SUGAR LAND, Texas – Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy won the Democratic runoff election for Fort Bend County judge Tuesday night, defeating Rachelle Carter by a wide margin and setting up a November showdown against interim County Judge Daniel Wong.
Speaking to supporters at his election night watch party in Sugar Land Town Square, McCoy framed the race as a broader fight over the county’s future and immediately turned his attention toward the general election.
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“Well today the people of Fort Bend County made their voices heard, and they decided they want something different,” McCoy told supporters.
Early numbers funneling into the Fort Bend County Elections website showed McCoy with more than 75% of the vote.
McCoy thanked Carter during his victory speech, calling her campaign “spirited” and praising her work as an attorney and educator.
“Rachelle has accomplished a lot in her career, both as an attorney and as an educator,” McCoy said. “She has spent years encouraging and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”
McCoy also used the speech to criticize Republicans at both the state and county levels, including Wong, who was sworn in as interim county judge last month following the departure of former County Judge KP George.
“My right wing judge from Galveston County swooped into Fort Bend County and appointed my GOP opponent to the very seat that he had not won,” McCoy said during his speech.
McCoy accused Wong of appointing “the most MAGA people imaginable” to county leadership positions and criticized Wong’s recent meeting with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Wong, the Republican nominee, will face McCoy in the November general election. The two will continue serving together on Commissioners Court during the campaign.
The runoff election was also marked by voting system problems Tuesday that sparked debate over whether polling hours should have been extended.
When asked about the issue during a one-on-one interview with KPRC 2, McCoy called for a full investigation into what happened.
“We need to do a full and thorough investigation into what happened and make sure it never happens again,” McCoy said. “There is no reason for what happened today and it could have and should have been avoided.”
McCoy also pushed back against claims from Republican leaders that Democrats opposed extending voting hours, saying emails he reviewed showed it was “a collective decision by both Republicans and Democrats.”
McCoy said Democratic turnout in the runoff signaled momentum heading into November.
“I think what we saw in the primary and the overwhelming number of folks who came out and voted in the Democratic primary versus the Republican primary tells us where we’re heading in November,” he said.
He also pointed to concerns about affordability, political corruption and public trust in government as major issues in the campaign.
“We’re going to prosecute the case about the rising cost of living,” McCoy said. “We’re going prosecute the case about political corruption and we’re going to make sure that we deliver results for our community.”