Yesterday, December 9th, at 6:00 p.m. was the filing deadline for all candidates wanting to be on the ballot in 2014. There were a couple of minor surprises here and there, but for the most part it looks like primary season will be relatively quiet in 2014.
Here is what we've got:
Harris County District Attorney
Republican Devon Anderson- for the first time since 2004, the Republican nomination for District Attorney is uncontested.
Democrat Attorney Kim Ogg will be facing semi-lovable goofball Lloyd Oliver in the battle to be on November's ballot.
NOTE: Nobody should be surprised by Lloyd running again for District Attorney after he stunned us all in 2012 by getting the Democratic nomination over the vastly more qualified Zack Fertitta. Lloyd, who likes hopping from party to party between elections, may have finally decided to stick with the Dems since he got so much love from them last year. I did note that the Dems' website has added Lloyd's middle name of "Wayne" to his official listing. He's now "Lloyd Wayne Oliver" on the ballot -- kind of like John Wayne Gacy.
In all seriousness, Kim Ogg is the clear choice in the primary. This contest is a referendum on whether or not Democratic voters pay attention.
The District Courts
With the exception of the 263rd District Court Republican race (see below), none of the primaries for Criminal District Court Judge are contested on either side of the ballot.
180th District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Catherine Evans will be facing off against Democratic candidate and former-Judge Randy Roll.
182nd District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Jeannine Barr currently does not have a listed opponent according to the Harris County Democrats' website. I don't know if that is accurate or not. I'll keep you posted.
183rd District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Vanessa Velasquez also does not have a listed Democratic opponent.
184th District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Jan Krocker will be running against Democratic candidate, defense attorney, and all-around good guy, Mark Thering.
185th District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Susan Brown will be running against Democratic candidate Garland "Mack" McInnis, who ran as a Dem for the 351st District Court in 2012.
208th District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Denise Collins will be running against Democratic candidate Chuck Silverman. I had never heard of Silverman and so I did a little research. He appears to be a civil attorney who ran for a civil court bench in 2010. I don't know why in the world he's running for a criminal bench.
209th District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Michael McSpadden also does not have a listed Democratic opponent.
228th District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Marc Carter also does not have a listed Democratic opponent.
230th District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Brad Hart will be running against Democratic opponent and defense attorney Greg Glass.
232nd District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Mary Lou Keel also does not have a listed Democratic opponent.
248th District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Katherine Cabaniss will be running against Democratic candidate and former Judge Shawna Reagin.
262nd District Court Incumbent Republican Judge Denise Bradley will be running against Democratic candidate and defense attorney with the Public Defenders' Office, Jules Johnson.
263rd District Court The only contested District Court primary is between Republican Incumbent Judge Jim Wallace, who has drawn a primary challenger with defense attorney Robert Summerlin. The winner of the primary will face off against Democratic opponent and former Judge Herb Ritchie in November.
The County Courts at Law
The County Courts are also going to be relatively quiet during the primary season, with the exception of County Court at Law # 10, where longtime Republican Judge Sherman Ross has chosen not to run again.
County Court at Law # 1 Incumbent Republican Judge Paula Goodhart does not appear to have a Democratic opponent according to the Harris County Democrats' website.
County Court at Law # 2 Incumbent Republican Judge Bill Harmon has drawn a challenger in Democratic candidate and defense attorney Harold J. Landreneau.
County Court at Law # 3 Incumbent Republican Judge Natalie Fleming also does not appear to have a challenger.
County Court at Law # 4 Incumbent Republican Judge John Clinton will be facing off against Democratic candidate Nikita "Niki" Harmon. I'm not familiar with Ms. Harmon, but it appears that she is a City of Houston Municipal Judge from what I can tell from the Web.
County Court at Law # 5 Incumbent Republican Judge Margaret Harris will be running against Democratic challenger and defense attorney Ramona Franklin.
County Court at Law # 6 Incumbent Republican Judge Larry Standley will be running against Democratic challenger Linda Geffen. I'm not familiar with Ms. Geffen, but found this interesting story about her when I looked her up on the web.
County Court at Law # 7 Incumbent Republican Judge Pam Derbyshire will be running against Democratic challenger and defense attorney Sheila Acosta.
County Court at Law # 8 Incumbent Republican Judge Jay Karahan will be running against Democratic challenger and District Court Chief Assistant District Attorney Kelli Johnson.
