Former Amarillo City Councilwoman Elaine Hays announced on Friday that she would be backing Andy Hopper in the Denton-area State House District 64 runoff.

Hays, who finished third place in the GOP primary earlier this month, did not make it to a runoff, setting the stage for a rematch between challenger Andy Hopper and Lynn Stucky. Hopper, who nearly ousted Stucky in 2022, earned first place in the March 5th primary earlier this year.

A key focus of the election has been Stucky’s vote to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton last year. The impeachment has earned the ire of many conservatives within the Republican Party, and has been cited as a key reason why several incumbents have either lost reelection bids or been forced into primaries this year.

In a post announcing she was backing Hopper, Hays pointed to border security as her number one issue. “His number one priority for the next legislative session is securing the border and I am confident he will work to get comprehensive border security across the finish line,” wrote Hays about Hopper. “Andy also earned my vote for his support of term limits and his strategies to ensure election integrity.”

Hays was first elected to Amarillo City Council in 2017 along with Freda Powell, Eddy Sauer, Howard Smith, and Ginger Nelson. For most of her tenure on the council, Hays was a strong ally of Mayor Nelson, though she made the decision not to seek reelection in 2021. After stepping down from the council, Hays moved to Wise County, where she currently resides.

The primary runoff election will be held on May 28th. The only runoff on local ballots in Amarillo will be the 108th District Court Judge race, where Sam Brown Silverman and Tim Pirtle are vying to replace retiring Judge Doug Woodburn.