Pool repair expert Harmon Rhea captures 56.6 percent of early votes in Williamson County Precinct 4
Early returns show the pool repair owner ahead of the incumbent attorney by nearly 14 points in a contest covering Round Rock and surrounding communities.
By Ella Cox ·
Harmon Rhea held a lead over incumbent Russ Boles in the Williamson County Commissioner race for Precinct 4 as early voting tallies came in on Tuesday. Rhea captured 56.6% of the reported votes, while Boles received 42.7%. Tish Flores, a write-in candidate, accounted for 0.6% of the total.
Boles, a commercial real estate broker and attorney, is seeking a third term in office. Rhea operates a swimming pool repair and maintenance business. The precinct covers the eastern section of the county, including the cities of Round Rock, Taylor, Hutto, Granger, Coupland, and Thrall. Commissioners serve four-year terms.
Boles stated that residents prioritize road improvements, transportation, and public safety. He also identified a need for regional higher education workforce training to serve local employers who currently lack access to public four-year college programs.
Rhea focused his campaign on the county’s recent land acquisition in southeast Georgetown. The county purchased 253 acres for $75.8 million to build a future justice center. Rhea noted that groups such as Not By Our Schools and the local school board have opposed the purchase due to the site's proximity to George Wagner Middle School and James E. Mitchell Elementary School.
Rhea also cited community opposition to a proposed highway connecting Interstate 35 to the Samsung facility in Taylor. He described the project as a threat to agricultural land, which residents and farmers are fighting to keep intact from high-traffic industrial corridors. Tish Flores described her campaign goal on her website as protecting the county from unchecked growth and wasted tax dollars.
Republican David McDonald ran unopposed for the separate Precinct 2 seat in the same county.