County Court at Law # 9 Incumbent Republican Judge Analia Wilkerson does not appear to have a Democratic challenger.
County Court at Law # 10 As noted above, with the retirement of Judge Ross, there are a host of candidates who will be running to fill an open bench. On the Republican side, four candidates will be running: former prosecutor and defense attorney Tonya Rolland McLaughlin, Deputy Constable Ken Wenzel, attorney Dan Spjut and defense attorney Mary Heafner. On the Democratic side, two candidates will be competing for the nomination: George Barnstone and John Connolly.
NOTE: There will be a lot more discussion about this race in the days to come, but I'm going on record early as saying Tonya Rolland McLaughlin is the best candidate here. She's going to need a lot of help in running against the politically active Spjut, so if you've got the time and the resources, Tonya's campaign is a good one that could use your help!
County Court at Law # 11 Incumbent Republican Judge Diane Bull does not appear to have a Democratic challenger.
County Court at Law # 12 Incumbent Republican Judge Robin Brown also does not appear to have a Democratic challenger.
County Court at Law # 13 Incumbent Republican Judge Don Smyth will be facing off against Democratic challenger, former prosecutor and defense attorney Jason Luong.
County Court at Law # 14 Incumbent Republican Judge Mike Fields has drawn a challenger in Democratic candidate, former prosecutor and defense attorney David Singer.
County Court at Law # 15 Incumbent Republican Judge Jean Spradling Hughes has a challenger in Democratic candidate and defense attorney Raul Rodriguez.
The District Clerk
Over the past several years, the position of District Clerk has become more and more relevant in the daily lives of defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges. Republican incumbent Chris Daniel will be challenged by Court Koenning, a former Harris County Republican Party Executive Director. The winner of this battle will face Democratic candidate Judith Snively.
Harris County Republican Party Chairman
Although not directly related to the business of the CJC, the leadership of the Harris County Republican Party under incumbent Jared Woodfill has a huge effect on who runs and wins in Harris County. In my opinion, Woodfill and his friend Gary Polland have been running it into the ground at an alarming pace. Challenger Paul Simpson is running against Woodfill, as is Wendy McPherson Berry. Paul ran a good campaign against Woodfill last time and I'm glad to see him running again.
If Republican voters want to make some positive changes in their party, starting at the top is a good place. I hope you'll support Paul Simpson if you are voting in the Republican Primary.
10 comments:
I'm not familiar with Ms. Geffen, but found this interesting story about her when I looked her up on the web.
I'd hit it.
(What?)
Linda Geffen f/k/a Linda Hood was a prosecutor with the Harris County DA's Office for a number of years. While I was Chief of the 208th, she was one of the #2s and was a good lawyer.
Mary Heafner, now there's a name I haven't heard in ages. She used to come around the 228th a lot when Ted Poe was Judge and I was the number two in the early 80s. A former Las Vegas dancer if I recall. Haven't seen her in decades.
Lloyd W. Oliver SMOKES IN THE 7TH FLOOR BATHROOM!!!!! THAT ALONE SHOULD DISQUALIFY HIM FROM CONSIDERATION. HE STINKS!
Paul Simpson is having a fundraiser tonight at Cafe Adobe-
7620 Katy Freeway in the MarqE Center.
Anyone know why Chris Daniel insists on parking his Hummer with his political advertisements plastered all over it outside the courthouse everyday?
Ever notice it's in a handicapped parking space with handicapped plates?
Hmmmmmm
Anon 2:42 p.m.,
I know which Hummer you are talking about, but it is my understanding that the Hummer does not actually belong to Chris. It belongs to an employee of the Clerk's Office who is disabled and parks in the county garage.
If you are going to have a credible blog which it appears you are trying to do, then please do not refer to Democrats as Dems. It is a shallow attempt, usually by Tea Party bigots, to undermine their credibility. I am truly a moderate independent but don't like shallow cheap shots at either party.
Seriously 3:19 p.m?!?
I've heard Democrats referred to as Dems long before I ever heard of the Tea Party. Its short for a longer name -- like when my family calls me "Murr". I'm pretty sure you are complaining about something offensive only to you.
Lloyd Oliver smoking in the 7th Floor bathroom shows that he is a man who is not afraid to push the envelope, stand up for change and put his freedom at risk.
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