BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Ron Rangel, the presiding judge in Bexar County’s 379th Criminal Court, has decided he is no longer interested in running for county district attorney.
Rangel, who spoke to KSAT 12 News on Wednesday morning, said he took “several months” to arrive at his decision.
“I just got elected to this role last year, so this term started January of this past year. I have not even been a year in this particular office,” Rangel told KSAT. “And when I ran, I did promise the voters, and I did expect to, fulfill that four-year term. We have a lot to do in the county.”
Rangel was reelected to the court in November 2024.
If he entered the Bexar County DA race, Rangel would have had step down with more than three years left in his term on the bench.
“The governor would appoint somebody,” Rangel said. “It would not be an elected person from the community. And so, I think it’s important that I give the voters an understanding that I do care about the job that I have now.”
Back in June, a news release announced Rangel’s intention to explore a bid for Bexar County District Attorney.
“I feel very humbled with the idea that I’ve had so many folks in the community, in the courthouse, people with the (Democratic) Party. A lot of folks have offered me a significant amount of support, and I feel really honored with that,” Rangel said. “That’s something that I think is a part of the process that I learned about.”
The judge said his decision was impacted by family “considerations.”
“That’s very significant,” Rangel said. “This is really not the right time for my family. I don’t know if you’re aware, (but) my dad passed a few years ago, so I take an outsized role as the paternal figure in my family. And so, it’s just not the time for them.”
Watch Rangel’s exclusive interview with KSAT below.
Rangel began exploring a bid after current DA Joe Gonzales told reporters on June 5 that he was not seeking reelection.
Gonzales was elected as the county’s district attorney in 2018 and 2022.
Rangel was first elected to the 379th Criminal District Court in 2008.
The filing window for candidates in any Texas political office opens on Nov. 8.
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