The morning following his victory in the runoff for Position 3 on Tomball City Council, incoming Council Member Dane Dunagin expressed gratitude for his supporters, surprise at defeating a longtime incumbent and a desire to get started on his priorities for the city.
“I’m very blessed. I really don’t have words,” Dunagin said in a phone interview as he picked up campaign signs June 5. “I never expected to win. I thought the incumbent would. ... But the people who worked with me worked tirelessly to get out and talk with people. And we got the message out that we need controlled, managed growth.”
Dunagin, retired from his work with oil and gas company Baker Hughes, has served in other capacities with the city, including on the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustments, but he said this was his first time running for public office.
His opponent, Council Member Chad Degges, has served on City Council for eight years and had previously run unopposed for this seat.
“That was the reason I didn’t think I’d have a chance. Everyone knows I’m just a cowboy. I’m not a politician,” he said.
Dunagin earned 53.8% of the 599 total votes in the runoff election, according to unofficial election results posted on the city of Tomball’s Twitter account June 4. However, Degges earned more votes in the initial May 7 election—422 to Dunagin’s 386. The June 4 runoff vote total was less than two-thirds of the votes cast for the initial May 7 election.
Acknowledging it was a close race, Dunagin said he believes he ran a positive campaign, praising his team while stating his opponent “had a good team working with him” as well.
The future council member cited a number of priorities he looks forward to tackling, especially development and managed growth, claiming the city’s residents “don’t want to lose Tomball.”
“We’re going to work on term limits; we’re going to work on controlled, managed growth,” Dunagin said. “We’re going to work with developers on how to save our trees.”
He also emphasized the need to improve communication and transparency between the city and its residents moving forward.
“I want the citizens of Tomball to know what’s going on,” Dunagin said. “Right now, they don’t. And it’s nobody’s fault, but we don’t do a good job of communicating.”
All results are unofficial until canvassed. The city's June 4 tweet stated the results are set to be canvased on June 13.
Posted 11 p.m. June 4
Dane Dunagin has defeated incumbent Chad Degges in the runoff for Tomball City Council Position 3, according to unofficial results from the city of Tomball.
According to a tweet posted by the city on election night June 4, Dunagin defeated Degges, earning 322 votes, or 53.8% of the total. Degges received 277 votes, or 46.2%.
The ballots have been tabulated for the City Council Position 3 runoff election. The unofficial results are:
Dane Dunagin - 322 total ballots
Chad Degges - 277 total ballots
Results are unofficial until the canvass, scheduled for Monday, June 13.
— City of Tomball (@CityofTomball) June 5, 2022
Dunagin has served on the city's Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustments and original zoning commission, according to prior reporting. Retired, Dunagin previously worked for oil and gas corporation Baker Hughes.
Meanwhile, Degges had served on City Council for eight years, previously running unopposed for his seat. He is an engineer and Tomball business owner.
The two candidates faced off in a runoff after none of the three candidates on the ballot received more than 50% of votes May 7. The May 7 election—the city's first contested election in 12 years—yielded a new mayor, who was sworn in May 16, as well as contested races for two City Council seats, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported.
The city's tweet June 4 stated the results were scheduled to be canvased by City Council on June 13. All results are unofficial until canvassed.
