3 Republicans, no Democrats run against Rockwall County judge

Rockwall County voters will choose from four Republican county judge candidates in the March 2 primary.No Democrats are running, so November will be a walk-over for the candidate who emerges from the slate of incumbent Chris Florance and challengers Kevin Fowler, Jerry Hogan and Ken Jones.

Florance said serving a four-year term sets him apart from the others.

“I have on-the-job experience,” he said. “I’m not sure they really understand county government.”

They do understand that led by Florance, commissioners in 2008 approved $30 million in notes that didn’t need voters’ OK for a county courthouse.

The challengers rip the plan for a new courthouse as an end-run around voters who nixed bonds for a new government center in 2004 and 2005.

The planned center has grown from 110,000 to 134,000 square feet, with a vacant floor for expansion. Commissioners recently capped the cost at $37.2 million, with plans to use money from the county’s reserve fund to cover the gap.

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