State judge, DA races get competitive

Ferguson vs. Rodriguez

Gonzales vs. Ponton

By ALBERTO TOMAS HALPERN

FAR WEST TEXAS – The races for 394^th State Judicial District judge and the 83^rd District Attorney are now competitive.

Presidio attorney and former state judge candidate Antonio Rodriguez this week filed for office to challenge Fort Davis and Marfa attorney Roy Ferguson.

The judge of the 394^th presides over felony criminal and civil matters in Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties where the election will occur.

Ferguson made it clear in early September that he wants to be state district judge. Longtime Judge Kenneth DeHart, who is hanging up his robe after 16 years on the bench, currently holds the judgeship.

Ferguson officially filed for office on December 1 and Rodriguez on December 5.

Rodriguez narrowly lost to DeHart twice. This is Ferguson’s first stab a public office.

Ferguson and Rodriguez are both Democrats seeking the four-year judge’s post in the March 2012 party primary election.

The area’s prosecutor of felony crimes now has two candidates as well, as incumbent DA Jesse Gonzales Jr. of Fort Stockton this week signed up for a second term.

Last week, Alpine attorney Rod Ponton announced his intention to seek the DA’s post, and he held a campaign kickoff party at his home on Friday and Tuesday in Marfa.

Ponton and Gonzales are Democrats, and Ponton is the current city of Alpine attorney and a former city of Presidio and Presidio County attorney.

The 83^rd Judicial District covers Brewster, Jeff Davis, Pecos, and Presidio counties.

December 15 is the filing deadline.