Texas Election Results: Meet Your New Judges and Those Still Battling for the Bench
Primary runoff election day on Tuesday ushered in 23 judicial candidates—some face opponents in the general election, while others have effectively won their benches because no one is running against them in November.
July 15, 2020 at 01:01 PM
15 minute read
Two incumbent district judges from Houston and El Paso have lost their races for reelection after Democratic voters picked their competitors in Tuesday's runoff election.
This means that Dec. 31 will be the last day on the job for 164th Civil District Judge Alexandra Smoots-Thomas of Houston, who is under federal indictment for wire fraud and lost to opponent Cheryl Elliott Thornton, who faces a Republican opponent in November.
New Year's Eve will also mark the end in office for 388th Family District Judge Laura Strathmann of El Paso, whose dirty campaign with challenger Marlene Gonzalez caused controversy because of allegations of defamatory campaigning and political sign-stealing. Gonzalez has won her bench because there's no opponent in the general election.
Primary runoff election day on Tuesday ushered in 23 judicial candidates—some face opponents in the general election, while others have effectively won their benches because no one is running against them in November.
Here are the election results, according to the Texas Secretary of State's Office. These results represent 100% of precincts reporting.
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Appellate Courts
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First Court of Appeals in Houston
Terry Adams has won the Republican nomination for Place 5 justice on the First Court of Appeals in Houston.
He now advances to compete in November against Democratic candidate Amparo Monique Guerra.
Adams earned the GOP nomination with 69% of the runoff vote, compared to 31% for his opponent, James Lombardino.
Read more: These Houston Candidates for Judge Want Your Vote in the Runoff for First Court of Appeals
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Houston's 14th Court of Appeals
The race is set between 14th Court of Appeals Justice Ken Wise, a Republican, and challenger Tamika "Tami" Craft.
In Tuesday's Democratic primary runoff election, Craft earned the nomination with 60% of the vote, compared to 40% for Cheri Thomas.
Read more: Meet Tamika 'Tami' Craft and Cheri Thomas, Democratic Runoff Candidates for Judge of Texas' 14th Court of Appeals
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Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth
The runoff in the Republican primary has chosen the winner for Place 7 justice on the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth.
With no Democratic opponent in November, Brian Walker will become the next justice in 2021.
Walker earned the Republican nomination with 64% of the vote, compared to 36% for Elizabeth Beach.
Read more: Elizabeth Beach, Brian Walker Vie for Justice of Fort Worth's Second Court in Primary Runoff
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Seventh Court of Appeals in Amarillo
Incumbent Seventh Court of Appeals Justice Larry Doss has beaten back his challenger to earn a full term to his seat.
Doss, appointed to the bench in November 2019, earned the Republican nomination with 58% of the vote, compared to 42% for Steven Denny.
Doss will take the bench in January 2021, as there is no Democratic opponent running in November.
Read more: These 2 Candidates Are Campaigning For Amarillo's Seventh Court of Appeals
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Ninth Court of Appeals in Beaumont
In a neck-and-neck race—clearly the closest competition among all the judicial runoffs–Scott Golemon has eked out the win to become the next chief justice of Beaumont's Ninth Court of Appeals.
He won the Republican runoff by only 322 votes, and there's no Democrat to run against in the general election. That means that Golemon will claim the bench in January 2021.
He earned 20,056 votes, or 50.4%, compared to Jay Wright's 19,734 votes, or 49.6%.
Read more: Texas Lawyers Scott Golemon and Jay Wright Want Your Vote for Chief Justice of Beaumont Court of Appeals
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Houston Area
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Houston's 164th Civil District Court
Incumbent Judge Alexandra Smoots-Thomas, who is under indictment for wire fraud, has lost her bid for reelection.
In a landslide election, Cheryl Elliott Thornton has become the Democratic candidate for Harris County's 164th Civil District Court after winning 71% of the vote in the runoff election against Smoots-Thomas, who won 29%.
Thornton will now face off against Republican candidate Michael Landrum in November.
Read more:
Indicted Houston Judge Battles Democratic Challenger in July Runoff Election
FBI Asked Houston Judge to Wear Wire to Investigate Other Jurists, Attorney Claims
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339th Criminal District Court in Houston
In November, the race for Houston's 339th Criminal District Court will feature incumbent Judge Jesse McClure battling for his bench against Democratic challenger Te'iva Bell.
