Schwertner claims victory in Senate District 5 race

With 80.03 percent of the first round of early votes, Schwertner led the race. Bius had 19.97 percent of early votes cast.

Schwertner, a practicing physician with Georgetown Orthopedics, said he was focused on the economy and health care.

"In Texas, we've done a lot better than the other states and a lot better than the United States in maintaining an environment that allows entrepreneurs and business owners to grow," he said. "That is fair regulation, predictable regulation, low taxation, [a] right to work state that sets the groundwork so that companies can come in here, and small businessmen can grow their business."

He said another focus would be public education, adding that public education "will need to be addressed by working with our teachers and our parents to improve our public school system."

Bius, a real estate investment broker, said he was running to be a "true conservative" voice in the state senate.

"I believe we need to elect more conservative Republican candidates who will get the job done and not moderates and centrists, and that's why I'm in this race," Bius said.

He said his top priorities were securing the border and education.

"Most of the problems we face with budgets that can't be balanced, schools that don't work, prisons that are overcrowded, health care systems and hospitals bursting at the seams can be traced directly to the government's failure to protect our borders," Bius said. "The second most important issue is we have got to make our schools work again. We have to realize that every child is not going to go to college, and we need to strengthen our vocational and technical programs and teach our children the value of the Christian work ethic."

Senate District 5 includes Brazos, Burleson, Freestone, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Milam, Robertson, Trinity, Walker and Williamson counties.