Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

County Judge

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

Caldwell County
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Hoppy HadenHoppy HadenRepublican Incumbent
John G. CastilloDemocratic
On ballot as
HOPPY HADEN
JOHN G. CASTILLO
Current role
Caldwell County Judge (since 2019) (per campaign)
Retired (per Secretary of State filing)
Background
  • Small businessman and rancher (per campaign)
  • Owner and operator, with his wife, of Clear Creek, Inc. Construction and Environmental Services (per campaign)
  • Owner and operator, with his wife, of a 1200-acre working cattle ranch in Caldwell County (per campaign)
  • Caldwell County resident for 31 years (per campaign)
  • Past president, Lockhart Little League (per campaign)
Show all 8
  • Past chairman, Lockhart Chamber of Commerce (per campaign)
  • Past chairman, Chisholm Trail Rodeo (per campaign)
  • Co-founder, Caldwell County 500 Club (per campaign)
  • Lifelong Lockhart resident (per candidate, February 2026 Post-Register questionnaire)
  • 30 years of state service (per the same questionnaire)
Experience
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, 2,122 to 1,336 over former County Judge Ken Schawe (per Post-Register)
  • Served on the Lockhart City Council, District 2 (12-year council member, per candidate, February 2026 questionnaire)
  • Chose to run for county judge; Lockhart then set a March 31, 2026 special election to fill the District 2 seat (per Post-Register)
  • Member, CAPCOG Executive Board (per questionnaire)
Top priorities
  • "We will continue to work with the legislature to attempt to give counties more development authority."
  • "we are underway with 32 road projects in Caldwell County to get ahead of the growth curve and help people get around safely."
  • "We will continue to invest in law enforcement and also work with developers to put development agreements in place"
  • Campaign site: "pass fiscally responsible budgets that prioritize taxpayers, supports law enforcement and first responders, and increases our quality of life"
  • "I am running to ensure our growth is managed responsibly while preserving the heritage that makes our community home."
  • "Our primary challenge is managing explosive growth while maintaining rural character and fiscal health."
  • "I will leverage my municipal experience to advocate for proactive planning over reactive spending."
  • "My priority remains addressing recruitment challenges and modernizing facilities" for first responders
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire, he said investment had taken "the tax burden off individual property owners by enabling the county to lower its tax rate to its lowest level in decades."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire: "we are underway with 32 road projects in Caldwell County to get ahead of the growth curve and help people get around safely."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site lists a new emergency radio tower that lets "first responders to use their radios along the San Marcos River during times of flooding".
  • Public safety: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire, he said the goal is "being able to provide our law enforcement with the salaries they need and the proper cutting edge equipment necessary".
  • Property taxes and budget: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire, he said he would "advocate for proactive planning over reactive spending" and "expand our tax base".
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire: "Our primary challenge is managing explosive growth while maintaining rural character and fiscal health."
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire: "My priority remains addressing recruitment challenges and modernizing facilities" for first responders.
Endorsements
  • State Representative Stan Gerdes, House District 17 (listed by campaign)
  • Former State Representative John Cyrier, House District 17 (listed by campaign)
  • Commissioner B.J. Westmoreland, Precinct 1, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • Commissioner Ed Theriot, Precinct 3, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • Constable Michael Bell, Precinct 3, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
Show all 9
  • Constable Art Villarreal, Precinct 4, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • Criminal District Attorney Fred Weber, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • District Clerk Juanita Allen, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • Sheriff Mike Lane, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
None found in our research
Campaign website
hoppyhaden.com
Not found
Hoppy Haden

Hoppy Haden

Republican Incumbent
On ballot as
HOPPY HADEN
Current role
Caldwell County Judge (since 2019) (per campaign)
Background
  • Small businessman and rancher (per campaign)
  • Owner and operator, with his wife, of Clear Creek, Inc. Construction and Environmental Services (per campaign)
  • Owner and operator, with his wife, of a 1200-acre working cattle ranch in Caldwell County (per campaign)
  • Caldwell County resident for 31 years (per campaign)
  • Past president, Lockhart Little League (per campaign)
Show all 8
  • Past chairman, Lockhart Chamber of Commerce (per campaign)
  • Past chairman, Chisholm Trail Rodeo (per campaign)
  • Co-founder, Caldwell County 500 Club (per campaign)
Experience
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, 2,122 to 1,336 over former County Judge Ken Schawe (per Post-Register)
Top priorities
  • "We will continue to work with the legislature to attempt to give counties more development authority."
  • "we are underway with 32 road projects in Caldwell County to get ahead of the growth curve and help people get around safely."
  • "We will continue to invest in law enforcement and also work with developers to put development agreements in place"
  • Campaign site: "pass fiscally responsible budgets that prioritize taxpayers, supports law enforcement and first responders, and increases our quality of life"
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire, he said investment had taken "the tax burden off individual property owners by enabling the county to lower its tax rate to its lowest level in decades."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire: "we are underway with 32 road projects in Caldwell County to get ahead of the growth curve and help people get around safely."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site lists a new emergency radio tower that lets "first responders to use their radios along the San Marcos River during times of flooding".
  • Public safety: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire, he said the goal is "being able to provide our law enforcement with the salaries they need and the proper cutting edge equipment necessary".
Endorsements
  • State Representative Stan Gerdes, House District 17 (listed by campaign)
  • Former State Representative John Cyrier, House District 17 (listed by campaign)
  • Commissioner B.J. Westmoreland, Precinct 1, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • Commissioner Ed Theriot, Precinct 3, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • Constable Michael Bell, Precinct 3, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
Show all 9
  • Constable Art Villarreal, Precinct 4, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • Criminal District Attorney Fred Weber, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • District Clerk Juanita Allen, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
  • Sheriff Mike Lane, Caldwell County (listed by campaign)
Campaign website
hoppyhaden.com

John G. Castillo

Democratic
On ballot as
JOHN G. CASTILLO
Current role
Retired (per Secretary of State filing)
Background
  • Lifelong Lockhart resident (per candidate, February 2026 Post-Register questionnaire)
  • 30 years of state service (per the same questionnaire)
Experience
  • Served on the Lockhart City Council, District 2 (12-year council member, per candidate, February 2026 questionnaire)
  • Chose to run for county judge; Lockhart then set a March 31, 2026 special election to fill the District 2 seat (per Post-Register)
  • Member, CAPCOG Executive Board (per questionnaire)
Top priorities
  • "I am running to ensure our growth is managed responsibly while preserving the heritage that makes our community home."
  • "Our primary challenge is managing explosive growth while maintaining rural character and fiscal health."
  • "I will leverage my municipal experience to advocate for proactive planning over reactive spending."
  • "My priority remains addressing recruitment challenges and modernizing facilities" for first responders
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire, he said he would "advocate for proactive planning over reactive spending" and "expand our tax base".
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire: "Our primary challenge is managing explosive growth while maintaining rural character and fiscal health."
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: In a February 2026 newspaper questionnaire: "My priority remains addressing recruitment challenges and modernizing facilities" for first responders.
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
Not found

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