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By Jasmine Laws
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A Democratic-backed candidate has won a closely contested mayoral race in Pearland, Texas, a Republican-leaning suburb of Houston in Brazoria County that has consistently voted for President Donald Trump since 2016.
Winning candidate Quentin Wiltz shared the results of the contest on his Instagram account on Saturday, writing: “I am deeply humbled, incredibly grateful, and honored by the trust you have placed in me.”
He also told Newsweek in a statement: "Pearland has spoken. We are a city ready for change, and I'm looking forward to building a better future for everyone who lives here."
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"We have a lot of work to do. This victory is for all of us, and the victories ahead will come by building unity and working together as one city, both East and West," he added.
In recent weeks, there has been a trend of Democratic-backed candidates making gains in seats typically held by Republican-endorsed electives, which could be an early warning sign for the GOP as the November midterms draw nearer, though the party has largely dismissed their impact.
Democratic-backed candidates flipped three seats in mayoral and city council elections in Whittier, California, and at the center of these elections were issues being discussed nationwide, like the impact of federal immigration enforcement as well as the economy.
Although the elections in Whittier are non-partisan, candidates endorsed by Democrats had the early lead in unofficial results.
While the Pearland results have not yet been officially certified, early figures show Wiltz securing 51 percent of the vote compared with Republican-endorsed candidate Tony Carbone’s 49 percent.
Carbone also congratulated Wiltz in a Facebook post, writing: “I wish him success as he serves our community,” adding that “tonight didn’t end the way we had hoped, but I’m deeply grateful for the support, encouragement, and trust so many in our community showed throughout this campaign.”
Brazoria County Democratic Party told Newsweek the impact of Wiltz' victory "cannot be overstated," as Pearland voters "elected a Black Democrat to be mayor in a red county and a red state."
"This is historic and we will celebrate the success and continue the work. November is right around the corner and we have an entire slate of highly qualified candidates ready to serve," the group added.
Newsweek has contacted Carbone, and Brazoria County Republican group outside of regular working hours via email for comment.
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Local Political Landscape
While local elections are often formally non-partisan, Carbone was endorsed by Republican lawmakers including State Representative Jeffrey Barry, State Senator Larry Taylor, and State Senator Ed Thompson, while Wiltz was endorsed by the Brazoria County Democratic Party.
The city’s current mayor, Kevin Cole, began his term in 2020, but ran this year for Brazoria County judge. According to Ballotpedia, he is affiliated with the Republican Party. Before Cole, Tom Reid held the position for 42 years and while nonpartisan, was aligned with the GOP.
More broadly, Brazoria County has consistently voted for President Donald Trump since 2016. In the 2024 election, 57 percent voted for him, compared with 58 percent in 2020 and 60 percent in 2016.
As a result, Wiltz’s victory stands out in a county widely regarded as a Republican stronghold. He said on Instagram that his win belongs to “every voter who showed up, every volunteer who gave their time, every supporter who made calls, knocked doors, shared posts, prayed, encouraged, and believed in a brighter future for our city.”
Brazoria County Democratic Party told Newsweek that Wiltz "secured a historic victory in Pearland to become the first Black mayor of the city," adding that this was "the time for Pearland to embrace its growing diversity and the opportunity to achieve great progress," and "reflects the growing progressive base that calls Pearland home."
A number of other local elections also took place on Saturday with mixed outcomes. In Pearland’s Independent School District races, Democrats secured additional wins, while Republicans also made gains in other contests.
In the election for Position 1 in the school district, Democratic-backed Toni Carter retained her seat with 50 percent of the vote in unofficial results, ahead of Republican-endorsed Rich Bradley, who received 40 percent. Chris Counts received 10 percent.
Elsewhere in the state, Republican Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon defeated Democrat Ron Angeletti in a special election for a seat in the Texas state Senate by a huge lead, according to unofficial election results. Ligon obtained 75 percent of the more than 26,000 votes cast in Texas' 4th Senate District.
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