Fort Bend ISD Board Trustee KP George announced Wednesday his plans to campaign for Fort Bend County Judge in the upcoming 2018 elections, advocating for fiscal responsibility, increased government transparency and constant community engagement, according to an official statement from his office.

Incumbent County Judge Robert Hebert has filed for reelection as the Republican candidate, and George filed as the Democratic candidate, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office.

George said his decision to run came after seeing how ill prepared he thought the county was in dealing with Hurricane Harvey.

“The county is directly in charge of emergency management and managing the aftermath,” George said. “As you know, emergencies happen, disasters happen. Nobody can stop it, but how do you prepare and how do you plan to take care of the citizens makes a big difference.”

Harvey left many residents displaced and vulnerable, and George said he thought the county could have taken more initiative to care for these families immediately after the storm.

If elected, George said he plans to work with the county’s cities, school districts and other organizations to identify and implement a stronger plan for emergency response.

“We need to have a coordinated effort with every governmental entity in Fort Bend County…so that we have, possibly, a memorandum of agreement in case of an emergency,” George said. “If we have to evacuate people and we need shelters and things of that nature, we have to have a proper plan on paper so that these people know where to go.”

In addition, George said he wants to advocate for better representation of minority populations within Fort Bend County, which is one of the most diverse regions in the nation.

“I believe this diverse community comes with a certain burden because some people don’t know how things work here,” he said. “Many people don’t even know who is our county judge.”

George said he wants to focus efforts on citizen engagement and outreach, working with county commissioners and community leaders of different organizations and backgrounds.

“I am in contact with numerous communities,” he said. “What I intend to do is create a citizens advisory committee.”

The purpose of such a committee is to educate, inform, and engage the county’s diverse population of residents to better serve them, George said.

“I am the new face of Fort Bend County,” he said.

The primary election date is March 6, and the general election date is Nov. 6.