Nov 3, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Former White House doctor Ronny Jackson wins House race in Texas

Jacob Knutson

Ronny Jackson on Capitol Hill in 2018. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

President Trump's former physician Ronny Jackson has defeated Democrat Gus Trujillo in Texas's solidly Republican 13th Congressional District, AP projects.

Why it matters: Jackson will replace retiring GOP Rep. Mac Thornberry. The former White House physician was nominated by Trump to run the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2018, but he withdrew from consideration amid allegations of workplace misconduct.

The big picture: Jackson, an ardent defender of Trump and his administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic, boasted of his personal connection to the president and his background as a Navy rear admiral throughout the race, the New York Times reports.

Jackson's relationship with the president and the White House appeared to grow closer after a 2018 briefing in which he promoted Trump's “incredible genes" and performance on a cognitive test.

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Former White House doctor Ronny Jackson wins House race in Texas

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