JASPER COUNTY, Texas — 12News has been meeting voters at the polls all week during early voting.
Speaker Dade Phelan faces a challenge from David Covey for the Texas House Representative District 21.
Supporters of Phelan and Covey in Jasper County all say they're fighting for the future of Southeast Texas. Voters in Buna on both sides tell 12News they fear what's at stake if their candidate doesn't win.
"He's been there before and he seems to know what's going on up at the state capitol. I think experience pays off," said Buna resident Ronald Witt.
Witt along with political experts are considering what's at stake if Phelan loses his seat.
"Southeast Texas realistically is not going to have a state house speaker from the area. However, if he wins, it's not guaranteed he'll win the speaker's race again," said Lamar University Political Science Professor Dr. James Nelson.
Nelson says Phelan is likely to pursue what he's already started.
"The reduction of tuition at community colleges, and that's something that he said will have to be introduced again and he's touting that as an accomplishment," Dr. Nelson said.
Dr. Nelson believes if Covey wins, school vouchers are more likely to pass.
"He's very outspoken as a supporter of school vouchers, which that's K-12. That's not college, but that's something that might likely be a shift," said Dr. Nelson.
Buna resident Mary Buxton sees this as a benefit.
"It's hard to, you know, to afford the all the expenses for the children, to raise your children, to feed your children, to go out and buy clothes for them," Buxton said.
Early voting polls close at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 24.