Commissioners Court still searching for candidates to fill vacant county judge seat

The search to find County Judge Veronica Escobar’s replacement continues.

On Monday commissioners spent a portion of their executive session discussing potential candidates.

Escobar said the court is considering about a dozen candidates, but it’s still not clear who the front runners are, and when a decision could be made.

“The court is still considering names and interviewing people and talking about other folks to potentially recruit. There have been folks that have reached out to us so there’s still deliberations going on about people,” Escobar said.

Escobar is working double-duty both as County Judge and as a candidate for the 16th Congressional District seat Beto O’Rourke is vacating.

Escobar said it’s difficult, but she’s giving her work with the county its due diligence.

“I love the county and the stability and success of the county is very important to me so this is my priority,” Escobar said.

Each county commissioner has been providing candidates they think would fit best.

“The court wants someone who will come on board and will help continue the work that we’re doing,” Escobar said. “For me personally I think it’s important to have someone who has government experience. It’s such a short period of time that there will be a learning curve.”

The county will discuss finding Escobar’s replacement at next week’s Commissioners Court meeting.

“I feel like we found some names today that people were generally intrigued by, and so it may happen sooner than we think,” Escobar said.