AUSTIN, Texas — Travis County is getting a new judge Nov. 17.
Andy Brown, the former Travis County Democratic party chair, was sworn in at the Travis County Commissioners Court. The ceremony took place at the end of the commissioners court voting session, which started at 9 a.m.
"I am honored to serve the people of Travis County," said Brown. "I am confident that together we can meet the challenges that lie ahead as we respond to the impact of COVID-19 on our community and invest in working people and communities of color. I will work hard every day, prioritizing the needs of our residents. I look forward to working with the County Commissioners, local health officials and partner agencies to make our community safer and more equitable through criminal justice reform, better access to health care, a sustainable transit system, good jobs, and a smart plan for growth."
In the 2020 November general election, Brown comfortably won the election for Travis County judge, taking 70% of the vote and defeating his opponent, Republican Michael Lovins.
Brown will replace Sarah Eckhardt, who was recently sworn into the Texas Senate. Eckhardt announced her resignation from the position of County judge in March. Meanwhile, interim Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe took over.
Brown, who previously served as finance director and senior advisor to Senate and presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, spoke with KVUE the night he won the election.
"Biggest priority is criminal justice reform and looking at ways to make the community safer, and I think that those ways are investing more in health care and mental health and behavioral health – in particular, making sure that people have access to health care across Travis County, whether they're in Manor or Austin's Colony or Del Valley, and then investing in transportation, cleaning up our environment and in finding a way to bring jobs back post-COVID," he said.
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