By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Editor’s note: This story replaces an earlier posting to correct the following errors: Juan Roberto Martinez was identified as a Republican candidate for the office of Justice of the Peace Pct. 3. Martinez has filed for the office of Justice of the Peace Pct. 3, but he filed for the Democratic Party Primary Election ballot. This version of the story also corrects the total number of Republican Party candidates.
Fifteen persons have filed for places on the ballot of the March 2026 Republican Party Primary Election.
Filing for the primary election ended at 6 p.m. Monday.
Val Verde County Republican Party Chair Sharon Petitt and a notary public set up shop in the meeting room at Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q, 330 Braddie Dr., late Monday afternoon to accommodate last-minute filers.
Petitt had stationed herself in the Rudy’s meeting room on the first day of filing, Nov. 8, to greet prospective candidates and accept their applications.
One of those who filed on day one of the filing period was Del Rio businessman and area rancher Robert Beau Nettleton. Nettleton, who served more than 20 years as the county commissioner for Precinct 3, filed an application indicating he will seek the office of Val Verde County Judge.
Nettleton is unopposed for the Republican Party nomination race in March 2026, but will then have the face the winner of a two-way race for the Democratic Party nomination in November.
Incumbent Val Verde County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. and former Del Rio Mayor Bruno J. Lozano are both seeking the Democratic Party nomination.
Also filing an application for the Republican Party Primary Election on the first day of filing was Mary Jane Ross. Ross filed an application for the office of Val Verde County District Clerk. Ross is currently employed as assistant county auditor.
Ross is unopposed for the Republican Party nomination, but will face a Democratic Party opponent in the November General Election.
The incumbent, District Clerk JoAnn Cervantes, a Democrat, said Monday she intends to retire at the end of her current term and will not seek re-election. Cervantes said she will endorse her chief deputy, Raquel Magallanes, who is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for the office.
The only Republican incumbent who has announced she will seek re-election is Val Verde County Clerk Teresa Esther Chapoy. Chapoy also filed her application for a place on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot on the first day of filing.
Chapoy will face another Republican, Adriana Acosta, in the March 2026 Republican Party Primary Election. Acosta, who also filed her application on the first day of filing, lists her current occupation as special education teacher.
Michelle Fagan filed an application for a place on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot seeking the office of Val Verde County Treasurer. Fagan, who listed her occupation as director, is unopposed in the primary election in March, but she will face the incumbent Democrat, County Treasurer Aaron D. Rodriguez, in November.
Two Republicans have filed applications seeking their party’s nomination for the office of Val Verde County Commissioner Precinct 2.
They are Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez and Rey Robles. Rodriguez lists his current occupation as investigator for the Texas Rio Grande Public Defenders Office, and Robles lists his occupation as retired.
The winner of the nomination will face the winner of a two-way race for the Democratic Party nomination. That race is between County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez, the incumbent, and Rosie M. Castro, a greeting clerk at Val Verde Regional Medical Center.
John I. Wardlaw has filed an application for a place on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot seeking the office of Val Verde County Commissioner Pct. 4. Wardlaw, who lists his occupation as teacher, is unopposed for the Republican Party nomination for the office.
In the November General Election, Wardlaw will face the winner of the race for the Democratic Party nomination between County Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores, the incumbent, and former Val Verde County Clerk Generosa “Janie” Ramon, who lists her current occupation as retired.
The Republican Party has fielded candidates for the offices of Justice of the Peace Pct. 1, Pct. 2 and Pct. 3.
Christian Martinez and Mario Bosquez have both filed applications seeking the Republican Party nomination for the office of Justice of the Peace Pct. 1. Martinez lists his occupation as self-employed, and Bosquez works as a court security officer at the federal courthouse in Del Rio.
The winner of this race will face the incumbent, Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Jesse James Trevino, in the November General Election.
Randel Dissler and Danny Musquiz have both filed applications seeking the Republican Party nomination for the office of Justice of the Peace Pct. 2. Dissler is the sitting Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace. Dissler, who owns Hinds Well Service, was appointed to the office by county commissioners court following the death of the elected justice, Antonio “Tony” Faz III, earlier this year. Musquiz is a teacher at Southwest Texas College and the co-owner of Amistad Funeral Home.
Two Republicans have filed applications seeking their party’s nomination for the office of Justice of the Peace Pct. 3. They are Ashly Vicuna and Maria “Mari” Acosta. Vicuna currently works as the chief deputy clerk in the Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace’s office. Acosta currently works as the city secretary for the city of Del Rio.
The sitting judge, Justice of the Peace Pct. 3 Pat Cole, a Republican, has announced her intention to retire at the end of her term in 2026.
The winner of the two-way race for the Republican Party nomination will face the winner of a two-way contest for the Democratic Party nomination for the office. That race is between Loida S. Arellano and Juan Roberto Martinez.
Sasha Grace, a local fitness trainer, has filed an application for a place on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot seeking the office of Val Verde County Republican Party Chair. The current chair, Sharon Petitt, told The 830 Times today she does not intend to seek re-election.
The following persons have filed for the indicated offices on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot, with (I) behind the office title to indicate an incumbent seeking re-election.
- Adriana Acosta – County Clerk
- Teresa Esther Chapoy – County Clerk (I)
- Ashly Vicuna – Justice of the Peace Pct. 3
- Maria “Mari” Acosta – Justice of the Peace Pct. 3
- Christian Martinez – Justice of the Peace Pct. 1
- Robert Beau Nettleton – County Judge
- John I. Wardlaw – County Commissioner Pct. 4
- J. Randel Dissler – Justice of the Peace Pct. 2
- Mary Jane Ross – District Clerk
- Danny Musquiz – Justice of the Peace Pct. 2
- Sasha Grace – County Chair
- Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez – County Commissioner Pct. 2
- Rey Robles – County Commissioner Pct. 2
- Mario Bosquez – Justice of the Peace Pct. 1
- Michelle Fagan – County Treasurer
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
