Incumbent Democrats hold edge in tight Dallas County judge races
SMU Political Science Professor Dennis Simon talks about how Democrats did in local elections despite the Republican dominance of the national races.
BY DIANE JENNINGS / The Dallas Morning News
Incumbent judges maintained the Democratic hold on the Dallas County courthouse Tuesday.
Many Democratic judges ran unopposed, and those who drew opponents headed back to the bench. . .
"Why is it in a very good Republican year that there are so many Democrats unopposed?" asked Dennis Simon, professor of political science at Southern Methodist University. "I think that speaks to the strength of the Democrats in Dallas County now.
"That would have never happened two, four, six eight years ago."
Tight races between top Democratic candidates "suggest to me the Democrats are holding their own," Simon said. "They might lose a couple, but it's not going to be a tsunami." . . .
"Four years ago, the Democrats had the wind at their back," Simon said. "Everything came together. This year is about playing defense – holding what they have."
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