FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — Fort Bend County Clerk Laura Richard is endorsing J.J. Clemence in the Republican primary race for county clerk against Tamara McFarlane.
Richard is serving her third term as county clerk and is not seeking reelection. The endorsement comes just days after Republican County Treasurer Bill Rickert also endorsed Clemence.
Richard praises Clemence's experience and qualifications
"I fully endorse JJ Clemence for the position of Fort Bend County Clerk in the Republican Primary," Richard said in a statement. "After meeting with both candidates, it is clear to me that JJ brings extensive experience managing people, resources, and complex workflows with a strong record of process improvement leading to increased efficiency while maintaining accuracy, accountability, and transparency."
Richard said Clemence's background demonstrates fiscal responsibility and budget management skills needed for the county clerk's office.
GOP leaders rally behind Clemence amid McFarlane's racially charged unverified claims
Republican party leaders have been rallying around Clemence, a 20-year member of their party, as McFarlane continues to relentlessly push an unproven narrative that Clemence, who is from China, is a Chinese Communist Party loyalist. The claim was recently dismantled in a Katy Christian Magazine investigation titled J.J. Clemence: How a Baseless and Dangerous Espionage Claim Entered the Fort Bend County Clerk's Race.
Covering Katy News came to a similar conclusion as Katy Christian Magazine after McFarlane reached out to this publication pushing her claims earlier in the campaign. As weeks passed and neither regional nor hyperlocal small news publications would embrace McFarlane's narrative, she personally circulated a press release with a link to the unsigned internet story.
McFarlane has also pointed to a one-hour December meeting between some county leaders and a traveling Chinese delegation that was touring North America and made a stop in Fort Bend County. She claims it violated a new state law prohibiting sister city agreements.
"In this election year, supporters of my opponent are untruthfully claiming that this meeting violated Texas House Bill 128, which prohibits governmental entities from establishing sister-city agreements with foreign adversaries," Clemence said. "No sister-city agreement was established, maintained, or renewed. I served as an interpreter at a cultural exchange that lasted about an hour," she added.
"Ronald Reagan believed that dialogue and understanding are the path forward. In America, we have the freedom to meet, speak, and exchange ideas. That openness is not universal and demonstrating it to those unfamiliar with the American way of life should not be stifled — it should be encouraged," Clemence said.
The attacks on Clemence's character have resulted in numerous party leaders endorsing her campaign when many of them would typically stay neutral during primary races. Clemence's endorsements are a who's who of Fort Bend County Republican leadership. Former Congressman Pete Olson, Congressman Troy Nehls, former County Judge Robert Hebert, former District Attorney John Healey and former party chair Linda Howell are just a few party leaders who say McFarlane is not only spreading what they call untruthful information, but also harming the party's decades-long outreach to immigrant communities.
Clemence's growing list of endorsements can be found on her campaign website. At the time this article was published, McFarlane's campaign website did not show a list of endorsements.
While not directly mentioning McFarlane's racially charged claims, Richard seemed to touch on the subject by saying Clemence is a better fit for the clerk's position than McFarlane.
"JJ is a person of strong character with the steady, professional temperament required for this role," Richard said. "She is fair, thoughtful, diplomatic, and respectful in her approach to public service. This combination of integrity, experience and proven public service to our community makes her exceptionally well qualified to serve as the County Clerk of Fort Bend."
McFarlane's Claims Don't Match Her Backroom Politics
McFarlane's insistence that Clemence is a threat to national security is contradictory to an offer she made earlier in the race. McFarlane proposed stepping down from the county clerk's race, clearing the way for Clemence to receive the Republican nomination unopposed, if McFarlane would be appointed as county elections administrator when that position became open on Jan. 1, 2026. While McFarlane's supporters pushed hard for the deal, it was never considered by the Republicans and Democrats in county government who make that decision.
Rickert highlights Clemence's professional background and personal service
In his endorsement, Rickert praised Clemence's extensive experience and community commitment.
"J.J. Clemence has a long track record of responsible leadership, professional excellence, and community service that uniquely qualifies her to lead the County Clerk's Office," Rickert said. "With more than twenty years of experience spanning the private, public, and government sectors, she brings proven expertise in audit, compliance, operations, and financial stewardship, skills that are vital for safeguarding the records, processes, and trust that our residents rely on every day."
Rickert noted Clemence's role as audit leader for Harris County Public Health, where she built an internal audit system.
"Beyond her professional qualifications, J.J.'s commitment to community is unmatched," Rickert said. "As Founder and Chair of the Clemence Youth Foundation, she has uplifted families and empowered young people across Fort Bend County through volunteer programs, leadership initiatives, and civic-minded outreach."
Voting records show different levels of GOP primary participation
McFarlane claims to be a conservative, but her voting record shows apathy toward voting for them. Since registering to vote in 2019, McFarlane has voted in only one Republican runoff and has not voted in a Republican March primary, records show.
Clemence registered to vote in Fort Bend County in 2015 and has voted in every Republican primary since then, according to county voting records.
See our campaign profiles. Read more about Clemence. Read more about McFarlane.
Early voting begins Feb. 17
Early voting for the primary election begins Feb. 17 and runs through Feb. 27. Election day is March 4.
Both Clemence and McFarlane have purchased campaign advertising on CoveringKaty.com at the same rate, with ads running in identical locations on the website for the same duration.