Ashby aims to rebuild trust and guide Coryell County's future

Ray Ashby returned to Coryell County’s political front line with a promise to rebuild trust, support recovery work and think beyond the next budget cycle. After defeating Justin D. Smith 406 to 268 in the May 26 Republican runoff for Precinct 4, Ashby signaled that he wants his next term measured by whether county government becomes steadier, more transparent and more focused on long-term needs.

The runoff mattered well beyond one precinct. Ashby had already led the March 3 primary field with 578 votes, or 37.68%, and because no Democrats filed for the countywide races, the runoff winners are expected to take office Jan. 1, 2027. In other words, the comments Ashby made after the election are not just campaign language anymore. They point directly toward the work waiting at Coryell County Commissioners Court.

That court controls the yearly property tax rate, approves the county budget, maintains county roads and bridges and sets long-range plans for land use, law enforcement and jail needs. For Ashby, that means his promises will quickly meet the hard realities of local government: road maintenance in Precinct 4, pressure on the tax rate, and decisions about how far ahead the county is planning for growth and public safety. “We have to start doing long-range planning,” Ashby said, underscoring that his focus is on the county’s future as much as its present.

His message also landed in the middle of a turbulent election season. Coryell County voters chose new leadership in the county judge race and the Precinct 2 commissioner race as well, and those contests drew extra attention after both incumbent candidates became tied to separate Texas Rangers investigations. That backdrop has made trust, budgeting and accountability central issues for residents who have spent months watching county government under scrutiny.

The pressure on commissioners is not abstract. In April, the court tabled a proposed countywide ban on data centers after concerns about environmental impact and utility usage. In Gatesville, a March 16 fire destroyed several historic buildings downtown and triggered a county disaster declaration. At the same time, a flood mitigation effort is moving ahead with $4 million in Texas General Land Office funding to reduce damage in the Leon River and Cowhouse Creek watersheds and add an automatic warning system.

For Ashby, the first test of his return to the court is simple to state and difficult to pass: turn the talk of unity and recovery into visible work on roads, budgets, disaster readiness and long-range planning before county residents lose patience again.