Last Day of Early Voting - Avalanche of Texas Supreme Court Endorsements from Texas Democrats!

Sam Houston has been endorsed by the following Texas elected officials (partial list):

State Senators

District 6 - Mario Gallegos
District 13 - Rodney Ellis
District 14 - Kirk Watson
District 15 - John Whitmire
District 19 - Carlos Uresti
District 20 - Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
District 29 - Eliot Shapleigh

State Representatives

District 23 - Craig Eiland
District 34 - Abel Herrero
District 37 - Rene Oliveira
District 39 - Armando "Mando" Martinez
District 143 - Ana Hernandez
District 147 - Garnet Coleman
District 148 - Jessica Farrar

Local Officials

Harris Co. Commissioner - El Franco Lee
Harris Co. Commissioner - Sylvia Garcia
Brooks Co. Dem. Chair - Michael Guerra
Cameron Co. Dem. Chair - Gilberto Hinojosa
Hidalgo Co. District Attorney - Rene Guerra
Hidalgo Co. Judge - J.D. Salinas
Mayor of La Joya - Billy Leo

Linda Yanez has been endorsed by the following Texas elected officials (partial list):

Congressional

District 9 - Al Green
District 15 - Rubén Hinojosa
District 16 - Silvestre Reyes
District 18 - Sheila Jackson Lee
District 20 - Charlie Gonzalez
District 23 - Ciro D. Rodriguez
District 25 - Lloyd Doggett
District 27 - Solomon P. Ortiz
District 28 - Henry Cuellar

State Senators

District 6 - Mario Gallegos
District 13 - Rodney Ellis
District 19 - Carlos Uresti
District 20 - Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
District 21 - Judith Zaffirini
District 23 - Royce West
District 26 - Leticia Van de Putte
District 27 - Eduardo A. "Eddie" Lucio, Jr.

State Representatives

District 31 - Ryan Guillen
District 32 - Juan Garcia
District 34 - Abel Herrero
District 35 - Yvonne Gonzales Toureilles
District 37 - Rene Oliveira
District 38 - Eddie Lucio III
District 39 - Armando "Mando" Martinez
District 40 - Aaron Peña
District 41 - Veronica Gonzales
District 42 - Richard Raymond
District 43 - Juan Escobar
District 45 - Patrick Rose
District 51 - Eddie Rodriguez
District 57 - Jim Dunnam
District 74 - Pete Gallego
District 75 - Chente Quintanilla
District 76 - Norma Chavez
District 77 - Paul Moreno
District 79 - Joe Pickett
District 80 - Tracy O. King
District 90 - Lon Burnam
District 95 - Marc Veasey
District 103 - Rafael Anchía
District 104 - Roberto Alonzo
District 106 - Kirk England
District 107 - Allen Vaught
District 110 - Barbara Mallory Caraway
District 111 - Yvonne Davis
District 116 - Trey Martinez Fischer
District 117 - David Leibowitz
District 118 - Joe Farias
District 123 - Mike Villarreal
District 124 - Jose Menendez
District 125 - Joaquin Castro
District 131 - Alma Allen
District 134 - Ellen Cohen
District 137 - Scott Hochberg
District 139 - Sylvester Turner
District 140 - Kevin Bailey
District 143 - Ana Hernandez
District 145 - Rick Noriega
District 147 - Garnet Coleman

Here’s a summary of the newspaper endorsements for Sam Houston’s campaign for the Texas Supreme Court:

“Sam Houston, Place 7.... He says the high court is stacked with justices who take a "results-oriented" and "activist" approach to the cases they review and cites legal studies showing large corporations are far more likely to win favorable rulings than the individuals who challenge them. A Baylor Law School graduate, Houston says he will work to restore balance by working hard and following the law.”

The Houston Chronicle

“[W]e're comfortable recommending Houston attorney Sam Houston, whose law partnership and background in business-related legal affairs equips him for the types of cases that dominate the Supreme Court's docket…. This race boils down to judgment and judicial temperament. Mr. Houston has it, and Mr. Cruz clearly lacks it.”

The Dallas Morning News

“We strongly recommend Houston.… Houston's résumé has substance. He is a West Texas native who has been practicing law for 20 years and has a ‘mixed civil litigation background.’ Houston said the state's all-Republican high court rules almost exclusively for defendants, a complaint echoed by other Democrats seeking a job on the court.”

