the ballot. With no Democratic candidate filed, Metzler is expected to take office in January 2027.
Commissioner Precinct 4
Incumbent Commissioner Matt Sicking held off challenger Phil Reiter in the Republican primary for Precinct 4. Both candidates had focused their campaigns on county budget management, with Reiter calling for tightening spending and Sicking expressing frustration with limited state support.
U.S. Senate
The marquee statewide race ended without a winner. Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will advance to a May 26 Republican runoff after neither candidate cleared the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a second round. U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt finished a distant third.
Cornyn held a narrow edge in initial returns, with approximately 41.7 percent to Paxton's 41 percent statewide. Spending in the race has reached nearly $99 million across both party primaries — second in U.S. history only to the 2022 Arizona Senate primary.
On the Democratic side, State Rep. James Talarico won the nomination and will face the Republican winner in November.
Other Statewide Results
Gov. Greg Abbott won the Republican primary with approximately 83 percent of the vote and will face Democrat Gina Hinojosa in the general election. In Texas' 26th Congressional District, which includes Cooke County, incumbent Rep. Brandon Gill won the Republican primary with roughly 91 percent over challenger Robert Chick.
Several other Cooke County offices — including County Clerk, District Clerk, County Treasurer, and County Court at Law Judge — were uncontested in the primary.
The runoff election for the Cornyn-Paxton Senate race is scheduled for May 26. The general election is Nov. 3.
Full unofficial results are available at the Cooke County Elections page at co.cooke.tx.us.