Art Fierro wins special election for Texas State Representative District 79 seat

Democratic candidate Art Fierro won the special election for the Texas State Representative District 79 seat with 53.34 percent of the vote. Democrat Michiel Noe finished with 26.65 percent of the vote and republican Hans Sassenfeld has 20.01 percent of the vote.

A total of 4,713 people voted. The results are unofficial final results, with all precincts being counted.

Tuesday marks the first time in nearly two decades that there will be a special election to find someone to represent East El Paso in Austin.

Fierro is replac Rep. Joe Pickett in the Texas State House of Representatives.

Pickett announced his sudden retirement from the state legislature in December, mere weeks after winning an uncontested election that would have sent him to the capital for his 13th term to represent District 79. Pickett is battling cancer. He was first elected in 1995.

Fierro was an El Paso Community College board member.