The San Antonio Express-News

“Houston lawyer Sam Houston … has spent 20 years as a civil litigator … and has support from lawyers on both sides of the docket. He is board-certified -- meaning specialized education and testing -- in personal injury law and trial advocacy.... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Sam Houston in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"In the quest to unseat incumbent Justice Dale Wainwright on the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court and to begin the process of rebalancing the scales of justice, we support the candidacy of Democrat Sam Houston. Houston has more than 20 years of experience as a civil attorney in Space City and is board-certified in personal-injury trial law.... Houston's assessment that the Supremes have become "results-oriented" in their handling of cases, heavily favoring big-business defendants, is spot-on."

The Austin Chronicle

“Voters have a rare chance to cast a vote for Sam Houston, an experience civil trial lawyer who has practiced in state and federal courts for 20 years.”

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times

“Houston has practiced civil law for 20 years in Houston, having tried many cases ranging from personal injury to complex commercial cases. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has been rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell. An AV rating means Houston’s professional ability is very high (as well as his ethics). It is the highest rating that Martindale-Hubbell awards. Martindale-Hubbell has been rating attorneys based on peer reviews for more than a century…. Texas Monthly magazine also labeled Houston a ‘Super Lawyer.’ We recommend Houston for the Place 7, Supreme Court judge position.”

The Victoria Advocate

“Houston has the stronger legal background and can make a stronger case for his ability to challenger Republican incumbent Justice Dale Wainwright in the general election. That is why we recommend Democrats vote for Houston in the primary.”

The Longview News-Journal

In addition to these newspaper endorsements, Sam Houston has the endorsements of the following organizations:

The Association of Women Attorneys
The Austin Black Lawyers Association
The Austin Progressive Coalition
The Capital Area Asian American Democrats
The Central Austin Democrats
The Harris County Democrats
The Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
The Houston GLBT Political Caucus
The Mexican American Democrats
The North by Northwest Democrats
The Nueces County Tejano Democrats
The Progressive Voters League of Dallas
The South Texas Tejano Democrats
The Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
The Texas AFL-CIO
The University Democrats
The West Austin Democrats

Here’s a summary of the newspaper endorsements for Justice Linda Yañez’s campaign for the Texas Supreme Court:

“Justice Linda R. Yañez convinced us that she's the better-suited candidate for this job.… Justice Yañez, 59, of Edinburg, was first appointed to the 13th Court of Appeals by then-Gov. Ann Richards and has since won election three times to the post, making her the court's senior justice. She holds a noteworthy list of honors and awards as a trail-blazing Hispanic lawyer and judge, including serving on President Bill Clinton's transition team.... Overall, we felt that Justice Yañez has a tighter grasp of the law and projects the more disciplined judicial demeanor, qualities that are mandatory for someone seeking a seat on the state Supreme Court.”

The Dallas Morning News

“Yañez has a strong work ethic, is widely respected in the legal community and has the practical experience formulating legal opinions that is the mainstay of a job on the state's highest court for civil matters.”

The Houston Chronicle

“… Justice Linda Yañez of the 13th Court of Criminal Appeals is our recommendation.… Yañez is an exceptionally good candidate. ... Yañez's 15 years of appellate experience is excellent preparation for the Supreme Court. She has written 850 opinions. The studious, serious judge is a former Harvard Law School instructor… Yañez is the Democrats' strongest option in this race.”

The San Antonio Express-News

“Yañez says that the current justices are too like-minded …. Yañez, 59, started her career as a legal aid lawyer, worked for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and has taught at the Harvard law school's immigration clinic and trial advocacy workshop..... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Linda Yañez in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 8.”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Yañez's experience as an appellate jurist makes her the candidate best qualified for the job of civil high-court justice. Gov. Ann Richards first appointed Yañez to the bench in 1993, making her the first Latina appointed to the court and the first woman to sit on a Texas appeals bench. She has served well, developing a reputation as a reasonable jurist. Yañez's experience earns our support."

The Austin Chronicle

“The Editorial Board believes the best choice is Judge Yañez, senior justice on the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi.… As a youngster, she picked cotton in South Texas, went on to become a teacher, lawyer, and judge. She was an instructor at Harvard Law School and has lectured at a university law school in Valencia, Spain. She served on President Bill Clinton's transition team and was first appointed to the 13th Court by Gov. Ann Richards, becoming the first Hispanic woman named to any appellate court in Texas.... Yañez would make a strong addition to the Texas Supreme Court.”

