WACO, Texas (KWTX) - The McLennan County judicial merry-go-round continues to spin, with one candidate joining the race for 170th State District judge and two others dropping out.

Waco attorney Barrett Thomas, a former police chief and prosecutor, is joining Waco attorney Gina Long in the race to succeed longtime 170th State District Judge Jim Meyer, who is retiring at the end of his current term in December 2026.

As Thomas and Long gear up to face each other in the March 2026 Republican primary, felony prosecutor Kristi DeCluitt and attorney Aubrey Robertson, who previously announced their intent to run for the 170th State District Court bench, both have suspended their campaigns for the court.

While the county’s six state district courts have general jurisdiction, the 170th Court p

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