Maverick County Republican Candidate for County Judge Ruben J. Camarillo Quits County Judge’s Race Six Weeks Before Early Voting
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Copyright 2026 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc..
Maverick County Republican Party candidate for County Judge Ruben J. Camarillo in the upcoming November 3, 2026 Election announced on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 in his personal Facebook Page that “As of today, I am stepping aside from the 2026 Maverick County Judge race.“
Camarillo’s announcement surprised the Maverick County Republicans and the community on his quitting the County Judge’s race only 41 days or six weeks before commencement of the Early Voting Period scheduled on October 19-30, 2026 in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Camarillo registered as the sole Republican Party candidate for the Maverick County Judge race on November 22, 2025 before Maverick County Republican Party Chairwoman Sandy Sassano.
As the Republican Party candidate for County Judge, Camarillo was the top flag bearer for the Maverick County Republican Party in the November 3 Election.
At the Texas Republican Party Primary election held on March 3, 2026 in Eagle Pass, Maverick County, Texas, Camarillo received a total of 561 votes out of a total of 689 votes cast while unopposed in the primary, earning the Republican Party’s nomination for Maverick County Judge in the November 3, 2026 Election.
Prior to his withdrawing in the Maverick County Judge race, Camarillo faced two strong opponents in the November 3, 2026 Election for County Judge in Democratic Party nominee Gerardo “Jerry” Morales whom defeated incumbent Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu by a landslide and former County Judge David R. Saucedo who registered as an Independent Candidate in July 2026 after previously being dethroned four years ago by Ramsey English Cantu.
Camarillo saw the “writing on the wall” that his candidacy for Maverick County Judge was not going to be successful and chose to step down in the middle of the campaign, stunning the community.
As a result of Camarillo’s unexpected withdrawal from the highest elected public office in Maverick County, the Maverick County Republican Party is left without a candidate in the County Judge’s election as it is too late to replace Camarillo on the ballot with another candidate.
In addition, Camarillo’s withdrawal surprised the remaining Maverick County Republican candidates seeking different county-wide public offices in the November 3, 2026 Election, leaving them without a top race candidate to draw votes to their respective races. For example, Maverick County Republican Party candidate Tom Cary for County Commissioner Precint 2, candidate Guadalupe “Lupe” Negrete for County Commissioner Precinct 4, candidate Anna Derbez for Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, candidate Gilbert Salas for Justice of the Peace Precinct 3-1, candidate Lidia Montes for Justice of the Peace Precinct 3-2, and other candidates will not have the benefit of having their flag bearer candidate in the election.
Camarillo’s withdrawal leaves Maverick County voters to choose among the two remaining candidates, Democratic Party nominee Gerardo “Jerry” Morales and Independent candidate David R. Saucedo in the November 3 Election with Early Voting getting underway on October 19-30.
