Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7
Who is on the ballot for Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7 in Tom Green County, Texas, on November 3, 2026? This guide lists 2 people running for Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7: Kristen Hawkins (Democratic) and Kyle Hawkins (Republican, incumbent).
People running in this race. Party is shown when the official list names one.
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Kristen Hawkins Democratic
Shared source for names and parties: Texas Secretary of State ballot certification (https://www.sos.texas.gov/elections/forms/2026-ballot-cert.pdf), signed August 28, 2026 by Deputy Secretary Dave Nelson. Names are from the Tom Green County section. Election day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The Texas Ethics Commission treasurer list is a campaign-finance filing, not the ballot. The commission says the office on that form is what the filer wrote and may be out of date.
This page does not endorse anyone.
Kyle Hawkins
Kyle Hawkins, Republican, is certified for Supreme Court justice, Place 7. The Supreme Court says Justice Kyle D. Hawkins was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott in October 2025. That page says he previously served as Texas solicitor general and as counselor to the U.S. solicitor general.
Kristen Hawkins
Kristen Hawkins, Democratic, is certified for Supreme Court justice, Place 7. The Ethics Commission list shows Kristen Hawkins with office held as district judge, District 11, and office sought as Supreme Court justice, Place 7. That list does not name the county, and it is the filer's form rather than a court biography. No official court biography was found, so this note stops there.
What this job is
A justice of the Supreme Court of Texas is one of eight justices who, with the chief justice, make up the state's last court for civil cases. The Office of Court Administration's October 2026 chart also gives the court the last word in juvenile cases. Justices are elected statewide to staggered six-year terms. This race is for Place 7.
The court licenses lawyers in Texas and writes the rules for civil trials, appeals, and evidence.
Sources: Supreme Court of Texas; Court structure of Texas, October 2026
The area
This office is elected by the whole state. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 population estimate for Texas is 31,290,831. The 2024 estimate for Tom Green County, Texas is 120,103. San Angelo is the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, and the city's 2024 population estimate is 100,159.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 county population estimates; U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 city and town population estimates; Texas Comptroller, Tom Green County rural snapshot; U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 cartographic boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 TIGER/Line roads; U.S. Geological Survey, Global Map 1:1,000,000-scale rivers and lakes
Main industries here
The Governor's Office of Economic Development and Tourism says Texas is the leading producer of oil, gas, wind, and utility-scale solar energy in the United States. That page names oil and gas extraction, production, and transportation, and renewables, as energy clusters. A separate sector on the same page is food and livestock products, from beef and poultry to tortillas and snack foods.
Source: Governor's Office, target industries
Who holds it now
Kyle Hawkins. The Supreme Court says Governor Greg Abbott appointed Justice Kyle D. Hawkins in October 2025.
Source: Justice Kyle D. Hawkins
Who held this seat
This race is for Place 7. The court's Place 7 history page lists that place since September 21, 1945 and still lists Jeffrey S. Boyd as the current justice, with a term ending December 31, 2026. A separate justice page says Governor Greg Abbott appointed Kyle D. Hawkins to Place 7 in October 2025 and does not say when Boyd left. Both are shown. The pages do not give party.
Sources: Supreme Court of Texas, Place 7 since 1945; Supreme Court of Texas, Justice Kyle D. Hawkins
The buttons keep terms that overlap that many years back from 2026. A term that reaches into the window is shown in full. This choice stays on this page.
A picture is shown when a public page publishes a portrait of that person. An empty box means no portrait was found. The picture is not part of the office list.
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Kyle D. Hawkins
October 2025 – present
Appointed by Governor Greg Abbott. The justice page does not say when the previous justice left.
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Jeffrey S. Boyd
December 3, 2012 – present
Appointed by Governor Rick Perry in December 2012 to fill Wainwright's unexpired term. Elected in 2014 and re-elected in November 2020. The Place 7 history page says he serves to the present and that the term ends December 31, 2026. That page does not mention Kyle D. Hawkins.
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Dale Wainwright
January 1, 2003 – September 30, 2012
Elected in November 2002 and re-elected in 2008. Resigned September 30, 2012, to enter private practice.
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Deborah Hankinson
October 28, 1997 – December 31, 2002
Appointed in October 1997 by Governor George W. Bush to fill Cornyn's vacancy. Elected in November 1998 to the unexpired term. Did not seek re-election.
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John Cornyn
January 2, 1991 – October 18, 1997
Elected in November 1990 and re-elected in November 1996. Resigned in October 1997 to run for Texas attorney general.
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Franklin S. Spears
January 1, 1979 – December 31, 1990
Elected in November 1978 and re-elected in November 1984. Retired in January 1991.
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Price Daniel
January 1, 1971 – December 31, 1978
Appointed in January 1971 by Governor Preston Smith to fill Smith's vacancy. Elected in November 1972. Retired in January 1979.
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Clyde E. Smith
November 15, 1950 – December 31, 1970
Appointed in November 1950 by Governor Allan Shivers to fill Hart's vacancy. Elected in November 1954 and re-elected in November 1960 and November 1966. Retired in January 1971.
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James P. Hart
October 1, 1947 – November 15, 1950
Appointed by Governor Beauford H. Jester to fill Slatton's vacancy. Elected in November 1948. Resigned to become the University of Texas System's first chancellor.
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Charles S. Slatton
September 21, 1945 – October 1, 1947
Resigned to become Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. general counsel.