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times

“She has the judicial experience with a proven appellate record and the temperament to serve on the state supreme court. We recommend Justice Yañez.”

The Victoria Advocate

“Yañez … has … a level of experience that far outweighs that of her opponent.… Yañez has garnered support across the state…. If Yañez can win the general election against Republican incumbent Justice Phil Johnson, her vow to engage the court with a fresh point of view would be a great asset. That is why we recommend Democrats vote for Yañez in the primary.”

The Longview News-Journal

In addition to these newspaper endorsements, Justice Yañez has the endorsements of the following organizations:

The Association of Women Attorneys
The Austin Black Lawyers Association
The Austin Progressive Coalition
The Bexar County Young Democrats
The Central Austin Democrats
The Corpus Christi Central Labor Council
The El Paso Tejano Democrats
The Harris County Women’s Political Caucus
The Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
The Houston Black American Democrats
The Houston Stonewall Democrats
The Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
The Mexican American Democrats
The National Latino Police Officers Association of Harris County
The Nueces County Tejano Democrats
The Progressive Voters League of Dallas
The South Austin Democrats
The South Texas Tejano Democrats
The Southwest Austin Democrats
The Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
The Texas AFL-CIO
The University Democrats
The West Austin Democrats
The West El Paso Tejano Democrats

Texas Bar Poll Results - Congratulations to Democrats Molina, Yanez, Houston, Jordan & Strawn

The State Bar of Texas conducts a non-partisan polls of lawyers across Texas about the statewide judicial races as well as the various district-wide appellate court races.

The State Bar poll can be an indicator of the coming elections, and the State Bar poll offers a hope of change for the two high courts in Texas, which both desperately need change.

Congratulations are first due to J.R. Molina, who is running for the Court of Criminal Appeals, place 4. Molina got 3229 votes, the most votes of any candidate in the race (937 more than Republican incumbent Paul Womack and about twice as many as Womack’s Republican primary challenger, Robert Francis):

votes
3229 – J.R. Molina
2292 – Paul Womack
1616 – Robert Francis
831 – Dave Howard

Court of Criminal Appeals, place 4, could easily go Democratic in November.

Congratulations are also due to Linda Yanez, who got 346 more votes (over 14% more votes) than her Texas Supreme Court, place 8, primary opponent Susan Criss:

votes
3864 – Phil Johnson
2769 – Linda Yanez
2423 – Susan Criss
589 – Drew Shirley

If you add the votes for the Democratic candidates and compare them against the votes for the Republican incumbent, we win very easily 5192 to 3864. Texas Supreme Court, place 8, could also easily go Democratic in November.

More congratulations are due to Sam Houston, Democrat for Texas Supreme Court, place 8, who got 703 more votes (40% more) than his primary opponent Baltasar Cruz:

votes
4530 – Dale Wainwright
2456 – Sam Houston
1753 – Baltasar Cruz
989 – David Smith

If you add the Democratic votes plus the votes for Libertarian David Smith, we win 5198 to 4530, but the Libertarian vote is the margin which gives us the victory so we need to focus hard on this race.

Also, in the race for Court of Criminal Appeals, place 3, the Libertarian candidate’s support is more than the margin between Susan Strawn, Democratic challenger, versus Tom Price, Republican incumbent:

votes
3085 – Tom Price
2815 – Susan Strawn
500 – Matthew Eilers

Jim Jordan, the unopposed Democratic candidate running to challenge the incumbent Republican Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, has only just begun his campaign (because he is unopposed in the primary), and he deserves many congratulations for obtaining the second highest vote total among Democratic candidates, so we clearly need to rally around his candidacy.

In summary, the Texas Democrats who gathered the most votes are:

votes
3229 – J.R. Molina (in a four-way race with one Democrat)
2911 - Jim Jordan (in a three-way race with one Democrat)
2815 – Susan Strawn (in a three-way race with one Democrat)
2769 – Linda Yanez (in a four-way race with two Democrats)
2456 – Sam Houston (in a four-way race with two Democrats)
2423 – Susan Criss (in a four-way race with two Democrats)
1753 – Baltasar Cruz (in a four-way race with two Democrats)

There are also many very promising poll results for district-wide appellate court races at the link above.

