Gravell, Long and Boles hold onto Williamson County seats
Brown wins first full term as Travis County judge
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
in the last election in 2018, said he has high expectations for the next four years, but also anticipates financial “storm clouds.” “I think we have the opportunity to continue to land some world companies, like the Samsungs and additional companies of that caliber,” he said. “I also think, too, that in the next four years that we’re going to see some complicated financial times.” Long, a Republican who has already served as Precinct 2 commissioner for the last 16 years, will stay in her role for another four. She garnered 54.02% of the vote, or 30,986 votes, in her victory over Democrat Brigid Lester. Lester received 45.98%, or 26,370 votes. In Precinct 4, Boles, a Republican, will serve a second term as county commissioner. He received 54.09% of the vote with a total of 27,969 ballots. Democrat Jose Orta tallied 45.91%, or 23,735 votes.
VOTE TOTALS Races for Precincts 2 and 4 on the Williamson County Commissioners Court were more decisive than the race for county judge.
Williamson County incumbents Bill Gravell, Cynthia Long and Russ Boles were re-elected to their Commissioners Court seats Nov. 8 with unofficial results reported from all of the county’s 65 available polling locations. Their victories marked not only an incumbent sweep for the county Commissioners Court, but also a sweep for the Republican party among candidates running within that body. In the race for county judge, Republican Bill Gravell defeated Democrat Blane Conklin in what began as a tight race. Gravell received 49.34% of the vote, or 108,490 votes. Conklin, who initially gained a lead with early voting results, ended with 46.75% of the vote, tallying 102,787 votes. Libertarian Wes Benedict received 3.91% with 8,588 votes. Gravell, who defeated Conklin
BY KATY MCAFEE
Incumbent Andy Brown defeated his opponent Rupal Chaudhari in the race for Travis County judge, holding about 72% of votes. Brown held a consistent lead since early and mail-in voting tallies were announced. This will mark Brown’s first four-year term as county judge, as he was elected in 2020 after his predecessor, Sarah Eckhardt, left the post of county judge to run for state senator. Brown’s campaign focused on a range of health care issues, from increasing mental and behavioral health services to creating access to COVID-19 vaccines and testing. His campaign also emphasized a priority of providing more resources to historically underserved communities of color.
R: REPUBLICAN D: DEMOCRAT L: LIBERTARIAN
COUNTY JUDGE
Bill Gravell (R): 49.34% Blane Conklin (D): 46.75% Wes Benedict (L): 3.91%
PRECINCT 2
Cynthia Long (R): 54.02% Brigid Lester (D): 45.98%
PRECINCT 4
Russ Boles (R): 54.09% Jose Orta (D): 45.91%
SOURCES: TRAVIS COUNTY, WILLIAMSON COUNTY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
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ROUND ROCK EDITION • DECEMBER 2022
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