CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As we move closer to the all-important November midterm elections, 3NEWS wants to take a look at the candidates vying for the office of Nueces County Judge.
Incumbent judge Barbara Canales and challenger Connie Scott both think they can move the county forward.
"There are going to be challenges when you walk in the door," Scott said. "Challenges working on the relationships with your individual county employees, with the commissioners court as well."
Canales said two key factors have contributed to exhausting the capacity of the county jail.
"We have an opioid crisis and a mental health crisis," she said.
Scott, who has served as a state legislator, said the biggest problem facing the county is the outdated jail.
"We have to focus on the jail, and at some point, we have to open up discussions about what we're going to do with that jail," she said. "It's over 50 years old. At some point we can't keep kicking the can down the road. The employees. The employee pay scale is tragically behind."
Canales is proud of her accomplishments from the last four years, which she said include ways to keep some from ending up in the county jail.
"From adding behavioral health/telehealth technology in our law enforcement vehicles to our emergency rooms," she said. "Countywide infrastructure investment of over $150 million. Bringing in over $150 million extra in federal and state grants. That's a huge accomplishment."
Scott said she has the contacts and experience to end conflict among those who work with commissioners.
Scott has the public support of three of the four county commissioners and county sheriff John Hooper among others.
Canales has the endorsement of the Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers, the Nueces County Sheriff's Officers Association and the Costal Bend Labor Council among others.