Summary of Texas Supreme Court Newspaper & Organization Endorsements for Sam Houston & Linda Yanez

Here’s a summary of the newspaper endorsements for Sam Houston’s campaign for the Texas Supreme Court:

“Sam Houston, Place 7.... He says the high court is stacked with justices who take a "results-oriented" and "activist" approach to the cases they review and cites legal studies showing large corporations are far more likely to win favorable rulings than the individuals who challenge them. A Baylor Law School graduate, Houston says he will work to restore balance by working hard and following the law.”

The Houston Chronicle

“[W]e're comfortable recommending Houston attorney Sam Houston, whose law partnership and background in business-related legal affairs equips him for the types of cases that dominate the Supreme Court's docket…. This race boils down to judgment and judicial temperament. Mr. Houston has it, and Mr. Cruz clearly lacks it.”

The Dallas Morning News

“We strongly recommend Houston.… Houston's résumé has substance. He is a West Texas native who has been practicing law for 20 years and has a ‘mixed civil litigation background.’ Houston said the state's all-Republican high court rules almost exclusively for defendants, a complaint echoed by other Democrats seeking a job on the court.”

The San Antonio Express-News

“Houston lawyer Sam Houston … has spent 20 years as a civil litigator … and has support from lawyers on both sides of the docket. He is board-certified -- meaning specialized education and testing -- in personal injury law and trial advocacy.... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Sam Houston in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Voters have a rare chance to cast a vote for Sam Houston, an experience civil trial lawyer who has practiced in state and federal courts for 20 years.”

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times

“Houston has practiced civil law for 20 years in Houston, having tried many cases ranging from personal injury to complex commercial cases. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has been rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell. An AV rating means Houston’s professional ability is very high (as well as his ethics). It is the highest rating that Martindale-Hubbell awards. Martindale-Hubbell has been rating attorneys based on peer reviews for more than a century…. Texas Monthly magazine also labeled Houston a ‘Super Lawyer.’ We recommend Houston for the Place 7, Supreme Court judge position.”

The Victoria Advocate

“Houston has the stronger legal background and can make a stronger case for his ability to challenger Republican incumbent Justice Dale Wainwright in the general election. That is why we recommend Democrats vote for Houston in the primary.”

The Longview News-Journal



In addition to these newspaper endorsements, Sam Houston has the endorsements of the following organizations:

The Association of Women Attorneys
The Austin Black Lawyers Association
The Austin Progressive Coalition
The Capital Area Asian American Democrats
The Central Austin Democrats
The Harris County Democrats
The Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
The Houston GLBT Political Caucus
The Mexican American Democrats
The North by Northwest Democrats
The Nueces County Tejano Democrats
The Progressive Voters League of Dallas
The South Texas Tejano Democrats
The Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
The Texas AFL-CIO
The University Democrats
The West Austin Democrats

Here’s a summary of the newspaper endorsements for Justice Linda Yañez’s campaign for the Texas Supreme Court:

“Justice Linda R. Yañez convinced us that she's the better-suited candidate for this job.… Justice Yañez, 59, of Edinburg, was first appointed to the 13th Court of Appeals by then-Gov. Ann Richards and has since won election three times to the post, making her the court's senior justice. She holds a noteworthy list of honors and awards as a trail-blazing Hispanic lawyer and judge, including serving on President Bill Clinton's transition team.... Overall, we felt that Justice Yañez has a tighter grasp of the law and projects the more disciplined judicial demeanor, qualities that are mandatory for someone seeking a seat on the state Supreme Court.”

The Dallas Morning News

“Yañez has a strong work ethic, is widely respected in the legal community and has the practical experience formulating legal opinions that is the mainstay of a job on the state's highest court for civil matters.”

The Houston Chronicle

“… Justice Linda Yañez of the 13th Court of Criminal Appeals is our recommendation.… Yañez is an exceptionally good candidate. ... Yañez's 15 years of appellate experience is excellent preparation for the Supreme Court. She has written 850 opinions. The studious, serious judge is a former Harvard Law School instructor… Yañez is the Democrats' strongest option in this race.”

The San Antonio Express-News

“Yañez says that the current justices are too like-minded …. Yañez, 59, started her career as a legal aid lawyer, worked for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and has taught at the Harvard law school's immigration clinic and trial advocacy workshop..... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Linda Yañez in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 8.”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“The Editorial Board believes the best choice is Judge Yañez, senior justice on the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi.… As a youngster, she picked cotton in South Texas, went on to become a teacher, lawyer, and judge. She was an instructor at Harvard Law School and has lectured at a university law school in Valencia, Spain. She served on President Bill Clinton's transition team and was first appointed to the 13th Court by Gov. Ann Richards, becoming the first Hispanic woman named to any appellate court in Texas.... Yañez would make a strong addition to the Texas Supreme Court.”

