Meurer Demurs, Lehmberg Leaping In, For Travis County DA
The retirement of longtime Travis Co. District Attorney Ronnie Earle seems to have set off a stampede of candidates talking about replacing him. And that’s just among Earle’s staff.
An early front-runner, State District Judge Jeanne Meurer, is taking herself out of the race before it even starts. That clears the way for a new front-runner: Rosemary Lehmberg, Earle’s first assistant DA, who is expected to announce her bid at any moment.
Lehmberg may be seen as the heir apparent. But she’ll have to get through several others first, including announced candidates Garry Cobb and Rick Reed, both currently serving as assistant DAs; Mindy Montford, another assistant DA eying the race; Randy Leavitt, Lehmberg’s counterpart in the Travis County Attorney’s office, who is said to be looking at it; and U.S. Magistrate Robert Pitman, whose name has also surfaced on some lists.
Posted on December 26, 2007 – 7:46 pm by APR
6 Responses to “Meurer Demurs, Lehmberg Leaping In, For Travis County DA”
Judge Meuirer could have been a formidable candidate, but I think Ms. Lehmberg will be even stronger. No one knows the office as well as she does. I have a feeling that voters will like her combination of experience and innovation.
By Power of One on Dec 27, 2007
So is Judge Meurer definitely out of the race?
By Shawcross on Dec 28, 2007
It will be interesting to see if Cobb benefits from Barack Obama being on the same primary ballot. It will also be interesting to see how much cash Montford brings in from ATT, one of the top donors to TRMPAC, the Tom DeLay group indicted by the TRavis County DA.
By Willis on Dec 31, 2007
Let the mud-slinging begin!
What you talkin’ about, Willis?
Montford helped to PROSECUTE the cases vs. TRMPAC, et al. — including AT&T — even though her father (former Lubbock DA and state senator John Montford) works for AT&T. So get your facts straight.
Montford and Cobb are easily the most dynamic of the 4 candidates; it will come down to them, and both would do a good job.
By Austin on Jan 3, 2008
I was not aware that Montford had anything to do with the DeLay case beyond working in the same office as the DA and assistant DAs who really did the work. But I guess we will see when the campaign reports are filed how much ATT wants her to be elected. And then voters can decide for themselves whether it is just a father helping his daughter or something else.
By Willis on Jan 3, 2008
I’m not sure if Ms. Montford had anything to do with the Delay case. As I understand the facts, Rick Reed was the moving force behind sending the case to the grand jury, and he is the one most quoted in all the media reports as having given the verbal arguments in the case; even the so called front runner mentioned above, Rosemary Lehmberg, was against sending the case to the grand jury, afraid they would indict him. What a weird turn of events this race promises to have!
By Shirely F. on Jan 5, 2008