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Abbott calls Feb. 12 special election to replace Justin Rodriguez in Texas House

Rodriguez gave up the San Antonio seat after being appointed Bexar County commissioner last week.

by Patrick Svitek

State Rep. Justin Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, during a hearing held by the Interim Committee on Higher Education Formula Funding in Austin on Feb. 21, 2018.
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott has picked Feb. 12 as the date for a special election to replace former state Rep. Justin Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, who stepped down last week to become a Bexar County commissioner.

The candidate filing deadline is Jan. 14, and early voting begins Jan. 28, according to a proclamation Abbott issued Monday.

Rodriguez vacated the seat in House District 125 after he was appointed Friday to succeed Paul Elizondo, the longtime Bexar County commissioner who died last month.

The Feb. 12 special election will determine who completes Rodriguez's term, which ends in January 2021. It also will be the fourth such contest since the November elections, with two more special elections — to replace former state Reps. Carol Alvarado and Joe Pickett — coming up Jan. 29.

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Patrick Svitek’s staff photo