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Texas 2020 Elections

After updated results, Republican makes runoff for key state House seat by one-vote margin

Justin Berry advanced to the primary overtime round after earlier results had him missing the runoff by one vote. Third-place finisher Don Zimmerman has until Friday to request a recount.

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Justin Berry is a candidate for Texas House District 19.
Justin Berry is a candidate for Texas House District 47. Credit: Social media

* Correction appended.

A Republican candidate for a battleground Texas House seat has advanced to a runoff for his party's nomination by the slimmest of margins — one vote.

Even more remarkable: The candidate, Justin Berry, pulled ahead late this week after earlier results had him missing the runoff — also by just one vote. The tide turned Wednesday, when Travis County updated its results to reflect military, overseas and provisional ballots.

The results were canvassed Thursday by the Travis County GOP, making official for now the the runoff lineup to challenge state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin. The GOP is targeting her after she flipped the seat in 2018.

Attorney Jennifer Fleck was the top vote-getter by a decisive margin. Berry, an Austin police officer, squeezed into the second runoff spot with 4,105 votes, knocking out Don Zimmerman, an ex-Austin City Council member.

Zimmerman has until 2 p.m. Friday to request a recount. His campaign has declined to comment on whether it will seek one.

Coming out of election night, Berry trailed Zimmerman, 4,098 votes to 4,099.

Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified the job status of Justin Berry.

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