By Josh Siatkowski | Staff Writer
In the race for the 19th District Judge’s office, incumbent Republican Thomas West defeated former McLennan County District Attorney and Democratic challenger Barry Johnson.
Johnson conceded the race around 10:30 p.m. With 55% of voters reporting, Johnson was behind 32% to 67%, a 35-point deficit. After his victory, West said that the results show a simple fact about McLennan County.
“Voters in McLennan County value qualifications, experience and results,” West said.
With a 20-year career practicing criminal law, three and a half years in office so far and over 5,200 cases moved, West said that he brings all of these things to the office.
As West prepares for the beginning of another four-year term in January, he plans to continue working to eliminate the backlog of cases and bring quicker justice to McLennan County. When he began his term in 2021, there was a growing backlog of thousands of cases. And as victims and defendants waited on verdicts in these cases, even more piled up.
“I started with 2,500 cases in the backlog, and I get new indictments every two weeks, so that’s about 6,000 [cases] in three and a half years,” West said. “I’ll continue to reduce the old cases and then I’ll move into the new ones.”
West has reduced the backlog of cases to about 800 as of June 2024. In order to do this, he held over 18,000 hearings and moved 5,000 cases.
West practiced criminal law for much of his career. With over two decades of experience at Waco law firm Dunham and Dunham, West said his experience gives him the credibility to practice in the 19th District Court, which handles criminal and felony law matters.
“I know both sides of the docket,” West said. “I know what games they are going to play. I know they’re going to use the stall tactic to help their case. It’s part of the gamesmanship that you have to do as a lawyer, and I know all of that.”
Although the race between West and Johnson was a contentious one during the campaign season, West had no comment for his opponent after his victory.
Johnson also practiced law. After a 35-year career trying civil cases in Dallas, Johnson became the McLennan County DA in 2018. But he was ousted by Josh Tetens in 2022, coming up short in a 70-30 defeat.
After switching parties to run as a moderate democrat, Johnson has come up short again. Though a disappointing loss, Johnson said he wasn’t shocked.
“I feel good,” Johnson said.“I anticipated that here in a bright red county, this would happen. But when you feel strongly about something, you have to step up and challenge, and that’s what democracy is all about.”
Although Johnson still disagrees with West, he said that he is “totally optimistic about our democracy” and hopes that West performs his job well for the next four years.
Though it’s the second time in a row he has lost badly, Johnson has not ruled out another campaign. In the meantime, he’ll continue to practice law here in McLennan County.
There were three other district judge elections on the ballot in McLennan County, all of whom ran unopposed. In the 74th District Court, incumbent Republican Gary Coley was reelected, and incumbent Republican Alan Bennett won in the 474th District Court. In the 414th District Court — the newest court in McLennan County — Ryan Luna was reelected after being appointed just a year ago.
Four reelected judges end their nights with a win. Their second terms will officially begin in January.
