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Incumbent Jefferson County Judge beats former congressman to retain seat for third term

Jeff Branick beat former Congressman Nick Lampson with 51% of the vote and will continue into a third term as county judge.

BEAUMONT — The incumbent Republican county Jefferson County Judge retained his seat after beating a former Democratic congressman Tuesday night.

Jeff Branick beat former Congressman Nick Lampson with 51% of the vote and will continue into a third term.

Branick received 37,402 votes, or 51%, while Lampson received 36,453 votes, or 49% of the vote.

MORE | Southeast Texas Election Results

Branick switched to the Republican Party in 2017 becoming one of the first county judges to do so in at least 50 years.

The race was one of Southeast Texas' most fiercely fought political battles.

Lampson served in Congress for a decade after serving as the County's Tax Assessor-Collector.

Branicktold 12News recently he switched parties over concern about the national debt.

"The federal deficit had exploded massively," Branick said. "I was concerned about my children and my grandchildren. I could have waited until after the election and switched, but I did it a year and a half before it, and gave the other party the opportunity to field a candidate. I think that that speaks to character."

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