Josh Siatkowski Staff Writer
Four district judge positions will be decided on the Nov. 5 McLennan County ballot. Although three of those on the ticket include unopposed Republicans, the race for the 19th District Court is hotly contested and controversial.
He will face incumbent Republican Judge Thomas West, 59, and Barry Johnson, 68, who became a Democrat in December 2023 before filing for election. It is no exaggeration to say that both believe the other is unfit for public office. Both agree that the issue with their opponents is not one of political leaning, but one of experience and character.
Johnson, who had a long career as a civil litigator in Dallas and served as McLennan County District Attorney from 2018 to 2022, is returning to local politics to run against West, who is in his first term. Johnson said much of his need to switch parties and run for district judge stems from his perception of West’s character.
“I have never seen a judge with such bad temperament and character flaws as the sitting judge in this case,” Johnson said. “That’s why I ran for office.”
West, who had a long career in criminal law before becoming a judge in 2021, said similar things about Johnson, calling his opponent an “angry man.”
Johnson also denied claims of bad character and said his effectiveness as a judge disproves those claims. When West began his term in 2021, the backlog had grown to 2,500 cases.
“We started with a backlog of 2,500 cases, but with new indictments arriving every two weeks, we’ve grown to about 6,000 (cases) in three and a half years.”
Since then, West said he has held more than 18,000 hearings and reduced the backlog to 800 cases.
“You can’t move 5,000 lawsuits with a bad character,” West says. “I have a great temperament.”
West said reducing the case backlog is one of the biggest impacts of the role. West said each day a prisoner spends awaiting trial can cost taxpayers up to $200. In addition to this, a better judicial system will be built.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. And the victims are suffering, too. They’ve been suffering the last five or six years of waiting,” West said.
West also said his career as a criminal lawyer gave him experience more appropriate for the job of a judge.
“I know both sides of the case. I know what kind of game they play. I know they’re going to use stall tactics to solve the case. That’s what you have to do as a lawyer. It’s part of gamesmanship and I know all about it.”
West said what sets him apart from Johnson is his own experience. Johnson, whose career has been almost exclusively in civil law, will have to learn the process. West said that rather than knowing the rules, he has “lived by them” based on his own experience.
Although the 19th District Court judge’s job is to handle criminal felonies, Johnson said his experience still gives him the skills he needs to do his job properly.
“If you are a practicing trial lawyer, as I was, you are constantly preparing for or will be going to trial, so you can develop the skills needed to be a judge. It is.”
Mr. Johnson switched to the Democratic Party on the day he filed for election. Mr. Johnson acknowledged that many of the changes were aimed at giving him a chance to take on Mr. West, but the Democratic Party is not entirely foreign to him.
“I think like most people,” Johnson said. “I’m moderate to center-right on some issues and moderate to center-left on some issues. … I think that’s the case for the majority of people.”
Just a few years ago, Johnson was district attorney as a Republican, but lost in a landslide to Josh Tetens in 2022. Mr. Johnson said the selection of Mr. Tetens, who is more right-wing than him, influenced him to leave the Republican Party.
“The more far-right wing of the party took control of the party and they jumped at full speed to defeat me and lost 70-30,” Johnson said. “Republicans didn’t like moderate Republicans anymore, and there was room for moderate Democrats. That’s why I’m here.”
But Johnson said party labels don’t matter when running for office, which relies more on ability and character than political views.
“My feeling is that if there’s one area of elected office where it really doesn’t matter whether you say, ‘I’m a Republican’ or ‘I’m a Democrat,’ it’s the judiciary. It’s a position.”