Bell earned the Democratic nomination in Tuesday's runoff election after earning 63% of the vote, compared to 37% for Candance White.
Read more: Te'iva Bell and Candance White Seek The Vote For Houston's 339th District Court
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505th District Court in Richmond
Kali Morgan has won the Democratic runoff for Fort Bend County's 505th District Court, and will compete against Republican candidate David S. Perwin in the general election.
Morgan earned the Democratic nomination after garnering 61% of the vote, compared to 39% for Surendran K. Pattel.
Read more: Kali Morgan and Surendran K. Pattel Seek Democratic Nomination for Judge of Texas' 505th District Court
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457th District Court in Conroe
Eric Yollick, a judicial candidate who was charged for egging a county official's car in protest of a COVID-19 stay home order, has lost his race for the bench.
In a landslide election, Vince Santini beat Yollick to score the GOP nomination to Montgomery County's 457th District Court, a brand new bench.
Santini, who beat Yollick with 78% of the vote on Tuesday, will now run against Democratic candidate Marc M. Meyer in November.
Headlines arose in the election because Yollick, who opposed Montgomery County's COVID-19 stay-home order, threw an egg at the county judge's SUV and got charged with a Class C misdemeanor. He has pleaded not guilty and denied committing a crime, explaining that he cleaned the egg and it did not cause property damage.
Read more:
Meet Vince Santini and Eric Yollick, Republicans Running for Judge of Montgomery County's 457th District Court
This Texan Running for Judge Egged a County Official's SUV. Now Lawyers Want Him Out of the Race
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Dallas Area
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Dallas County Criminal District Court No. 3
Audra Ladawn Riley will be the next judge of Dallas County's Criminal District Court No. 3.
With no Republican opponent in November, Riley secured the bench after earning 62% of the vote in the Democratic runoff, compared to 38% for Teresa Jan Hawthorne.
Read more: Teresa Jan Hawthorne, Audra Ladawn Riley Face Off for Judge of Dallas County Criminal District Court No. 3
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401st District Court in McKinney
The slate is set for the November election for Collin County's 401st District Court.
The Republican candidate is George Flint and the Democrat is Tonya Holt.
The Tuesday runoff election ended with Flint as the Republican candidate after earning 69% of the vote, compared to 31% for Sarah Fox.
Read more: Meet George Flint and Sarah Fox, Republican Candidates for Judge of Texas' 401st District Court in McKinney
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431st District Court in Denton
In November, Jim Johnson will face off against Diana Weitzel for Denton County's 431st District Court.
Johnson became the Republican candidate in the race after earning 62.5% of the vote in Tuesday's primary runoff. That's compared to 37.5% for Derbha Jones.
Read more: Meet the Candidates Seeking Republican Nomination for Judge of Texas' 431st District Court in Denton: Jim Johnson, Derbha Jones
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422nd District Court in Kaufman
Shelton Gibbs IV will preside over Kaufman County's 422nd District Court next year after winning the Republican runoff election.
Because no Democrat is running, Gibbs will take the bench after earning 61% of the vote, compared to 39% for Chad Johnson.
Read more: 2 Republicans Compete for Judge of Kaufman's 422nd District Court: Shelton Gibbs IV and Chad Johnson
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North Texas
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99th District Court in Lubbock
The next judge of the 99th District Court will be Phillip Hays.
With no Democratic opponent in November, the winner of Tuesday's Republican primary runoff will take the bench in January 2021.
Hays earned 59% of the vote, compared to 41% for Kara L. Darnell.
Read more: Ex-Colleagues Kara L. Darnell and Phillip Hays Face Off in Republican Runoff for Judge of Texas' 99th District Court
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Lubbock County's 140th District Court in Lubbock
With no Democratic opponent in November, Republican candidate Douglas Freitag will preside over Lubbock County's 140th District Court starting next year.
Freitag earned the top spot in Tuesday's Republican runoff election with 60% of the vote, compared to 40% for Tom Brummett.
