Retired oil and gas industry executive Bill Flores, of Bryan, became Tuesday the Republican nominee to face U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, defeating Waco businessman Rob Curnock.

With all precincts reporting, Flores received 64.2 percent of the vote to Curnock’s 35.8 percent.

“The voters of this district are wanting a representative who believes in limited government, someone who can help stimulate private-sector job growth” and who can balance the budget, Flores said after the victory, sticking to his running theme of fiscal responsibility.

Bill Flores gives the thumbs up while campaigning at Central Christian Church on Lake Shore Drive on Tuesday.
Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald

Flores has been critical of rising budget deficits, the Democratic health insurance reform bill and the stimulus package since kicking off his campaign.

The former energy executive also has called for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as a funding reduction for the United Nations.

Though Flores and Curnock didn’t vastly differ in terms of policies, Flores argued he was better positioned to run a competitive general election campaign, in part because he was willing to invest his own money.

As of last month, Flores had raised $818,000, more than half of it coming from personal contributions and loans to the campaign.

He heavily outspent Curnock, who raised $177,000.

The sprawling House district stretches from Fort Worth’s southern suburbs, through Waco and down to Bryan-College Station.

It includes three separate TV markets, making it an expensive place to campaign.

Flores won 10 of the 12 counties in the district.

He enjoyed his biggest lead in his home county of Brazos County, winning by a greater than 3-1 margin. He also won McLennan County.

Curnock ran strongest in the conservative-leaning northwest corner of the district, winning Hood and Somervell counties and narrowly losing in Johnson County.

“We did what we could do with everything that was arrayed against us,” Curnock said. “We certainly feel like we would have beaten Chet Edwards.”

Asked if he’d be supporting Flores in the general election, Curnock said, “I will be voting for him,” then added, “It’s (Flores’) race to run.”

As far as his political future, Curnock said, “I’m going to get on with my life and get on with my business and continue to work for conservative causes.”

The tone of the contest turned testy during the final weeks of the campaign.

Curnock ran a radio ad saying Flores lied during a debate when he claimed to have voted for Curnock in 2008.

Waco businessman Rob Curnock received just 35.8% of the vote in the runoff.
Rod Aydelote/Waco Tribune-Herald

Flores said he’d been joking during the debate.

The Flores campaign created a Web ad in which a menacingly voiced narrator said Curnock “broke the law so he could cheat on his taxes” when he claimed a homestead exemption on a home he wasn’t living in.

Curnock said the exemption had been an honest mistake and was quickly corrected. His campaign referred to the ad as a reversion to the “Clinton-era ‘politics of personal destruction.’ ”

“It’s been pretty acrimonious,” said Chris DeCluitt, a member of the State Republican Executive Committee who stayed neutral during the GOP primary, which he said was a reflection of two passionate and hard-charging candidates.

But DeCluitt predicted divisions in the party would be quickly mended.

“There’s going to be some peacemaking and some handshaking,” he said. “The alternative is something no Republican wants, and that’s to give Chet Edwards another term.”

mshapiro@wacotrib.com

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