Panhandle Loses Two Democratic Judges

This election season brings some bad news for Democrats in the Texas Panhandle. There aren't too many Democratic elected officials in this part of Texas, and after the November election there will be two less. The Panhandle area is going to lose two Democratic elected judges.

The first is Judge Abe Lopez of the 108th District Court in Amarillo. Judge Lopez has had a long and distinguished career, but has decided that it is time to retire. He did not run for re-election this year, and sadly, no Democrat filed to run for the seat he was vacating.

There was a whole bunch of Republicans running though. This area is so Republican that I think it inhibits anyone from wanting to run as a Democrat. In fact, people have been known to switch parties and run as a Republican so they'd have a chance to be elected here.

The second judgeship being left vacant by a Democrat in in the 100th District Court in Childress. This one was vacated in a different manner though. Judge David McCoy resigned in disgrace after being arrested for theft. He had to resign, pay the money back and promise never to run for elective office again.

Governor Perry appointed the Republican District Attorney to replace him, and he ran for the seat unopposed in the Republican primary. Once again, no one filed for the seat as a Democrat.

That means both of these Democratic judgeships will change to the Republican party in November. Panhandle Democrats have a lot of work to do. In this year, when huge Democratic majorities are turning out in other parts of Texas, we must get enough Democrats to the polls in November to convince candidates that it is no longer political suicide to run as a Democrat.

It's a tall order. I hope we can do it.