Who Is Your Starr County Commissioner—and Why Does It Matter?

If you live in or around Roma or Rio Grande City, chances are you've complained about a road after a heavy rain, wondered why drainage hasn't been fixed in a colonia, or noticed county crews working on one stretch of pavement but not another. What many residents don't realize is that those decisions don't come from Austin—or even from City Hall. They come from the Starr County Commissioners Court.

The Commissioners Court is the real engine of county government. It's where decisions are made about how much you pay in property taxes, how millions of public dollars are spent, and which infrastructure projects move forward—or stall. And at the center of that court are four county commissioners, each elected from a single precinct to represent specific communities like Roma and Rio Grande City.

As Starr County heads toward the 2026 elections, two of those seats—Precinct 2 and Precinct 4—are on the ballot. Understanding what a county commissioner does, and who is running for the job, is key to understanding how local power actually works.

On paper, a county commissioner is one of five members of the Commissioners Court, alongside the county judge. Together, they approve the county budget, set the property tax rate, and vote on major contracts and spending. They decide how much money goes to law enforcement, public works, emergency services, and county operations. They set salaries for county employees and oversee county buildings, including the courthouse.

Those votes may feel distant, but their effects are not. Every budget decision shapes how quickly services respond, how well roads are maintained, and how prepared the county is for emergencies.

But for residents in Roma, Rio Grande City, and nearby rural areas, the commissioner's most visible role happens closer to home. Each commissioner acts as the road and bridge administrator for their precinct. That means they have direct responsibility for county roads—especially outside city limits. When a rural road washes out, when drainage backs up after a storm, or when a colonia has waited years for basic infrastructure, the commissioner is often the first call.

They also review subdivision plats and wastewater treatment plans in unincorporated areas, decisions that determine whether new development improves a community—or creates long-term problems. In real terms, your county commissioner is both the person voting on million-dollar budget items and the one hearing complaints about potholes, flooding, and access roads. It's a job that blends high-level policymaking with very local accountability.

Precinct 2 centers on Roma and surrounding communities along the Rio Grande. It's an area where small-city concerns meet rural realities—aging infrastructure, drainage challenges, and the need to balance development with preservation. Precinct 4 includes Rio Grande City and the northern reaches of Starr County, stretching into farmland and colonias north of the county seat. Residents there face many of the same issues: road conditions, access to services, and how county resources are divided across a large, rural landscape.

In Precinct 2, the current commissioner is Raul "Roy" Peña III, a longtime officeholder who has served multiple terms on the Commissioners Court. Peña has held this seat since 2017, now in his ninth year in office. In Precinct 4, Hernan "Nune" Garza holds the seat. He was elected in 2022 and takes part in countywide decisions on taxes, infrastructure spending, and public safety that directly affect the surrounding rural areas in Rio Grande City.

Voters will first make their choices in the March 3, 2026 primaries, with winners moving on to the November 3 general election. In Precinct 2, Peña is seeking re-election in the Democratic primary. He's being challenged by Ever Martinez, who is campaigning as a new voice focused on local issues in Roma and the precinct's rural stretches. On the Republican side, Clarissa Gonzalez is running for the GOP nomination, focusing on transparency and assistance for senior citizens and disabled residents.

In Precinct 4, Garza faces two challengers in the Democratic primary: Antonio Garcia and Jaime Eli Martinez, both confirmed on the March ballot. On the Republican side, Alberto Escobedo is running for the nomination, with voters encouraged to look to local forums and coverage to learn more about his priorities. The winners of these primaries will face off in November for four-year terms on the Commissioners Court.

Even if you don't live in Precinct 2 or 4, these races matter to you. Every commissioner vote helps determine how much money is available for roads, emergency services, public safety, and long-term planning across Starr County. A decision to prioritize drainage in Roma or road repairs north of Rio Grande City can shape what resources are available elsewhere, and how the county prepares for future growth and emergencies.

County commissioners aren't just representatives of one neighborhood. They are stewards of countywide priorities and tax dollars. That's why these races deserve attention. By understanding who is running, what the job entails, and how decisions at the Commissioners Court affect everyday life, voters can move beyond party labels and focus on who will best represent their communities—and the future of Starr County—for the next four years.

@Janie

@alvarezjanie

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