New: Editor Ken Martin reads an audio version of this story.
Former Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt will be our new state senator
State Representative Eddie Rodriguez issued a statement this morning: “I have 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.”
Former Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt told The Austin Bulldog, “I have a deep respect for Representative Rodriguez and look forward to joining forces and working with him in the next session.”
Asked when she will be sworn in to take the senate seat, Eckhardt said, “Let me do some research. This is very fresh.”
Rodriguez’s statement concludes with, “I congratulate Sarah Eckhardt on her performance in this election, and I wish her well. As Dean of the Travis County delegation, I look forward to working with her to carve a progressive path forward as our shared community.”
In a sense the announcement comes as no surprise. It was foreshadowed by The Austin Bulldog’s story published July 23, 2020, “Rodriguez faces long odds in SD 14 runoff.”
Our analysis of the final results of the July 14 special election showed that Eckhardt had 49.74 percent of the votes cast in Travis and Bastrop counties. Rodriguez trailed far behind with 33.86 percent.
Links to related material:
Audio version of this story read by Editor Ken Martin
Eddie Rodriguez Announces Plans for 2020, July 27, 2020
Links to related Bulldog coverage:
Rodriguez faces long odds in SD 14 runoff, July 23, 2020
$1 million for Senate District 14 election, July 14, 2020
Background Investigation: Sarah Eckhardt, July 7, 2020
Background Investigation: Eddie Rodriguez, July 8, 2020
Trust indicators:
Ken Martin has been covering local government, elections, and politics since 1981. See more about Ken on the About page.
