David L. Evans of Benbrook was appointed presiding judge of the Eighth Administrative Judicial Region by Gov. Rick Perry for a term that expiring four years from the date of qualification.

State Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, was elected chairman of the Senate Hispanic Caucus at its meeting Wednesday evening. Houston Democrat Sylvia R. Garcia was chosen as vice chairwoman of the gr0up.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn picked up the backing of the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's leading small-business association.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst received the endorsement of the Texas Apartment Association for re-election.

Former Dallas City Councilwoman and current GOP HD-102 candidate Linda Koop picked up endorsements this week from the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas and the pro-public ed Texas Parent PAC. Koop is one of three challengers — Adryana Boyne and Sam Brown are the others — vying to unseat the incumbent Stefani Carter, R-Dallas.

The political arm of the Texas Civil Justice League has endorsed:

•    Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, Justices Phil Johnson, Jeff Brown and Jeff Boyd for the Texas Supreme Court.

•    Greg Abbott for governor and David Dewhurst for lieutenant governor.

•    In the GOP primary, Judge Leanne Johnson of the 9th Court of Appeals in Beaumont, Judge John Bailey of the 11th Court of Appeals in Eastland and Patricia Grady for district judge in the 212th District Court in Galveston County

•    In the Democratic primary, Chief Justice Ann Crawford McClure of the 8th Court of Appeals in El Paso

Deaths: Richard "Dick" Reynolds, who represented Richardson in the state House for two terms in the 1970s and served at the Texas Department of Insurance when that agency was overseen by an appointed panel of commissioners. He was 86.