Contested Races On the Ballot in Harris County-3/14/00
The quality of our judges is crucial to our community. Unfortunately, most voters know little about the candidates. For this reason we have put together comparisons in three areas:

(1) qualifications (2) application of the law (3) impartiality

This comparison was developed from two Houston Bar Association polls:
*July, 1999 Judicial Evaluation Results
* 2000 Judicial Candidate Qualification Po
ll

Names in the boldface print indicate those who garnered the highest percentage of “well qualified” and “qualified” votes. Ratings and poll numbers do not constitute endorsement. Party affiliations were not part of the HBA polls. Party affiliations are indicated by (D) for Democrat and (R) for Republican. You may cast a vote in either the Democratic or Republican Primary but not both. All of the contested judicial races are in the Republican Primary with the exception of Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 1.

Votes from the judicial candidate qualification poll have been converted into percentages for easier reading.

Appellate Races
Supreme Court Justice Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Place 1 Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Valerie W. Davenport (R) 23.74% 22.91% 53.35% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Nathan Hecht (R, I) 55.63% 22.50% 21.87% 34.80% 20.80% 44.40% 29.80% 21.50% 48.70%
Place 3
Rod E. Gorman (R) 22.92% 26.87% 50.21% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Al Gonzales (R, I) 55.52% 32.21% 12.27% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
J. Gary Trichter (R) 43.56% 28.22% 28.2% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Connie J. Kelley (R) 13.44% 22.04% 64.52% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Tom Price (R) 1
Rated as Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3
22.36% 35.87% 41.77% 8.80% 47.10% 44.11% 11.40% 42.90% 54.7% 1
Sharon Keller (R) 2
Rated as Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2
46.50% 25.05% 28.45% 30.60% 20.40% 49.02% 29.40% 19.60% 51.00% 2
Judge, Criminal
Court of Appeals
Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Place 1 Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
John Boston (R) 35.45% 30.45% 34.10% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Charles Holcomb (R) 13.53% 30.83% 55.64% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Alan Curry (R) 64.11% 24.51% 11.38% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Guy Williams (R) 13.48% 31.91% 54.61% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Tom Greenwell (R) 28.57% 34.48% 36.95% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Place 2
Pat Barber (R) 19.36% 29.03% 51.61% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Sally L. Ray (R) 13.21% 32.70% 54.09% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Jim Wallace (R) 3
Rated as Judge. 263rd Criminal District Court, Harris County
15.91% 26.06% 58.02% 21.80% 28.60% 49.60% 18.00% 30.50% 51.5% 3
Barbara Parker Hervey (R) 36.72% 32.77% 30.51% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
W. B. "Bennie" House (R) 31.51% 36.98% 31.51% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Justice, 1st Court of Appeals, District Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Place 2 Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Richard Hall (R) 23.43% 40.60% 35.97% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Scott Brister (R) 4
Rated as Judge, 234th Civil District Court, Harris County
55.60% 24.45% 19.95% 45.00% 27.10% 27.90% 38.90% 25.40% 35.7% 4
Place 4
Terry Jennings (R) 21.13% 24.77% 54.10% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Ken Cannata (R) 16.10% 24.58% 59.32% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Lloyd W. Oliver (R) 6.30% 13.70% 80.00% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Justice, 14th Court of Appeals, District Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Place 1 Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Jim Barr (R) 5
Rated as Judge, 337th Criminal District Court, Harris County
11.44% 14.92% 73.64% 29.10% 18.50% 52.40% 27.00% 14.90% 58.1% 5
Maurice Amidei (R, I) 33.07% 39.22% 27.71% 14.50% 31.10% 54.40% 16.40% 38.10% 45.50%
Charles Wesley Seymore (R) 29.70% 27.51% 42.79% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Harris County Races
District Judge, 127th Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Allan Davis (R) 31.27% 27.49% 41.24% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Sharolyn Wood (R, I) 42.15% 31.41% 26.44% 33.50% 34.20% 32.30% 28.90% 32.80% 38.30%
District Judge 164th Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Frank Gerold (R) 24.26% 31.98% 43.76% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Martha Hill Jamison (R, I) 51.60% 31.57% 16.83% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Patrick "Tim" Timmons, Jr. (R) 17.62% 30.24% 52.14% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
W. Clyde Lemon (R) 12.25% 25.00% 62.75% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Joe Maida (R) 34.03% 42.72% 23.25% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 1 Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Bobby Dees (D) 18.27% 30.77% 50.96% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
John V. O'Sullivan (D) 34.96% 41.46% 23.58% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
R. C. Pruett (D) 16.53% 30.43% 53.04% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Jo Ann Delgado (D) 51.31% 26.70% 21.99% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 1 Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
H. N. McElroy (R, I) 34.22% 35.12% 30.66% 30.20% 32.50% 37.30% 30.60% 30.60% 38.80%
Shannon Nash (R) 19.05% 31.43% 49.52% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Denny Yates (R) 47.78% 30.37% 21.85% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Administrative
District Attorney Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll
Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law
Demonstrates Impartiality

Well
Qualified
Qualified Not
Qualified
Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Jim Leitner (R) 47.15% 33.38% 19.47% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Lloyd E. Kelley (R) 4.07% 9.56% 86.37% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Michael A. Stafford (R) 35.48% 33.03% 31.49% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Patricia "Pat" Lykos 25.23% 33.85% 40.92% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Chuck Rosenthal (R) 42.08% 29.50% 28.42% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
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