Wild Speculation Surrounds the County Judge's Next Move

What Tom Green County Judge Mike Brown announces about his future next week has county politicos scrambling. Rumors are circulating that Brown will announce he will not run again for county judge. Brown’s 18-year tenure at the county’s top post has made him a Tom Green County institution. He was sworn in the first time in January 1995 and is now serving his fifth consecutive term.

“There are things I cannot say because they will set into motion certain legal processes,” Brown said in a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon.  So, he was mum on his future.  “I’ll make an announcement Tuesday morning,” he said.

Commissioner Steve Floyd (Pct 3) is expected to run for Brown’s spot and has already assembled a skeleton campaign staff, according to sources.  Because of the legalities of Floyd’s current post as commissioner, he appears hesitant to reveal his intentions until within a 365-day window of the term start date of the position determined by the election.

An added piece of speculation is that Brown may announce Tuesday that not only will he not run for re-election, but will also step down early, before his term expires in January 2015.

If Brown announces his date of retirement after Dec. 9, within one year of the term’s expiration, the county can forego a special election, and instead require the court to appoint a new judge to fulfill the remainder of the term.

Brown wouldn’t tell us, so we asked Commissioner Floyd.

“I know we have an executive session that he’s [Brown] scheduled for Tuesday, so I’m thinking that’s a possibility [that he’s stepping down], but there’s nothing set yet about anything, that I know of. I will cross that bridge when I come to it,” Floyd said.

If Brown resigns, Floyd will be in the catbird’s seat for becoming the next Tom Green County Judge. That is, if his fellow commissioners vote to appoint him to the vacancy.

Floyd was cagey about his chances to be Judge Brown’s heir apparent.

“Well I guess if that [Judge Brown resigns] occurred, I’m only one of four votes that influence that, because that would leave the four commissioners to fill that position. So we will…like I say, one step at a time and it’s not clear yet what Judge Brown’s intentions are.  When he makes his intentions clear, the court will make their decision, and if they choose to make a decision that involves me, then I’ll have to choose if that’s acceptable or if that’s something that Id be honored or willing to do. That’s about all I can and will say about it now,” Floyd said.

Another county politician interested in running for judge is County Treasurer Dianna Spieker. She’s been the treasurer since 1999. Spieker, too, is unsure about Brown’s plans.

“I don’t have confirmation of that [if Judge Brown will step down]. I mean, there’s all sorts of rumors going around, of what’s going to happen, but he has not actually said anything to me personally, so I am not aware,” she said.

Will Spieker run for judge? Maybe. “Well, it’s something I have ambition for, but I just don’t know if right now is the perfect timing for everything,” she said.

Former County Commissioner Richard Easingwood resigned from the commissioners’ court in 2010 to run against Judge Brown during the last election. Easingwood received 36% of the vote then. He was a 12-year veteran commissioner of the court at the time.

“I know what I’m doing,” Easingwood said. “I’m announcing on Monday to run for judge.” Easingwood said that after his loss in 2010, many supporters reached out to him to ask him to stay involved, and to run again.

Tea Party activist Terry Campbell forwarded an email around Oct. 8 announcing Easingwood’s intentions and asking for support.

Mentioning the long tenure of Judge Brown, Easingwood said, “I’m a firm believer in term limits.” But, he said, he thinks Brown deserves respect for his service to the county. “I’d like to see him retire gracefully,” he said.

Easingwood noted that his potential competitor Steve Floyd is in a “dicey situation” because the law requires that if he’s not appointed the judge, he be required to resign his current post to run for judge.

Easingwood was married to Betty Zentner and helped run several restaurants associated with the Zentner brand for 20 years. Since he and Betty divorced, he has managed a number of real estate investment properties and entered politics.

Both Floyd and Easingwood are Republicans and will face each other in the Republican primary if Floyd runs.

All county political junkies are focused on the outcome of Tuesday’s executive session during the regular commissioners’ court meeting that Judge Brown requested.

If Brown announces he will resign, the court will vote on a replacement. The odds-on favorite is that Floyd will receive the nod, freeing him to run for judge next year as the incumbent.

Meanwhile County Treasurer Dianna Spieker has expressed interest in running for judge and former commissioner Richard Easingwood is announcing his candidacy Monday.

“And so he [Brown] has yet to make it clear—to my knowledge—what his intentions are. If he’s going to file for re-election if he’s not going to file, if he’s just going to resign and move on or what, but I believe it will become more clear in the next week or so from my understanding. What I’m hearing are the same things that you are hearing,” said Floyd.