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times

“She has the judicial experience with a proven appellate record and the temperament to serve on the state supreme court. We recommend Justice Yañez.”

The Victoria Advocate

“Yañez … has … a level of experience that far outweighs that of her opponent.… Yañez has garnered support across the state…. If Yañez can win the general election against Republican incumbent Justice Phil Johnson, her vow to engage the court with a fresh point of view would be a great asset. That is why we recommend Democrats vote for Yañez in the primary.”

The Longview News-Journal

In addition to these newspaper endorsements, Justice Yañez has the endorsements of the following organizations:

The Association of Women Attorneys
The Austin Black Lawyers Association
The Austin Progressive Coalition
The Bexar County Young Democrats
The Central Austin Democrats
The Corpus Christi Central Labor Council
The El Paso Tejano Democrats
The Harris County Women’s Political Caucus
The Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
The Houston Black American Democrats
The Houston Stonewall Democrats
The Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
The Mexican American Democrats
The National Latino Police Officers Association of Harris County
The Nueces County Tejano Democrats
The Progressive Voters League of Dallas
The South Austin Democrats
The South Texas Tejano Democrats
The Southwest Austin Democrats
The Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
The Texas AFL-CIO
The University Democrats
The West Austin Democrats
The West El Paso Tejano Democrats

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Endorses Sam Houston and Justice Linda Yanez for Texas Supreme Court!

Supremely important - Star-Telegram:

It seemed that the Texas Supreme Court had finally shaken the "Justice for Sale" label that reflected a reputation as a haven for plaintiff's lawyers who bankrolled favored candidates. Then the court started drawing criticism as so business-oriented that it was ignoring valid jury verdicts.

So it's no surprise that Democrats trying to unseat three Republican justices are running on themes of change and diversity. (The nine-member court has been all-Republican since 1998.)...

Place 7

Houston lawyer Sam Houston claims no relation to the legendary Texas leader. However, he does say that he would bring balance to a court that seems to have swung too far in one direction.... Houston, 45, has spent 20 years as a civil litigator, mainly representing defendants such as insurance companies. But he said he also has represented plaintiffs and has support from lawyers on both sides of the docket. He is board-certified -- meaning specialized education and testing -- in personal injury law and trial advocacy.... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Sam Houston in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7.

Place 8

Justice Linda Yañez has been on the 13th Court of Appeals since 1993, deciding many of the kinds of cases that come before the Supreme Court. She has written more than 800 opinions for the appellate court, which is based in Corpus Christi and covers a 20-county area.

Yañez says that the current justices are too like-minded and that she would not only help foster more debate but, as a Latina, would add a voice that the court never has had. Yañez, 59, started her career as a legal aid lawyer, worked for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and has taught at the Harvard law school's immigration clinic and trial advocacy workshop.

The legal credentials of state District Judge Susan Criss of Galveston are more suited to the Court of Criminal Appeals than the Supreme Court's docket of business disputes, products liability, oil and gas cases, contracts, family law, medical malpractice and other civil matters.

Though her court hears criminal and civil matters, Criss, 46, is board-certified in criminal law, and her campaign materials tout her work as a prosecutor and "a tough advocate for stricter sanctions" against sex offenders.... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Linda Yañez in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 8.

Sam Houston's prior endorsements:

The Dallas Morning News,
The Houston Chronicle,
The San Antonio Express-News,
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times
The Longview News-Journal and
The Victoria Advocate
Association of Women Attorneys
Austin Black Lawyers Association
Austin Progressive Coalition
Capital Area Asian American Democrats
Central Austin Democrats
Dallas Morning News
Harris County Democrats
Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
Houston Chronicle
Houston GLBT Political Caucus
North by Northwest Democrats
Nueces County Tejano Democrats
Progressive Voters League of Dallas
South Texas Tejano Democrats
Texas AFL-CIO
University Democrats
West Austin Democrats

Justice Linda Yanez's prior endorsements:

