Dexter McCoy leads Daniel Wong in the race for Fort Bend County judge
Houston Public Media
Melissa Enaje ·
Dexter McCoy, the outgoing Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner, leads in the race for Fort Bend County judge against current judge Daniel Wong, according to unofficial election results as of Tuesday night.
Dexter McCoy, the outgoing Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner, leads in the race for Fort Bend County judge against current judge Daniel Wong, according to unofficial election results as of Tuesday night.
If McCoy maintains his lead, he will not only oversee county operations and the budget, but he will also navigate the challenges facing one of the nation's most diverse and fastest-growing counties. The county judge presides over the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court, as well as oversees non-elected department heads and signs county contracts. The county judge also leads the emergency management department and serves on several county boards.
Growing county
Fort Bend County is entering uncharted territory, facing rapid development and population growth alongside political turmoil among its top elected officials. Over the past several months, the county's top elected office has been at the center of controversy, beginning with the federal money laundering conviction of former two-term County Judge KP George and the appointment of Republican nominee Daniel Wong to the office on an interim basis ahead of the election.
The political and legal turmoil intensified in April, when George was suspended from office. Since then, a key legal question dividing Republicans and Democrats on the court has been whether Wong had the authority to remain in office after a visiting Galveston County district judge appointed him interim county judge in April. A lawsuit challenging Wong's authority to remain in office, brought by the Fort Bend County Attorney's Office, is still set for trial in December, according to county court records.
The turmoil has since spilled into commissioners court, with partisan clashes among elected officials, legal challenges from the county attorney's office against Republican commissioners and multiple lawsuits deepening the divide over who has the authority to serve as county judge in the suburban county outside of Houston.
Source
Houston Public Media