Read more: Tom Brummett, Douglas Freitag Want Your Vote for Judge of Lubbock's 140th District Court
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104th District Court in Abilene
The next judge of Taylor County's 104th District Court will be Jeff Propst.
Propst earned the bench by winning 56% of the vote in the Republican runoff. Kevin Willhelm won 44%.
There is no Democratic candidate running in November.
Propst will take the bench in January 2021.
Read more: Jeff Propst, Kevin Willhelm Compete in Runoff for Judge of 104th District Court in Abilene
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Central Texas
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19th District Court in Waco
Thomas West will preside over McClennan County's 19th District Court next year after winning the Republican runoff election.
There's no Democratic candidate running in November.
West earned the spot by winning 53% of the vote, compared to 47% for Kristi DeCluitt.
Read more: Kristi DeCluitt, Thomas West Seek Votes in Republican Primary Runoff for Judge of the 19th District Court in Waco
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426th District Court in Belton
Without a Democrat running in November, Tuesday's Republican runoff has decided who gets the bench of Bell County's 426th District Court.
Steve Duskie has won the seat after earning 60% of the vote, compared to 40% for Jeff Parker.
Read more: Republican Lawyers Steve Duskie and Jeff Parker Are Running for Judge of Texas' 426th District Court
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East Texas
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114th District Court in Tyler
Austin Reeve Jackson has won the race for Smith County's 114th District Court.
In the Republican primary runoff, Jackson got 55% of the vote, compared to 45% for Jarad Kent.
No Democrat is running in November, which means that Jackson will take the bench in January 2021.
Read more: Meet the Candidates for Judge in the Run Off Election for Tyler's 114th District Court
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West Texas
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El Paso County's 383rd District Court
The ballot for November for El Paso's 383rd District Court will say Lyda Ness Garcia for the Democrats versus Phyllis Martinez Gonzalez for the Republicans.
In Tuesday's Democratic primary runoff, Garcia secured her party's nomination after winning 55% of the vote, compared to 45% for Lucila Flores.
Read more:
Meet the Lawyers Campaigning for Judge of Texas' 383rd District Court: Democrats Lucila Flores and Lyda Ness Garcia
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El Paso County's 388th District Court
In a race with multiple allegations thrown between the candidates, incumbent Judge Laura Strathmann of El Paso County's 388th District Court has lost her reelection bid against Democratic challenger Marlene Gonzalez.
The Democratic runoff for the bench decided the race, since there's no Republican running in the general election.
Gonzalez earned 53.5% of the vote, compared to 46.5% for Strathmann.
Allegations of dirty campaigning arose in the race. Strathmann claimed that Gonzalez was behind a Facebook page and website that she alleged had defamed her, but Gonzalez denied the allegation and said that a disgruntled litigant from Strathmann's court had done it. Texas Lawyer uncovered evidence that it was, in fact, a disgruntled litigant.
Later, supporters of Gonzalez posted a video that showed Strathmann removing one of Gonzalez's campaign signs from a roadway. Strathmann claimed that her neighbor asked her to take down the sign from his property, but Gonzalez countered that the sign belonged to her and Strathmann shouldn't have removed it.
Read more:
'She Lacks the Judicial Temperament': Incumbent Judge Battles Challenger in Democratic Race for Texas' 388th District Court
Texas Judge Claims Political Challenger Used Fake Facebook Account to Attack Her
Watch the Video: Judge Caught on Camera Stealing Political Opponent's Sign
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Midland County's 142nd District Court in Midland
Midland's 142nd District Court will be headed by David G. Rogers, the winner of Tuesday's Republican runoff election.
Rogers earned 61% of the vote, compared to 39% for Mary Baker.
There is no Democratic candidate running in November.
Read more: Lawyers Mary Baker and David G. Rogers Are in the Runoff Election for Judge of Midland's 142nd District Court
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South Texas
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138th District Court in Brownsville
Gabriel Gabby Garcia will become the next judge of Cameron County's 138th District Court.
Garcia earned the Democratic nomination after scoring 58% of the vote, compared to 42% for Helen Delgadillo.
There is no Republican candidate in November, which means Garcia will take the bench in January 2021.
Read more: Meet the Candidates for Judge of Brownsville's 138th District Court: Helen Delgadillo and Gabriel Gabby Garcia
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