The Dallas Morning News,
The Houston Chronicle,
The San Antonio Express-News,
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times
The Longview News-Journal and
The Victoria Advocate
Association of Women Attorneys
Austin Black Lawyers Association
Austin Progressive Coalition
Bexar County Young Democrats
Central Austin Democrats
Corpus Christi Central Labor Council
El Paso Tejano Democrats
Harris County Women’s Political Caucus
Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
Houston Black American Democrats
Houston Stonewall Democrats
Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
National Latino Police Officers Association of Harris County
Nueces County Tejano Democrats
Progressive Voters League of Dallas
South Austin Democrats
South Texas Tejano Democrats
Southwest Austin Democrats
Texas AFL-CIO
University Democrats
West Austin Democrats

The Victoria Advocate Endorses Yanez and Houston!

From the Victoria Advocate: Justice, Supreme Court, Place 8 --

Justice Linda Yanez has served since 1993 on 13th Court of Appeals, most recently as its senior justice. The court is one of Texas’ intermediate state courts hearing appeals in a district that includes Victoria and stretches down to the Rio Grande Valley. She’s now running in the Democratic primary for the Texas Supreme Court, Place 8.

Yanez received her law degree from Texas Southern University’s law school and subsequently earned a master of laws degree from the University of Virginia Law School. Prior to her appointment by then-Gov. Ann Richards to the 13th Court, she was in private practice.

She has the judicial experience with a proven appellate record and the temperament to serve on the state supreme court. We recommend Justice Yanez.

From the Victoria Advocate: Houston should be the judge in Place 7 --

Sam Houston is one of the Democratic candidates for Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7.

Houston graduated from Baylor Law School in 1987 after receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas in 1984.

Houston has practiced civil law for 20 years in Houston, having tried many cases ranging from personal injury to complex commercial cases. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has been rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell. An AV rating means Houston’s professional ability is very high (as well as his ethics). It is the highest rating that Martindale-Hubbell awards. Martindale-Hubbell has been rating attorneys based on peer reviews for more than a century.

Houston has never been a state judge, but neither has his opponent, Baltasar Cruz of Dallas County.

Texas Monthly magazine also labeled Houston a “Super Lawyer.”

We recommend Houston for the Place 7, Supreme Court judge position.

So far, both Sam Houston and Linda Yanez have received the endorsements of the following newspapers:

The Dallas Morning News,
The Houston Chronicle,
The San Antonio Express-News,
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times
The Longview News-Journal and
The Victoria Advocate

San Antonio Express-News Endorses Sam Houston and Linda Yanez

Supreme Court attracts Democratic contenders -- San Antonio Express-News:

The evidence suggests that Texas Democrats are beginning to believe they finally have a chance to win a statewide race again.

A Democrat hasn't accomplished that feat since 1994, but the fact that Texas Supreme Court races feature two Democratic primary competitions indicates a new sense of optimism has arrived.

In the Democratic primary for the seat held by Justice Dale Wainwright, Houston lawyer Sam Houston faces Baltasar Cruz of Dallas.

We strongly recommend Houston. Although he has the type of familiar name often exploited by candidates in Texas, Houston's résumé has substance. He is a West Texas native who has been practicing law for 20 years and has a "mixed civil litigation background."

Houston said the state's all-Republican high court rules almost exclusively for defendants, a complaint echoed by other Democrats seeking a job on the court....

In the Democratic primary race for the seat held by Justice Phil Johnson, Justice Linda Yañez of the 13th Court of Criminal Appeals is our recommendation. She faces state District Judge Susan Criss of Galveston.

Both candidates are adequately qualified, but Yañez is an exceptionally good candidate. ... Yañez's 15 years of appellate experience is excellent preparation for the Supreme Court. She has written 850 opinions.

The studious, serious judge is a former Harvard Law School instructor.

Criss is a former prosecutor, and her private practice experience involved criminal defense. Her trial court hears criminal and civil cases.

While Criss has produced innovative ideas as a trial judge, her strength is in criminal law and the Supreme Court deals strictly with civil cases.

Yañez is the Democrats' strongest option in this race.

So far, both Sam Houston and Linda Yanez have received the endorsements of the following newspapers:

The Dallas Morning News,
The Houston Chronicle,
The San Antonio Express-News,
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times and
The Longview News-Journal

The Longview News-Journal and Corpus Christi Caller-Times Both Endorse Houston and Yanez!

