2018 Texas Primary Elections: Land Commissioner Race Goes To Bush

With a little more than 46 percent of precincts reporting, pundits declared George P. Bush the republican nominee Tuesday night for reelection to the Land Commissioner office. His victory comes at a particularly vicious time for the General Land Office, which he oversees as commissioner.

Bush faced off against three other Republican candidates for the party nomination. Here's how it all played out.

The Alamo fell to Mexican forces 182 years ago to the very day, but a battle over the historic site wages on. This time, however, the fight is political, and at its center sits Land Commissioner incumbent Bush.

As Land Comissioner, Bush serves as head of the Texas General Land Office. According to the Land Office's website, the office serves to preserve history and maximize state revenue through innovative administration and prudent stewardship of state lands and natural resources.

Bush, son of Jeb Bush and grandson of George H. W. Bush, has held the commissioner's office since 2015, and, under his watch, the General Land Office changed how it manages the Alamo. The Texas Tribune reports the historic site now falls under the oversight of nonprofit boards instead of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, its former manager.

(Read more about Bush and the Land Commissioner's office below.)

Early Totals

Republicans (3,476 of 7,677 precincts reporting)

• George P. Bush — Incumbent (57.6%)
• Jerry Patterson (29.9%)
• Davey Edwards (6.9%)
• Rick Range (5.3%)

Democrats (3,481 of 7,694 precincts reporting)

• Miguel Suazo (69.9%)
• Tex Morgan (30.1%)

During this reimagining of the Alamo, the City of San Antonio approved the Alamo Master Plan, which proposes a plan to repurpose some buildings near the structure into a visitor center and museum among other projects. In addition, the plan aims to relocate a monument honoring the dead defenders of the Alamo called the Cenotaph.

Blowback centered over the Cenotaph, which currently sits directly in front of the Alamo. The plan proposes three locations that could serve as the monument's new home. The Cenotaph could one day be restored and relocated to one of the Alamo's two funeral pyres or to a third location "some distance east of the Alamo's church."

Bush also came under scrutiny for a “convoluted” system of nonprofits used to maintain the Alamo. According to the Tribune's report, Bush said an internal audit draft regarding the nonprofits was “doctored” and is the subject of a law enforcement investigation.

Opponents also say the Alamo Master Plan takes the focus off the battle and instead, as Bush challenger Rick Range told the Tribune, makes the site "into a politically correct theme park."

Bush, despite conflict over the Alamo and General Land Office, still had the upper hand in the election with campaign earnings of more than $1.5 million, some $3 million cash on hand and significant name recognition. Republican challenger Jerry Patterson brought in $107,588 in the same period and has around $98,000 cash on hand, the Tribune wrote.

Davey Edwards, meanwhile, had raised less than $15,000 while Range reported having no cash on hand, the Tribune reported.

Refresh this page throughout the evening to see results as more precincts report vote tallies.

Click here to read The Tribune's full report over 2018's Battle of the Alamo.

File photo: Texas General Land Commissioner George P. Bush, Phil Collins, Executive Producer of Texas Rising Leslie Greif, and Bill Paxton attend the 'Texas Honors' event to celebrate the epic new HISTORY miniseries 'Texas Rising' at the Alamo on May 18, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for HISTORY)