HEMPSTEAD, Texas (Covering Katy News) — Waller County Pct. 4 Commissioner Justin Beckendorff defeated businessman Brian Davis Tuesday for the GOP nomination for Waller County judge, according to unofficial results from the Waller County Elections Office.
Beckendorff received 3,762 votes, or 67%, while Davis tallied 1,878 votes, or 33%. No Democrat filed to run for county judge, so Beckendorff is assured of election in the November general election and will take office in January.
Beckendorff to Replace Duhon as Waller County's Top Executive
Beckendorff will succeed incumbent County Judge Trey Duhon, who is not seeking re-election after three terms in office. Duhon, in turn, succeeded Beckendorff's father, Glenn Beckendorff, as county judge when the elder Beckendorff chose not to seek re-election.
“At the end of the day, a win’s a win, but having almost 67%, it shows that your community really does support you going forward,” Beckendorff said. “In election terms, that’s a huge win. It’s been a long campaign for everybody and last night it all came together.”
Beckendorff said he has worked with Duhon on various committees in addition to their duties on commissioners’ court. That collaboration will be useful as he plans to take over in January.
“I’ve kind of been like a judge pro tem in a way when the judge is not there, I always run commissioners court, so I don’t think you’ll see any laps in services,” Beckendorff said. “There’s not going to be a learning curve as far as trying to figure out what a judge does, so I think that’s going to be a big positive as far as getting geared up, making sure that we’re ready to roll on day one.”
Beckendorff said he has reached out to Dennis “Goose” Gessaman of Flatonia, who defeated incumbent state Rep. Stan Kitzman of Brookshire in Tuesday’s Republican primary. Beckendorff said the goal is to have a game plan for what legislatively can be done for Waller County when the Legislature meets in January.
Beckendorff Pledges Roads, Safety and Smart Growth for Waller County
In a previous Covering Katy profile, Beckendorff said Waller County is growing fast and needs a bold vision for the future.
"I will continue to fight for smart growth, strong communities, more law enforcement, lower taxes, and a solid investment in our mobility infrastructure," Beckendorff said. "Our citizens deserve a county government that focuses on what matters most — roads, safety and efficiency. We cannot afford to be complacent. We must be proactive, innovative and bold as we prepare for the future."
Davis was making his second run for public office. He lost a bid for Pct. 3 commissioner in 2024.