Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth has been pursuing the Republican nomination for Precinct 4 on the Denton County Commissioners Court for over a year, and the race is now in its final stretch. The mayor announced his bid last March, citing opposition to the ‘woke agenda’ as a key motivation in his campaign.

Hudspeth, who has focused on growth and partnerships with outside businesses, has resisted progressive initiatives on reproductive rights, fair chance hiring, and cannabis decriminalization. His campaign faces three other Republicans: incumbent Dianne Edmondson, David Wylie, and Valerie Roehrs.

Early voting for the March 3 primaries began Tuesday. The winner of the GOP nomination will face Democratic candidate Stephanie Draper, a wedding event planner and podcaster, in the November general election. Draper previously challenged Sen. Tan Parker in 2024, where Parker won with 61.5% of the vote.

Precinct 4 covers the southwestern part of Denton County, including western, central, and southern parts of the city of Denton. Hudspeth’s campaign finance reports show he is the front-runner, with $72,680 in contributions and $43,464 in expenditures as of January.

Hudspeth, however, is facing controversy over his ties to Freeit Data Solutions, an Austin-based IT company that has sold millions in products to Denton County since late 2022. Freeit’s technology runs court systems, tax systems, cybersecurity, and public safety data across the county.

Incumbent candidate Dianne Edmondson, who has been endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, raised concerns about Hudspeth’s position as mayor while working with Freeit. A county spokesperson confirmed that Denton County has spent $8.3 million on Freeit products since October 2022.

Hudspeth dismissed the criticism in an email, stating that his opponents are using ‘anonymous quotes to float baseless charges’ in the closing days of the campaign. He emphasized that all purchases by the county were unanimous decisions by commissioners, who approved a $755,000 deal with Freeit in December.

Commissioner Ryan Williams voiced concerns about a potential conflict of interest if Hudspeth were to serve as a commissioner. County Judge Andy Eads noted that the county has multiple contracts with Freeit, but a Denton city spokesperson confirmed the city has no such contract.

Hudspeth said he would not work with any entities in Denton County if elected and has not yet decided whether he will continue working for Freeit. He emphasized his commitment to transparency and legal compliance, noting that he has filed public disclosure forms annually.

Hudspeth, a native of Denton, was raised in Southeast Denton by his father, Willie Hudspeth, a civil rights activist and president of the local NAACP chapter. His father was known for his long-standing opposition to the Confederate monument on the Courthouse on the Square, which was removed in 2020.

Hudspeth’s political career began on the Denton City Council, where he prioritized transparency and ethics. He was elected mayor in 2020 and has since served two terms. He graduated from Denton High School and holds degrees from North Central Texas College and the University of North Texas.