South Brazoria News

Angleton resident Sarah Linder has won the Republican primary for Brazoria County Justice of the Peace.

Linder has been court clerk for Precinct 2, Place 2 for six years. 

“Through this all it’s just been a humbling experience, and I knew no matter what — win or lose — I’ve gained so much out of it and I feel like I’m just very grateful,” Linder told the Houston Chronicle. Linder received 4,179 votes (64%). 

Linder, 30, the mother of two, defeated Pete Gamboa, a 54-year-old criminal investigator for the Brazoria County District Attorney’s office. In November, Linder will face Democrat F.J. Jones of Rosharon.

Precinct 4, Place 1, represents the western portion of Brazoria County – from Shadow Creek Ranch to West Columbia. The current justice of the peace is Sharon Fox, a Republican, who has served in the office for 20 years. Fox said she has loved doing the job, which she says is a 24/7 commitment. Fox told The Brazoria Facts that her husband and son-in-law both have health issues and she just felt the time was right to step down.

On her website, Linder said that she has had more than 100 hours of training by the Texas Justice Court Training Center. She told The Facts that she wants to bring “a sense of civility to how the law is administered." She also said that she wants to “place an emphasis on compassion and the judicial temperament in the court.” 

Linder says that the Justice of the Peace has close ties to the community.  “I just want to help it maintain the people’s court, where people can come in and feel like their voices are being heard,” Linder said. 

Jones is active in the Democratic Party. She has a masters degree in education from St. Thomas University. She is the mother of two teenage boys.