BREAKING: Dan Crenshaw loses GOP US House primary in Texas to Steve Toth

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) was defeated Tuesday in the Republican primary in Texas’ 2nd Congressional District, ending the four-term congressman’s bid for re-election.

Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who has represented the district since 2019, lost to businessman and state Rep. Steve Toth. With roughly three-fourths of ballots counted, Toth led with about 58 percent of the vote to Crenshaw’s 40 percent. Decision Desk called the race at 12:12 am local time.

Crenshaw was the only incumbent Republican House member in Texas running for re-election who did not receive President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Trump did not back a candidate in the contest, and Crenshaw has at times broken with Trump, including criticizing Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Toth’s campaign, aided by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s support, centered on portraying Crenshaw as insufficiently conservative for the district, which was redrawn during the state’s recent redistricting process. Cruz endorsed Toth last week and praised him as a “fighter” for school choice and fiscal responsibility.

Crenshaw, 41, is known for wearing an eye patch after losing his right eye in an IED blast while deployed to Afghanistan. Earlier Tuesday, before polls closed, he told Fox News that political opponents were targeting him.

Crenshaw entered the race with a significant fundraising advantage, outraising Toth, 65, by more than $1.3 million and also benefited from more than $1 million in spending from a pro-Crenshaw super PAC, according to the Texas Tribune. Toth is expected to be favored in the general election, where he will face Democrat Shaun Finnie in the district, which the Cook Political Report previously rated as solid Republican.