Democratic runoff turns bitter in Hays County as PAC tied to state representative targets county judge

A new political action committee called Hays Progressives United has been linked to Democratic State Rep. Erin Zwiener and seeks to unseat the incumbent Democratic county judge Ruben Becerra.

In a report first published by the Caldwell/Hays Examiner, financial documents reveal that State Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) has financed the creation of a new political action committee or PAC with the sole purpose of unseating the incumbent Democratic county judge, Ruben Becerra. Becerra faces a primary challenge from current Hays County Commissioner Michelle Cohen.

Ruben Becerra was first elected to office in 2018 during a blue wave year, flipping the county blue and becoming the first Latino county judge in Hays County history. This year, Becerra has been endorsed by every Democratic organization in the county in addition to the statewide Texas Progressive Caucus. He has also been tapped to serve as chair of this year’s Texas Democratic Convention which will take place in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Erin Zwiener was also elected in 2018 and flipped her seat, HD-45, from red-to-blue. Since then, her professional relationship with Becerra has deteriorated. The two have frequently clashed over both leadership style and political strategy. While Becerra has cultivated a more populist and combative public image, Zwiener has maintained a lower-profile approach centered on policy advocacy and legislative organizing.

The two politicians recently feuded over Becerra’s proposed water-use moratorium, which sought to temporarily pause approval of new high-water-use industrial developments in Hays County amid worsening drought conditions and growing concerns over long-term water scarcity. The public spat escalated when Zwiener was denied entry to Becerra’s “Clean Water Summit” after she had criticized aspects of his approach and was labeled an “agitator.”

For many, this divide reflects more than just policy and style differences, and instead ties into longstanding racial tensions within Hays County politics over minority representation and voter engagement. Zwiener and Becerra’s primary opponent Michele Cohen (who is Latina) both have the support of former Hays County Democratic Party Chair Donna Haschke, who had faced criticism during her time as party chair from Latino activists and Becerra for her approach to Latino outreach and voter access, including opposition to expanding polling locations in Latino-dominated and low-income areas.

This tension brings us to the present day, when Hays Progressives United, a brand-new PAC, began attacking Ruben Becerra on social media beginning in April 2026. For weeks before the financial disclosures became public, many Hays County voters and progressive activists had questions about this new group, including who was involved and who was funding it. Now, thanks to the Caldwell/Hays Examiner, the picture is much more clear.

98% of the PAC’s funding originated from Erin Zwiener for Texas House, the political campaign committee for State Rep. Zwiener. Despite the name of the PAC purporting to represent Hays County Progressives, other local progressive politicians, activists, and organizations don’t seem to be involved in the PAC’s funding or operations. Furthermore, the PAC’s online posts are solely focused on attacking Becerra as he seeks another term.

This revelation has sparked outrage and concern among local Hays County residents, who see this move as potentially damaging Democratic unity in Hays County, where Republicans still pose a real threat in county-wide races. Still, it remains to be seen if these type of political attacks will work and if there will ever be any reconciliation between the two political leaders.

Special thanks to the Caldwell/Hays Examiner for their investigative work that contributed to this piece. Interested readers can support the Examiner using this link.