The Texas runoff has placed Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, chairman of the state House GOP, in the middle of a partisan rivalry

Austin, Texas — U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas aims to save his job Tuesday in a Republican primary runoff that has highlighted divisions within the party.

Gonzales, who has clashed with some of his far-right colleagues in Washington and been reprimanded by the state party, is in a race against Brandon Herrera, a gun rights YouTube creator with more than 3 million followers.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan also faces a tough challenge that could see him ousted from his powerful seat, upending the Republican-controlled Legislature. Phelan angered conservatives by leading the 2023 impeachment of state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was later acquitted in a Senate trial and later moved to impeach those who voted against him.

A Gonzales defeat, his supporters warn, would give Democrats an opportunity to flip a traditionally moderate district in November, while a change in Texas House leadership could push state policymaking even further to the right.

Here’s a look at the top primary runoffs in Texas:

Gonzales represents a broad district that stretches about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) from the Texas-Mexico border.

He was first elected in 2020 and won easily again in 2022, but the state Republican Party sanctioned him because of a voting record that highlighted an independent streak. This included supporting the protection of same-sex marriage and new gun safety laws following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting in his district that left 21 people dead.

Gonzales also clashed with some far-right Republicans, calling them “scumbags.”

Herrera, a gun manufacturer and gun rights activist, came in second, with nearly 25% of the vote, in a five-vote primary in March to force a runoff. Gonzales was first with 45%.

Gonzales has the support of some prominent Republicans who may be wary of removing an incumbent from a seemingly safe position. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson attended a fundraiser for Gonzales, and Governor Greg Abbott supported him. Herrera’s support for the far right included a campaign appearance with Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.

The winner will face Democrat Santos Limon in November.

Only one other House incumbent was defeated this year: Republican Rep. Jerry Carl of Alabama, who lost an unusual primary to Rep. Barry Moore after the state was forced to redraw congressional districts.

Normally, re-election would be an easy choice for a speaker whose Republican majority has passed some of the country’s toughest anti-abortion laws, vastly expanded gun rights, supported Abbott’s highly visible anti-immigration platforms and restricted LGBTQ+ rights.

However, Phelan was pushed into a runoff with oil and gas consultant David Covey. Additionally, Phelan came in second in the March primary, meaning he has ground to make up on Tuesday. The winner will not have a Democratic challenger in November.

Phelan’s defeat would begin a new round of campaigning for the position of speaker, chosen from among members of the state House.

Katrina Pierson, a former spokeswoman for former President Donald Trump, faces incumbent Justin Holland for his state House seat in the Dallas suburbs.

Holland was among the House Republicans who voted to impeach Paxton. He also voted to raise the age for purchasing assault rifles from 18 to 21 and voted against Abbott’s plan to spend public education money on private schools.

Republicans are also deciding who will run in November against Henry Cuellar, a longtime Democratic congressman who, along with his wife, was indicted this spring on federal bribery, money laundering and fraud charges. He said he is innocent; three associates pleaded guilty in related investigations.

Jay Furman, a retired Navy veteran, and rancher and businessman Lazaro Garza, are vying for the nomination to challenge Cuellar in the South Texas district he has held since 2005. Both have campaigned for tighter border security and restrictions on immigration.

There’s also another Cuellar on the ballot: Rosie Cuellar, her sister, faces Cecilia Castellano in the Democratic runoff for a South Texas state House seat. The March primary was held before Henry Cuellar was indicted, and it’s unclear whether her legal troubles will impact her campaign.

The winner advances to the November general election against Republican Don McLaughlin, who was mayor of Uvalde when the school shooting occurred.