▁time ▁Bill ▁Clement s , ▁the ▁first ▁Republican ▁governor ▁of ▁Texas ▁since ▁Re const ruction , ▁was ▁simultaneously ▁un se ated ▁by ▁the ▁Dem ocrat ▁Mark ▁White , ▁then ▁the ▁state ▁att orney ▁general . ▁E ck els ▁did ▁not ▁seek ▁a ▁sevent h ▁term ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁when ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁was ▁elected ▁governor . ▁He ▁represented ▁the ▁newly ▁number ed ▁House ▁District ▁ 1 3 3 ▁in ▁Harris ▁County . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁last ▁general ▁election ▁for ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁E ck els ▁had ▁no ▁Democratic ▁oppon ent ▁but ▁defeated ▁C ly de ▁Gar land , ▁nom ine e ▁of ▁the ▁Libert arian ▁Party , ▁ 3 9 , 5 1 8 ▁votes ▁( 8 8 ▁percent ) ▁to ▁ 5 , 4 1 3 ▁( 1 2 ▁percent ). ▁E ck els ▁was ▁succeeded ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁by ▁the ▁Houston ▁lawyer ▁Joe ▁N ixon , ▁a ▁Republican ▁who ▁also ▁served ▁District ▁ 1 3 3 ▁for ▁six ▁terms . ▁ ▁Upon ▁leaving ▁the ▁house , ▁E ck els ▁began ▁a ▁twelve - year ▁st int ▁as ▁the ▁county ▁judge ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁popul ous ▁county ▁in ▁Texas . ▁He ▁succeeded ▁the ▁ 2 0 - year ▁inc umb ent , ▁Mod er ate ▁Republican ▁Jon ▁L inds ay , ▁who ▁caught ▁up ▁in ▁sc andal ▁did ▁not ▁run ▁again ▁for ▁county ▁judge . ▁L inds ay ▁and ▁the ▁senior ▁E ck els