Llano County judge stepping down after March primary; Republican nominee to take office early
Llano County Judge Cunningham plans on stepping down following the March primary election. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham will be stepping down following the 2026 Republican primary election in March. Cunningham accepted a new position with the Texas Association of Counties, and the winner of the primary will likely serve the remaining 10 months of his term.
The outgoing judge announced on Tuesday, Jan. 27, that he would be vacating his seat and taking the County Relations Officer job with TAC on March 16. This comes after he publicly announced in September 2025 that he would not be running again, leaving the county judge’s seat open for the March 3 primary election.
“Llano County is in capable hands, and I remain confident in its bright future,” Cunningham wrote in a Jan. 27 media release. “TAC plays a critical role in strengthening county government in all 254 Texas counties. I look forward to supporting county officials statewide and helping ensure they have the tools they need to serve their communities.”
According to Cunningham, the current plan is to officially resign during the Llano County Commissioners Court meeting following the results of the Republican primary. The remaining members of the court will then vote to appoint the winner of the primary as the new county judge to serve out the remainder of Cunningham’s term, which expires in January 2027.
There are no Democratic challengers in the Llano County judge’s race, so the winner of the Republican primary will almost certainly take office to serve out their own four-year term after Cunningham’s expires.
Cunningham told DailyTrib that he intentionally waited to step down until the results of the primary were official to ensure that there was a transition of power justified by the voice of Llano County voters rather than a decision made solely by the Commissioners Court.
“The reason I waited until March is I didn’t want the court to become a circus,” he said.
There are two candidates running for the Republican nomination for Llano County judge– Rob Hardy and Richard Kepp.
DailyTrib is hosting a Llano County candidate forum featuring both men at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the Llano County Community Center. Learn more about the candidates and the forum in this Jan. 9 DailyTrib story.
Cunningham has been in office since 2019. During his tenure, he navigated significant events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the winter storms of 2021, extreme drought and wildfires, the Llano County Library System lawsuit, and the historic flooding of the Llano and Colorado rivers in October 2018.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Llano County,” Cunningham said. “During my two terms, I have had the opportunity to work alongside exceptional individuals and organizations who care deeply about this county and state. Together, we have successfully faced major challenges and achieved meaningful progress that will benefit Llano County for years to come.”