▁had ▁been ▁colle agues ▁and ▁occas ional ▁riv als ▁on ▁the ▁commission ers ▁court . ▁However , ▁L inds ay ▁supported ▁the ▁younger ▁E ck els ▁for ▁county ▁judge ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁when ▁E ck els ▁defeated ▁the ▁Dem ocrat ▁V ince ▁Ryan ▁( born ▁c . ▁ 1 9 4 7 ). ▁ ▁L inds ay ▁himself ▁reb ounded ▁polit ically ▁to ▁win ▁election ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁the ▁District ▁ 7 ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁ ▁Texas ▁State ▁Senate . ▁ ▁As ▁county ▁judge , ▁E ck els ▁also ▁cha ired ▁the ▁Harris ▁County ▁T oll ▁Road ▁Author ity , ▁the ▁only ▁county - owned ▁to ll ▁road ▁system ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Judge ▁E ck els ▁received ▁international ▁recognition ▁for ▁the ▁response ▁by ▁Harris ▁County ▁to ▁H urr ican es ▁K atr ina ▁and ▁R ita . ▁The ▁Ast rod ome ▁and ▁R eli ant ▁Park ▁became ▁the ▁largest ▁shelter ▁operation ▁in ▁American ▁history , ▁with ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁residents ▁given ▁refuge ▁during ▁the ▁storm . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Es quire ▁named ▁E ck els ▁the ▁" Best ▁and ▁Bright est ▁- ▁Cit izen ▁of ▁the ▁Year " ▁for ▁his ▁leadership ▁during ▁the ▁storm s : ▁" When ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁Houston , ▁Harris ▁County ▁Judge ▁Robert ▁E ck els ▁was ▁an ▁island ▁of ▁compet ence ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁cat ast rop he ." ▁The