Endorsement watch: Appeals courts

The Chron, perhaps recognizing that it needs to pick up the pace a bit, made endorsements in the six races for the First and Fourteenth District Courts of Appeals. They went with four incumbent Republicans, and two Democrats:

Mary M. Markantonis for justice, 14th Court of Appeals, Place 6: On an all-Republican court whose judges tend to come from large defense firms, this Democrat offers a fresh perspective and a wide variety of life and legal experience. In 30 years of legal practice, the Houston native has specialized in employment law.

Jim Sharp for justice, 1st Court of Appeals, Place 3: In 19 years of practicing law, Democrat Jim Sharp has accumulated a wealth of experience representing clients in civil, criminal and family cases, as well as on the appellate level. He promises to offer new views and legal ideas on a court that is currently all Republican.

Sharp ran for this court in 2004 and 2006, coming very close to a win in 2006 as he won a majority of the vote in Harris County. He's technically running for an open seat, as the incumbent judge in the First Court, Place 3, former HPD Chief Sam Nuchia, was defeated in the Republican primary. Markantonis is running against incumbent Judge Bill Boyce, but for an unexpired term as Boyce was appointed last December. I didn't make any specific predictions for these races, I just thought the Chron would go with a mix of Ds and Rs. Which they did, so I'll claim victory.

While these six recommendations represent the largest number the Chron has made in a single day so far, it's still one category of office, which as we know is a pace that will have them making endorsements right up till Election Day. And I can't believe they'll do 27 of these in one day when they do the county judicial races. So, something still has to give.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on October 23, 2008 to Election 2008