State Rep. Keough challenging Doyal for Montgomery County judge

State Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, has announced he his plans to run for Montgomery County judge. State Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, has announced he his plans to run for Montgomery County judge. Photo: Michael Minasi, Staff Photographer Photo: Michael Minasi, Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close State Rep. Keough challenging Doyal for Montgomery County judge 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A state representative from The Woodlands plans to run for Montgomery County judge in the March 2018 Republican Party primary election.

Mark Keough, who represents District 15, announced his intentions Wednesday, just two days after the legislative session ended and with a potential special session looming. His second term as representative expires in 2019.

"I am very excited about this," Keough told The Courier. "The reason I pulled the trigger on this deal is two reasons. I feel in the House of Representatives I have done a good job ... and what can I do for the most amount of people in the shortest amount of time?

"This county is in a difficult situation and it seems like it is not going away."

Keough said he know the community is divided on issues including the county financial situation and ethics and said he want to address those as well as focus on law enforcement and mobility. He added his already getting "lots of support" and said it will be a "very exciting race."

County Judge Craig Doyal's term is up at the end of 2018, but he has said his intentions are to run for re-election. Doyal won the county judge's race in 2014 and took office in January 2015 after serving as Precinct 2 commissioner from 2001-14.

On the heels of Keough's announcement, Steve Toth confirmed he will seek his old office in District 15. Toth was state representative prior to Keough but vacated the position to run for state Senate in 2014.

During the 2014 Republican primary, former Montgomery County Infrastructure Director Mark Bosma edged out Doyal with 17,228 votes to his 17,133 votes but, with a third candidate, did not receive more than 50 percent of the votes, forcing a runoff. During the May 27, 2014, runoff, Doyal topped Bosma with 18,104 votes (54.67 percent) to Bosma's 15,010 (45.33 percent).

In February, Doyal confirmed to The Courier his plans to seek re-election as county judge.

Toth and The Woodlands Township Board Chairman Gordy Bunch, who had been asked to challenge Doyal, said in February the turmoil surrounding Doyal could motivate even more people "off the bench" to file for the seats. Both Bunch and Toth said in a previous Courier article they did not have plans to run for county judge.

Doyal, Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark and Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley were indicted June 24, 2016, on the charge of conspiring to circumvent the Texas Open Meetings Act, relating to the November 2015 $280 million road bond passed by voters. In addition, political consultant Marc Davenport also was indicted on the same charge.

Clark and Riley also are up for re-election in 2018 and plan to run. Bob Bagley, who lost to Clark in a runoff in 2014, has announced his plans to challenge Clark.

In the TOMA case, Doyal's attorney, Houston-based Rusty Hardin, challenged the constitutionality of part of the Texas Open Meetings Act the four were charged under.

On April 5, 329th state District Court Judge Randy Clapp, of Wharton County, ruled at least part of the act is unconstitutional because it is vague, overbroad and violates free speech. With his ruling, Clapp, who was acting as visiting judge in the 221st state District Court in Montgomery County, dismissed the charges against Doyal, Riley and Davenport.

In March, Clark agreed to pretrial diversion to have his case dismissed if he testified for the state against the other men.

The state has since filed notice to appeal Clapp's decision. That issue is pending in the 9th Court of Appeals.

According to his campaign site, Keough received a bachelor's degree from Cedarville University, a private institution in Cedarville, Ohio. He obtained master's degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. He also attended the University of Cincinnati. For more than two decades, Keough was in automobile sales, including 14 years as the general sales manager of Northside Lexus in north Harris County. He left the automobile business to establish Mark Keough Ministries, which includes the Pathfinders Fellowship of The Woodlands. In addition to his continuing work as a pastor and radio host, he has been the headmaster of a private Christian school.

Keough and his wife Kim have four children.

On March 4, 2014, Keough won the Republican primary election to replace Toth. Keough received 57.4 percent of the votes against former The Woodlands Township Board Chairman Bruce Tough. Keough was then unopposed in the Nov. 4, 2014, general election.

"It's been an honor to serve (as representative)," Keough said.

Doyal could not be reached for comment.