Jim Houston of the Rye community won the Republican runoff for Cleveland County Judge, defeating Stephen McClellan of New Edinburg 568–435. With no opposition in November, Houston will take office Jan. 1, 2027. The runoff followed a four-way primary where no candidate secured a majority. Current Judge Don Triplett was ineligible to run after being appointed earlier this year. Houston, a retired operations manager and former justice of the peace, credited his victory to extensive door-to-door campaigning. He carried most precincts, though McClellan performed strongly in his home areas. Houston said his top priorities include improving county roads and strengthening cooperation among county departments. Voter turnout for the runoff was about 23 percent.
Jim Houston Wins County Judge Runoff
Body