Here is an excerpt from The Longview News-Journal's endorsements:

PLACE 8: This race in the Democratic primary pits 13th Court of Appeals Justice Linda R. Yanez of Edinburg against District Judge Susan Criss of Galveston.

Yanez was appointed to the appeals bench by former Gov. Ann Richards and has since won re-election three times, giving her a level of experience that far outweighs that of her opponent. Criss is probably best known in Texas legal and political circles because she has been presiding over the court cases stemming from the deadly BP refinery explosion in 2005.

Yanez has garnered support across the state, with the Houston Chronicle praising her pledge to take a centrist's approach to a court that has been accused of being too ideologically conservative. If Yanez can win the general election against Republican incumbent Justice Phil Johnson, her vow to engage the court with a fresh point of view would be a great asset. That is why we recommend Democrats vote for Yanez in the primary.

PLACE 7: This race involves two candidates who lack any judicial experience, a fact that we believe will be a great drawback in the general election. Houston attorney Sam Houston of Houston has a great deal of experience as a litigator handling civil cases in both state and federal courts for 20 years. Baltasar D. Cruz of Dallas is less known in legal circles and, although he has some admirable goals for improving the judicial process in Texas, really hasn't made a strong case that he belongs on the Texas Supreme Court.

Houston has the stronger legal background and can make a stronger case for his ability to challenger Republican incumbent Justice Dale Wainwright in the general election. That is why we recommend Democrats vote for Houston in the primary.

Here is an excerpt from the Caller-Times endorsements:

Vying for Place 8 on the Supreme Court are two challengers -- 13th Court of Appeals Judge Linda Yañez and Judge Susan Criss, a state district judge in Galveston. The Editorial Board believes the best choice is Judge Yañez, senior justice on the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi.

Yañez, of Edinburg, has an impressive record of achievement. As a youngster, she picked cotton in South Texas, went on to become a teacher, lawyer, and judge. She was an instructor at Harvard Law School and has lectured at a university law school in Valencia, Spain. She served on President Bill Clinton's transition team and was first appointed to the 13th Court by Gov. Ann Richards, becoming the first Hispanic woman named to any appellate court in Texas. She has won election three times to the 13th Court of Appeals. Yañez would make a strong addition to the Texas Supreme Court....

Vying for Place 7 on the Supreme Court are two attorneys from Houston and Dallas. Voters have a rare chance to cast a vote for Sam Houston, an experience civil trial lawyer who has practiced in state and federal courts for 20 years. Houston's opponent in the race is Dallas attorney Baltazar Cruz, who was characterized by his local paper as having "a shocking tendency for verbosity." He ran and lost a race for county judge two years ago.

This builds upon Houston's prior endorsements:

Association of Women Attorneys
Austin Black Lawyers Association
Austin Progressive Coalition
Capital Area Asian American Democrats
Central Austin Democrats
Dallas Morning News
Harris County Democrats
Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
Houston Chronicle
Houston GLBT Political Caucus
North by Northwest Democrats
Nueces County Tejano Democrats
Progressive Voters League of Dallas
South Texas Tejano Democrats
Texas AFL-CIO
University Democrats
West Austin Democrats

Here are Yanez's prior endorsements:

Association of Women Attorneys
Austin Black Lawyers Association
Austin Progressive Coalition
Bexar County Young Democrats
Central Austin Democrats
Corpus Christi Central Labor Council
Dallas Morning News
El Paso Tejano Democrats
Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
Houston Chronicle
Houston Stonewall Democrats
Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
National Latino Police Officers Association of Harris County
Nueces County Tejano Democrats
Progressive Voters League of Dallas
South Austin Democrats
South Texas Tejano Democrats
Southwest Austin Democrats
Texas AFL-CIO
University Democrats
West Austin Democrats

Houston and Yanez get endorsements from the Progressive Voters League of Dallas

Add this great endorsement from the Progressive Voters League of Dallas to Sam Houston's prior endorsements from

Association of Women Attorneys
Austin Black Lawyers Association
Austin Progressive Coalition
Capital Area Asian American Democrats
Central Austin Democrats
Dallas Morning News
Harris County Democrats
Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
Houston Chronicle
Houston GLBT Political Caucus
North by Northwest Democrats
Nueces County Tejano Democrats
South Texas Tejano Democrats
Texas AFL-CIO
University Democrats
West Austin Democrats

For Justice Linda Yanez, add the Progressive Voters League of Dallas to her list of endorsements which includes

Association of Women Attorneys
Austin Black Lawyers Association
Austin Progressive Coalition
Bexar County Young Democrats
Central Austin Democrats
Corpus Christi Central Labor Council
Dallas Morning News
El Paso Tejano Democrats
Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
Houston Chronicle
Houston Stonewall Democrats
Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
National Latino Police Officers Association of Harris County
Nueces County Tejano Democrats
South Austin Democrats
South Texas Tejano Democrats
Southwest Austin Democrats
Texas AFL-CIO
University Democrats
West Austin Democrats

The Houston Chronicle Endorses Yanez and Houston

The Chronicle recommends voters choose Sam Houston and Linda Yañez in Democratic primary races.

