Three incumbents on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals are projected to lose their Republican primary races to challengers backed by Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Paxton targeted the three judges—Sharon Keller, Barbara Parker Hervey and Michelle Slaughter—after the court ruled in 2021 that the Texas Constitution prohibits the attorney general's office from initiating voter fraud investigations.
With all counties and polling locations across Texas reporting results, Dallas appellate attorney David J. Schenck is projected to beat Presiding Judge Sharon Keller with 62.66% of the vote to Keller's 37.34%.
Gina Parker, a Waco attorney and business owner, received nearly twice as many votes as her opponent, Judge Barbara Parker Hervey. Parker is projected to beat Hervey 66.08% to 33.92%.
Collin County attorney Lee Finley received 53.88% of the vote to Judge Michelle Slaughter's 46.12%.
What they're saying
In a statement, Paxton called the results "a mandate for justice."
"Activist judges have no place on our courts, and tonight's results reflect the will of the people," Paxton said. "We will begin the crucial work of rebuilding our Court of Criminal Appeals, restoring integrity to our legal system, and ensuring that every Texan's voice is heard and respected."
Democrats Holly Taylor, Nancy Mulder and Chika Anyiam ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. They are expected to face off with the Republican challengers during the November election.
All results are unofficial until canvassed. Visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide to see results from all state and local elections in your community.
Posted 8:45 p.m. March 5
Three seats on the nine-member Texas Court of Criminal Appeals are up for election. Judges serve staggered six-year terms on the state’s highest appeals court, which is located in Austin.
The court handles appeals in death penalty cases and other high-profile criminal matters.
At the polls
With 108 counties reporting Republican primary results and 100 counties reporting Democratic primary results, here are the leading candidates in each primary race:
Presiding judge (Republican primary)
- David J. Schenck, who served from 2015-2022 on the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals, leads with 63% of the vote, or 290,253 votes.
- Incumbent Sharon Keller trails with 37% of the vote, or 172,182 votes.
Holly Taylor, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, has 124,222 votes. Taylor will face the winner of the Republican primary in November. She serves as assistant director for Post-Conviction Matters and Complex Litigation Support in the Civil Rights Division of the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, according to her campaign website.
Judge, Place 7 (Republican primary)
- Gina Parker, a Waco attorney and business owner, leads with 68% of the vote, or 305,291 votes.
- Incumbent Barbara Parker Hervey trails with 32% of the vote, or 145,889 votes.
Nancy Mulder, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, has 122,587 votes. Mulder is the presiding judge for Dallas County’s Criminal District Court No. 6. She will face the winner of the Republican primary in November.
Judge, Place 8 (Republican primary)
- Lee Finley, an attorney from Collin County, leads with 55% of the vote, or 247,882 votes.
- Incumbent Michelle Slaughter trails with 45% of the vote, or 200,532 votes.
Chika Anyiam, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, has 119,881 votes. She will face the winner of the Republican primary in November. Anyiam presides over Dallas County’s Criminal District Court No. 7.
Zooming in
Attorney General Ken Paxton has vehemently supported the Republican challengers to the sitting judges in the typically quiet races. Paxton's discontent stems from a 2021 case, when the Court of Criminal Appeals ruled 8-1 that the attorney general’s office does not have the authority to initiate voter fraud investigations.
Judges Sharon Keller, Barbara Parker Hervey and Michelle Slaughter ruled with the majority in the voter fraud decision.
Paxton has called the ruling “ludicrous.” In a Feb. 23 video posted to X, formerly Twitter, Paxton said Republican candidates David J. Schenck, Gina Parker and Lee Finley “will return election integrity to the court.”
Stay tuned
Community Impact will update this article as more primary voting totals are released. All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide to see results from all local elections in your community.
