Sarah Eckhardt Wins Special Election to Become Texas Senate District 14's Next Senator
July 28, 2020 - State
Sarah for the win. On Monday, former Travis County judge Sarah Eckhardt won the special election to replace former state Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin) after Rep. Eddie Rodriguez announced that he would be dropping out of the runoff race. Photo: Facebook.
By Jade Esteban Estrada - Political Columnist, San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- On Monday, former Travis County judge Sarah Eckhardt was declared the winner of the special election to succeed former state Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin)
- Eckhardt's runoff opponent, state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, announced Monday that he would be dropping out of the runoff race
On Monday, former Travis County judge Sarah Eckhardt won the special election to succeed former state Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin) in the Texas Senate.
Watson, who was first elected to the Senate District 14 seat in 2006, left office to become the first dean of the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs. His resignation was effective April 30.
Eckhardt was set to challenge Texas State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez in a special election runoff after they earned first and second place in a six-way contest on July 14. Eckhardt garnered 49.7% of the vote, which was insufficient to avoid a runoff with Rodriguez who took 34% of the final tally.
On Monday, Rodriguez announced that he would be dropping out of the race.
“I’ve decided to forego the runoff for Senate and focus my efforts on winning a Democratic majority and promoting an aggressive, progressive agenda in the Texas House,” he said via Twitter.
“I have deep respect for Representative Rodriguez and the race he ran,” Eckhardt wrote on her Facebook page. “I look forward to joining forces with him in the next session to advance our shared progressive values for Bastrop and Travis Counties and for Texas.”
Eckhardt will serve the remainder of the Watson’s term which ends in 2023.
This united front won praise from the head of the state Democratic Party.
"I want to congratulate Sarah Eckhardt on becoming the next state senator in Senate District 14,” said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa. “The people of Austin will remain in good hands in the Texas Senate. She knows first hand why local governments need an ally in the Texas Senate and across state government. She will continue the legacy of former State Senator Kirk Watson by fighting for a fair shot for all Texans. The residents of this district expect a progressive champion, and we look forward to working with Senator Eckhardt to deliver results."
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Hinojosa also praised Rodriguez, who has served as representative of House District 51 since 2003.
“In [Rodriguez], Texans have a dedicated advocate and fighter looking out for them,” Hinojosa said. “We’ll need him in the fight as we take back the Texas House in November, and Texans will need his leadership in the next legislative session.”
Texas Democrats are hoping to break the super majority in the Texas Senate and flip the Texas House.
“Texans are demanding change,” Hinojosa concluded. “Together, we will turn Texas blue up and down the ballot.”
Jade Esteban Estrada is a political columnist at the San Antonio Sentinel. He can be reached at jade@sasentinel.com.