Based partly on hopes for a larger-than-typical turnout among Democratic voters, the party is running a stronger and fuller slate of candidates in primaries for judicial races in this election cycle than in many previous years. In the race to unseat justices on the Texas Supreme Court, that slate of strong Democratic challengers, along with questions about judicial ethics and a huge backlog of cases on the court, means Democratic primary voters should pay special attention before they cast their ballots on March 4.... In the two contested Democratic primaries for Texas Supreme Court, the Chronicle makes the following recommendations:

Sam Houston, Place 7.... He says the high court is stacked with justices who take a "results-oriented" and "activist" approach to the cases they review and cites legal studies showing large corporations are far more likely to win favorable rulings than the individuals who challenge them. A Baylor Law School graduate, Houston says he will work to restore balance by working hard and following the law. If he wins in March, Houston faces Republican incumbent Justice Dale Wainwright in the November general election.

Linda Yañez, Place 8. .... Yañez has a strong work ethic, is widely respected in the legal community and has the practical experience formulating legal opinions that is the mainstay of a job on the state's highest court for civil matters. A win in March will pit her against Republican incumbent Justice Phil Johnson when voters go to the polls in the November general election.

Dallas Morning News Endorses Houston and Yanez!

Here is an excerpt from the Dallas Morning News endorsement of Justice Linda Yanez:

... Justice Linda R. Yañez convinced us that she's the better-suited candidate for this job. The Supreme Court is no place for showboaters, and our concern with Galveston District Court Judge Susan Criss, 46, is that she might be too outspoken for a position that requires justices to measure their words.

Justice Yañez, 59, of Edinburg, was first appointed to the 13th Court of Appeals by then-Gov. Ann Richards and has since won election three times to the post, making her the court's senior justice. She holds a noteworthy list of honors and awards as a trail-blazing Hispanic lawyer and judge, including serving on President Bill Clinton's transition team.... Overall, we felt that Justice Yañez has a tighter grasp of the law and projects the more disciplined judicial demeanor, qualities that are mandatory for someone seeking a seat on the state Supreme Court.

Here an excerpt from the Dallas Morning News endorsement of Sam Houston (which is sort of funny):

... we're comfortable recommending Houston attorney Sam Houston, whose law partnership and background in business-related legal affairs equips him for the types of cases that dominate the Supreme Court's docket.

Meanwhile, his opponent, Dallas attorney Baltasar D. Cruz, displays a shocking penchant for verbosity. If he were to win a judicial seat, we worry that his difficulty keeping statements brief and focused would threaten to overwhelm a court already facing a significant backlog.

Where Mr. Cruz expounds at convoluted length to seemingly simple questions, Mr. Houston responds with clarity, thoughtfulness and brevity.

Mr. Houston also has an impressive list of high-profile endorsements, and his campaign war chest – $111,650 vs. Mr. Cruz's $2,500 – shows he is prepared for a statewide race.

Our opinion of Mr. Cruz hasn't changed from when he ran in a 2006 county election. His opponent, we felt, was unacceptable. After getting acquainted with Mr. Cruz, we decided neither deserved a recommendation.

This race boils down to judgment and judicial temperament. Mr. Houston has it, and Mr. Cruz clearly lacks it.

The Dallas Morning News also provides questionnaires from the candidates which are rich with information. Here are links:

Democrat Judge Jim Jordan for Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court vs. the incumbent, Republican Wallace Jefferson.

Democrats Justice Linda Yanez side-by-side with Judge Susan Criss for Texas Supreme Court Place 8 vs. the incumbent, Republican Phil Johnson.

Democrats Sam Houston side-by-side with Baltasar Cruz for Texas Supreme Court Place 7 vs. the incumbent, Republican Dale Wainwright.