Former Austin City Council member Sheryl Cole has secured the Democratic nomination for the Texas House District 46 race in a tight contest against challenger Jose “Chito” Vela in the May 22d runoff election. Both were vying to replace embattled state Rep. Dawnna Dukes who was defeated in March primary.
Cole secured 4,967, or 50.9 percent, of the vote. Vela, an immigration attorney, earned 4,794 votes, or 49.1 percent.
Cole, who served on the council between 2006 and 2014, had raked in $322,000 in campaign contributions, nearly twice as much as Vela.
District 46 encompasses parts of East Austin, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Del Valle, Elgin and Manor. The ZIP codes represented 78653; 78660; 78664; 78702; 78721; 78722; 78723; 78724; 78725; 78751; 78752; 78753; 78754; and 78758.
Cole attributed her win to a high African American voter turnout. She believes her governing experience both at city council and the State Capitol on the issues that matter to the community are what put her on top. She explained that she is ready to fight and stand up and fight — for everyone in the district as well as the county.
Cole will oppose Republican Gabriel Nila, a public school teacher, in November.
If Cole wins in November the district would continue to be represented by an African-American. Dukes is the only black member in the six-member Travis County delegation in the Texas House.
