Texas Judge Hopefuls Overcome Thin Resumes With Paxton Support

Texas Republican voters took their cue from Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and at his urging ousted three sitting judges on the state’s highest criminal court, picking instead low-profile challengers with modest credentials.

Paxton’s choices easily won primary elections last week for the Court of Criminal Appeals, latching onto his revenge tour for a ruling the court made in 2021 that blocked his office from prosecuting voter fraud without approval from local prosecutors. Paxton took the unusual step of endorsing opponents against all three judges, raising awareness to down-ballot races that typically favor incumbents.

The wins make Paxton’s candidates the ...