In the span of 34 days, state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, a Southlake Republican, went from a reelection launch cheered by President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott to announcing he wouldn’t run again.
Then, three days after the about-face, voters in House District 98 had some clarity. A conservative outlet dropped a 25-minute video in which Alex Grace, a former exotic dancer, detailed what she says was an affair that lasted at least 15 years, beginning when she was 18. In a more recent video, Grace says the affair may not have lasted that long, so the timing is still in question, but the most explosive allegation was that Capriglione paid for “several abortions,” though Grace offered no documentation.
Faced with this no-win situation, it’s little wonder he chose to retreat from the office he’s held since 2012. His carefully worded statement — which has now been removed from X — admitted to having “selfishly had an affair” years ago but denied the abortion claims as false and “easily disproven.” He said his wife and family had forgiven him, and he will serve out his term ending in 2027.
While Capriglione blames the “campaign of smears and slander” on his willingness to take on the elites and the Austin insiders, his supporters are unlikely to find blame in anyone but him.
Opinion
Those of us who know the area Capriglione represents understand that he was losing his base even before this scandal erupted.
There have been murmurs that his grip on the seat was weakening. His vote to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, his refusal to back conservative House speaker candidate David Cook, and his timidity in key fights on school choice and border security angered much of his base.
What’s more, of late, voters increasingly saw him as remote. In social media posts and private conversations, he was called a sellout, chided for not being who he said he was, and labeled the “invisible man” for his unwillingness to show up at local events that weren’t campaign related. Worst of all, many of his once-staunch supporters resorted to calling him a RINO — Republican in Name Only.
In Texas politics, not being liked is survivable. Being distant and removed to your constituents is not. And being labeled RINO in a district like House District 98 comes with consequences.
The fall of a powerful insider
Still, Capriglione, who has an enviable political resume, would have been a hard match for any challenger absent this scandal. He chaired the Innovation and Technology Caucus, led the DOGE Committee (modeled after Elon Musk’s federal cost-cutting initiative), and helped launch the Texas Cyber Command. He also authored the 2023 Data Privacy and Security Act and championed legislation on AI, cybersecurity and privacy.
But, among his base, he’s most popular for carrying the 2021 trigger law that outlawed nearly all abortions in Texas post-Roe. He also backed the “heartbeat” statute that lets private citizens sue anyone who “aids and abets” an unlawful abortion, including picking up the tab. That record now clashes with the claims of his accuser, who described years of secrecy, burner email accounts, cash envelopes hidden behind dumpsters, and hotel rendezvous.
Had he decided to stay in, he might have weathered the storm, but the campaigning would have been brutal. The affair and allegations would have dominated every forum, every mailer, every fundraiser. He’d have been forced to explain, apologize and distinguish between personal failure and political hypocrisy — a herculean, though not impossible, sell in this climate.
Of the more than a dozen folks I spoke to in the last few days, most said they could forgive an affair, even given the irony of the representative being seen as a family-values conservative husband. Abortions, however, were non-negotiable. And even allegations carry weight, especially given the reality of Capriglione’s tacit admission of Grace’s allegation of their years-long affair. Several longtime supporters, referencing the abortion claims, told me they believed Grace.
A front-runner emerges
Former Keller Mayor Armin Mizani is the only declared candidate for District 98 so far, and he enters with a clear edge. He’s popular in Keller, visible across northeast Tarrant County, and has early support from local elected officials, including mayors and city council members, and U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving.
Mizani, who lost to Capriglione in the primary race for the district in 2018, knows the terrain well. He remembers that Capriglione won the seat in 2012 against incumbent Vicki Truitt, who was similarly assailed for becoming part of the Austin establishment, or swamp. Mizani is running as a reset, a visible, vocal, values-aligned conservative who hasn’t gone soft or silent. That counts in a district where conservatives feel burned.
The voters in House District 98 want conviction, courage and character. They’ll forgive flaws, but not fence-sitting. They expect, at a minimum, alignment on core issues, including immigration, election integrity, abortion, the economy and energy independence.
Capriglione had the tools, but he lost the thread. And when the personal scandal hit, there was unlikely to be enough goodwill left to carry him through.
Whoever wants the seat next should understand the moment. Voters demand a conservative fighter. They also want someone they know, someone they trust, and someone who won’t lose himself — or his morals — in Austin.
Update — Monday, July 28, 3:45pm: This story has been updated to reflect the latest developments.