Local attorney and activist Andy Brown will be the Democratic nominee for AG真人百家乐 County judge in the November election. Brown won 55.88% of the vote Sunday night in an election by party precinct chairs.
The prior county judge, Sarah Eckhardt, resigned to run for a Texas Senate seat vacated by State Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin). Eckhardt won that race and was last week by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
RELATED | Republicans Pick Local Attorney Michael Lovins As Nominee For AG真人百家乐 County Judge
If a ballot vacancy happens after the March primary, the nomination is filled by a vote of elected precinct chairs, AG真人百家乐 County Democratic Party Chair Katie Naranjo said.
Brown faced two candidates: County Commissioner Jeff Travillion and former AG真人百家乐 County Democratic Party Chair Dyana Limon-Mercado.
The selection of a white male over two candidates of color, one of whom is a woman, comes as members of the Democratic Party are trying to grow the diversity of the party鈥檚 field of candidates.
Some Democrats were not satisfied with the process.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unfortunate that none of the precinct chairs inquired with the actual elected officials regarding our expectations in the new county judge,鈥� Manor Mayor Larry Wallace Jr. said. He was sworn in last year as the city鈥檚 first African-American mayor.
On the Republican side, the AG真人百家乐 County GOP did not field a candidate for county judge in 2018. Eckhardt won reelection unopposed. This time, Republicans plan to take a shot at one of the most powerful posts in local government.
There won鈥檛 be a vote by precinct chairs, though. The AG真人百家乐 County Republican Party鈥檚 executive committee is allowing the chair to appoint the nominee. AG真人百家乐 GOP Chair Matt Mackowiak says he will announce the candidate likely sometime Monday morning.
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