uster , ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁Committee ▁on ▁Transport ation ▁and ▁In frastr ucture , ▁was ▁challeng ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁Republican ▁primary ▁by ▁two ▁candidates , ▁Art ▁Hal v ors on ▁and ▁Tra vis ▁Sch o ole y , ▁unh appy ▁with ▁his ▁support ▁for ▁ear marks ▁that ▁bring ▁projects ▁to ▁the ▁district . ▁Hal v ors on ▁and ▁Sch o ole y ▁both ▁were ▁considering ▁running ▁again . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁The ▁Hill ▁reported ▁that ▁business man ▁Tom ▁Smith , ▁who ▁self - fund ed ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁campaign , ▁was ▁considering ▁a ▁primary ▁challenge ▁of ▁Sh uster . ▁Hal v ors on ▁had ▁p led ged ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁run ▁if ▁Smith ▁did ▁and ▁would ▁support ▁him . ▁In ▁July , ▁Smith ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁run , ▁cit ing ▁unexpected ▁health ▁concerns . ▁After ▁Smith ▁decl ined ▁to ▁run , ▁Hal v ors on ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁run ▁again . ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Smith ▁died . ▁ ▁End ors ements ▁ ▁Primary ▁results ▁ ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁While ▁no ▁Dem ocrat ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁ball ot , ▁Arthur ▁Hal v ors on , ▁who ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁primary , ▁received ▁enough ▁Democratic ▁write - in ▁votes ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ine e ; ▁Hal v ors on ▁v owed ▁to ▁c au cus ▁as ▁a