Nowak concedes to Hawk: “I’ve been a life-long republican and will remain so. I will do what I can to help the party be a success in Dallas County. The results are not at all what we expected, but because of all the opportunities this country has given me, I have plenty to keep me happy, especially my wife and children.”
Update 10:50 p.m.
State District Judge Lena Levario of the 204th District Court told me that she is not expecting to win her race. She is losing to Dallas County prosecutor Tammy Kemp, who has about 60 percent of the vote.
“I’m looking at the numbers and studying the patterns” throughout the county, she said. Women against men are running away with the race. Males against males are within 5 percent, she said.
But in races like one between Kemp and Levario where there is a black female candidate, Levario said, “the people coming out on top are the African American females.”
“I think pattern is pretty consistent, I’m not expecting a win.”
Levario sounded upbeat despite what looked like a loss for tonight.
“It’s exciting to see what the future holds,” she said, adding that she is looking forward to the November elections.
The voting patterns, she said, likely have a lot of office holders concerned about future elections.
“A lot of the sitting incumbents are probably pretty worried about their jobs,” she said.
Also, with 528 of 797 precincts reporting, the candidate leading remains unchanged.
Update 10:10 p.m.:
Hawk has 63 percent of the vote and Nowak has 37 percent in the Republican DA.
In the 204th, Kemp has 59 percent of the vote and Levario has 41 percent.
In the 265th, Bennett has 68.75 percent, Eiland has 19.33 percent and Barr has 11.92 percent.
In the 282nd, Givens has 63 percent of the vote and Chatham has 37 percent.
In the 292nd, Birmingham has 51 percent and Mitchell has 49 percent.
In the 283rd, Magnis 54 percent and Lord 46 percent.
In the 291st, Mitchell has 59 percent and Anderson has 41 percent.
In the 363rd, Holmes has 73 percent and Redmond has 27 percent.
Update 9:23 p.m. :
With 140 of 797 precincts reporting:
Hawk has 63 percent of the vote and Nowak has 37 percent in the Republican DA.
In the 204th, Kemp has 60 percent of the vote and Levario has 40 percent.
In the 265th, Bennett has 68.56 percent, Eiland has 19.68 percent and Barr has 11.77 percent.
In the 282nd, Givens has 63 percent of the vote and Chatham has 37 percent.
In the 292nd, Birmingham has 51 percent and Mitchell has 49 percent.
In the 291st, Mitchell has 60 percent and Anderson has 40 percent.
In the 363rd, Holmes has 73 percent and Redmond has 27 percent.
Update 7:09 p.m.:
Early voting results are in for the Dallas County courthouse races.
Susan Hawk (on the right), a Republican candidate for Dallas County District Attorney, looked at early voting results with Jennifer Ring Pascal, chief operating officer and co-owner of Allyn Media. They are at Mi Cocina in North Dallas. (Credit Stella M. Chávez / KERA News)
Former state district judge Susan Hawk had a sizeable lead over defense attorney Tom Nowak in the Republican primary. Hawk resigned her bench to run for district attorney.
The winner will face Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins in November. The two-term Democrat does not have a primary opponent.
The county’s judicial races were talked about more than usual this election season. Some accused Watkins of running a slate of prosecutors against incumbent judges, all who were fellow Democrats elected with the DA in 2006. Watkins denied such a move.
Prosecutors were allowed to run for the bench while keeping their job, which has not always been Watkins’ policy. Watkins’ underlings are running for six of the seven contested felony court races. Only Democrats have contested primary judicial races.
No judicial race has been more watched than that of state District Judge Lena Levario and her challenger, Dallas County prosecutor Tammy Kemp. Early voting results had Kemp winning by a wide margin.
Levario held Watkins in contempt one year ago this week when he refused to testify in her courtroom about allegations of prosecutorial misconduct against him. Watkins was later acquitted.
In the 265th District Court, Dallas County prosecutor Jennifer Bennett was leading by a large margin over defense attorney Anthony Eiland and defense attorney William R. Barr. To avoid a runoff, one candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the vote. The winner will face Republican defense attorney Lisa DeWitt in November.
In the 282nd District Court, prosecutor Amber Givens was leading by a large margin over state district judge Andy Chatham. There is no Republican challenger. Givens questioned Chatham’s competency and Chatham said Givens lacked the experience.
In the 283rd District Court, state district judge Rick Magnis was leading prosecutor Justin Lord. There is no Republican challenger. Lord said Magnis was inefficient while Magnis touted his credential working with domestic violence victim advocates and working to create a program to curb recidivism and lethality among abusers on probation.
In the 291st District Court, prosecutor Stephanie Mitchell was leading defense attorney Susan Anderson. The winner will face Republican state District Judge Jennifer Balido in November. Balido was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry when Hawk resigned to run for district attorney. Both candidates touted their experience as the reason voters should chose them.
In the 292nd District Court, prosecutor Brandon Birmingham had a slight edge over state District Judge Larry Mitchell. The winner will face Collin County prosecutor Janet Cook in November.
Birmingham capitalized of Mitchell’s law license suspension by the State Bar of Texas for problems that occurred while Mitchell was in private practice. The bar’s action did not prevent Mitchell from carrying out his job as judge.
In the 363rd District Court, state District Judge Tracy Holmes had a sizeable lead over defense attorney Nigel Redmond. There is no Republican challenger.
Redmond targeted Holmes, he said, because of the way she handled the trial of former Dallas County constable Derick Evans. Evans was convicted of engaging in organized crime for running an illegal raffle and an appellate court upheld that verdict, although Evans continues to appeal.
Dallas County Democratic Chair Darlene Ewing had a sizeable lead over Watkins’ first assistant DA, Heath Harris.
Original post 6:58 p.m.: The polls will close at 7 p.m. I’ll post the results from early voting as soon as we get them.
In the Republican primary for Dallas County District Attorney former judge Susan Hawk is battling defense attorney Tom Nowak to take on DA Craig Watkins in November.
Watkins, a Democrat seeking a third term, does not have a primary challenger.
In Dallas County’s felony courts, no race is more watched than the battle between state District Judge Lena Levario and her challenger, Tammy Kemp for the 204th District Court.
The other felony court races:
265th District Court: Dallas County prosecutor Jennifer Bennett vs. defense attorney Anthony Eiland vs. William R. Barr. One candidate must get more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. The winner will face Republican defense attorney Lisa DeWitt in November.
282nd District Court: state District Judge Andy Chatham vs. Dallas County prosecutor Amber Givens. There is no Republican challenger.
283rd District Court: Dallas County prosecutor Justin Lord vs. state District Judge Rick Magnis. There is no Republican challenger.
291st District Court: defense attorney Susan Anderson vs. Dallas County prosecutor Stephanie Mitchell. The winner will face state District Judge Jennifer Balido in November. She was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry after Hawk resigned her bench to run for DA.
292nd District Court: Dallas County prosecutor Brandon Birmingham vs. state District Judge Larry Mitchell. The winner will face Collin County prosecutor Janet Cook in November.
363rd District Court: state District Judge Tracy Holmes vs. Nigel Redmond. There is no Republican challenger.