HEMPSTEAD, Texas (Covering Katy News) — Waller County Fire Marshal Brian Cantrell defeated former Katy City Council Member Dan Smith Tuesday for the GOP nomination for Waller County Pct. 4 Commissioner, according to unofficial results from the Waller County Elections Office.
Cantrell won 785 votes, or 51%, while Smith won 753 votes, or 49%. Cantrell will face Democrat Ethel Wilmore, a nurse, in the November general election. The winner of that race will take office in January.
General election winner to succeed Beckendorff
The winner of the Cantrell-Wilmore race will succeed incumbent Pct. 4 Commissioner Justin Beckendorff, who won the GOP nomination for Waller County judge Tuesday.
“We’re extremely pleased with our victory,” Cantrell said. “I appreciate Dan. I appreciate his campaign as well. I think it was a clean campaign.”
Cantrell has been involved in Waller County public safety and first responder roles for 27 years, and he said the relationships would help him as he hopes to win the general election and serve as commissioner.
“I think this is a good place for me with the relationships and experience to continue serving the residents that we've served for a long time,” Cantrell said. “It’s kind of like working for a company for 27 years. You care about it. You want to see it get better. So that’s kind of what I feel like our campaign has been about.”
Six priorities in office
In a previous Covering Katy News profile, Cantrell said his campaign centered on six priorities: managing growth and infrastructure, strengthening public safety, supporting county employees, improving transparency, encouraging local hiring and expanding parks and recreation.
"As our county continues to grow, I believe that growth must be managed thoughtfully and in collaboration with the community," Cantrell said. "That means listening to residents, engaging stakeholders, and planning with both vision and accountability. Growth should enhance — not compromise — our infrastructure, public safety, and rural character."
Smith, a senior territory customer services manager for Best Buy, was first elected to the Katy City Council in 2021. He resigned that seat last month to run for commissioner.