February 26, 2016 5:44 PM

Rep. Villalba faces onslaught of negative campaigning as Morenoff relies on Huffines

“I’m sure it’s almost never happened where a sitting senator is actively working against a state rep from his own party and in his own district.”

DALLAS - The Republican primary race for HD 114, covering parts of North Dallas, features incumbent Rep. Jason Villalba running for his third term against a former Congressional candidate and lawyer by the name of Dan Morenoff.

“In general this is not an uncommon race. It’s the Tea Party going after the establishment wing of the party. It’s prototypical of the Republican primaries nationwide,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston.

But there is also another key player in the race: Freshman Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, who is working against the incumbent.

Since the Tea Party senator narrowly defeated John Carona in the primary two years ago, Huffines has used his position – and significant wealth – as part of his quest to purify the Republican Party.

By James Russell