Texas
Races to Watch: Texas education savings accounts
Gov. Greg Abbott ‘certain’ school vouchers will pass
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has made passing school choice legislation a top priority. The governor sat down with FOX 4’s Steven Dial to talk about where things stand after the primary election and says deals that were previously offered may now be off the table.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has made education savings accounts, what some people call school vouchers, a priority this election season.
The vouchers, which are opposed by Democrats and some rural Republicans, would give families state money to pay for private schools.
Gov. Abbott has made passing education savings accounts a priority, actively campaigning against Republican candidates who oppose the legislation.
Abbott told FOX 4’s Steven Dial that he is “certain” that his plan will pass in the new session.
Six House incumbents lost back in the March primary.
That leaves Abbott two votes shy of the 76 needed to pass education savings accounts.
In Tuesday night’s runoff elections, there are four incumbents fighting to keep their seats in the Texas House.
Gary VanDeaver was the only incumbent of the four to finish first in the March election.
Texas House District 1: Gary VanDeaver (Incumbent) vs. Chris Spencer
Gary VanDeaver has served District 1 in the Texas House in 2015.
He is being challenged by businessman Chris Spencer.
District 1 represents Texarkana, New Boston and Paris.
Texas House District 33: Justin Holland (Incumbent) vs. Katrina Pierson
Justin Holland has served as the representative for District 33 since 2017.
His opponent is former Trump campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson.
District 33 is composed of several cities, including all of Rockwall County.
Texas House District 44: John Kuempel (Incumbent) vs. Alan Schoolcraft
John Kuempel was first sworn in to serve House District 44 in 2010.
He is facing a challenge from former Texas State Rep. Alan Schoolcraft, who served in the House from 1981 to 1993.
District 44 is made up of Guadalipe and Gonzales counties.
Texas House District 58: DeWayne Burns (Incumbent) vs. Helen Kerwin
Dwayne Burns has been a State House Rep. since 2014.
He is being challenged by former Glen Rose mayor and Somervell County commissioner Helen Kerwin.
District 58 includes Johnson County and Sommervell County, including Glen Rose.
The winning numbers in Tuesday evening’s drawing of the “Texas All or Nothing Night” game were:
3, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24
(three, six, seven, eight, thirteen, fifteen, sixteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-four)
For more lottery results, go to Jackpot.com | Order Lottery Tickets
Texas
Texas man accused of killing pregnant wife allegedly cuts off ankle monitor and flees to Italy
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A Texas man facing charges for allegedly killing his pregnant wife has reportedly cut off his ankle monitor and fled abroad.
Lee Mongerson Gilley, 39, is accused of murdering his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, and the couple’s unborn child in Houston in 2024, according to KPRC.
Gilley was set to appear in court Tuesday, but instead flew from Texas to Canada, and finally Italy, where he told authorities he was seeking asylum after being “wrongfully prosecuted” and is fearful of receiving the death penalty, his attorney told the outlet.
“I’m concerned that the prosecution will try to say that it’s evidence of consciousness of guilt that he’s running from it, but I think he’s just scared,” defense attorney Dick DeGuerin reportedly said.
NAVY RESERVIST ON ACTIVE DUTY ACCUSED OF MURDERING WIFE BELIEVED TO HAVE FLED TO HONG KONG
Lee Mongerson Gilley, 39, is accused of murdering his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, and their unborn child in Houston in 2024, according to KPRC. (Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook)
Gilley, whose murder trial was set to begin later this month, is reportedly in the custody of Italian authorities. His ankle monitor alerted authorities it had been tampered with on Friday, according to the outlet.
DeGuerin told the outlet that before Gilley can be returned to Texas, the state must certify to Italy that he is not eligible for the death penalty — which the prosecution is not seeking in his case.
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Gilley is accused of killing his wife, Christa, and their unborn baby by “applying pressure to [her] neck and upper back” on Oct. 7, 2024, according to charging documents obtained by People.
HUSBAND CHARGED IN PREGNANT PHYSICAL THERAPIST WIFE’S MURDER AFTER GIVING POLICE A DIFFERENT STORY
Defense attorney Ed McClees and his client, Lee Mongerson Gilley, appear in the 497th District Court at the Harris County Justice Center in Houston on Oct. 17, 2024. Gilley is charged with capital murder in the death of his wife, Christa Gilley. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Prosecutors reportedly allege Gilley initially claimed Christa, who was nine months pregnant, had overdosed and that he had tried to save her with CPR, but a medical examiner later pointed to evidence of strangulation and ruled her death a homicide.
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After he was arrested days later, Gilley allegedly admitted his wife was not a drug user or suicidal, and that the couple had been arguing before her death, KPRC reported.
In 2025, while out on bond, prosecutors reportedly allege Gilley and an unnamed woman, whom he had an affair with in 2023, devised a scheme to flee to Mexico and other countries, according to the outlet.
MISSING FATHER OF 3 MAY HAVE FAKED HIS OWN DEATH AND FLED TO ‘SOMEPLACE IN EUROPE’: OFFICIALS
Prosecutors allege Lee Mongerson Gilley killed his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, who was nine months pregnant, in Houston in 2024. (Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook)
“The Defendant also inquired as to whether she knew of a Mexican identity he could acquire to facilitate his departure from the country,” the document said.
Gilley also allegedly “provided a detailed plan” to remove his GPS monitor and perform a sham marriage to obtain a new identity, prosecutors reportedly said.
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Authorities are working to extradite Gilley back to the country, according to KPRC.
Gilley’s defense attorney and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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