JUSTICE DEBRA LEHRMANN Deserves re-election to TEXAS Supreme Court Place 3!
Much research goes into any candidate that I finally choose to endorse making certain that the person is truly qualified and believes in conservative values. One such person is Justice Debra Lehrmann who deserves to be re-elected. She is the current Justice presiding over the Texas Supreme Court, Place 3. She was appointed to this seat in 2010 by former Texas Governor Rick Perry. Prior to her appointment she was the District Judge of the 360th District Court in Fort Worth, Texas and was a family law judge in Tarrant County for 22 years.
One of Governor Greg Abbott’s goals is to make Texas the No 1 state for women owned businesses. Having personally spoken to Governor Abbott at one of his fundraisers, I know how much he values women in their careers. According to an article in the Texas Tribune, Governor Abbott attended an Austin fundraiser in support of Lehrmann’s reelection.
Lehrmann was recently delighted to receive the highest honor by her fellow Texas colleagues in winning the State Bar of Texas 2016 Judicial Poll with 2,531 (75%) to her opponent’s mere 861 (25%) votes. This alone is telling of the confidence and high esteem Lehrmann is held by her peers. Lehrmann’s credentials are impeccable as she studied constitutional interpretation under Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito at Duke Law.
The Texas Supreme Court consists of nine Republican justices but only in recent years have the Republicans dominated. The Texas Supreme Court is the ‘last resort’ for civil matters which include juvenile delinquency. In spite of the rumors circulated by her opponent, Lehrmann has ruled effectively and conservatively in her cases. Writing a dissent does not necessarily mean that a justice has gone rogue. In fact, it may mean that there is another opinion that should be written, and don’t we want our Texas Supreme Court justices to be transparent in expressing another view? Justices should follow the law and not have to be intimidated by anyone person or group. Lehrmann has said that she is not a judicial activist, and has never been a judicial activist.
Justice Lehrmann is endorsed by Pat Carlson, past president of Texas Eagle Forum and Ann Hettinger, state director of Concerned Women for America of Texas. She is also endorsed by Texas State Senator Dr. Donna Campbell. These women represent a strong Pro Life endorsement. She is also privileged to receive the endorsement of two former Chief Justices of the Texas Supreme Court, Thomas Phillips and Wallace Jefferson. Other justices that believe in Lehrmann’s ability and integrity include Eugene Cook, Craig Enoch, Alberto Gonzales, Raul Gonzalez, Deborah Hankinson, David Medina, Harriet O’Neill and Dale Wainwright.
It would be a great loss for Texas to fail to re-elect a qualified justice on our Texas Supreme Court over someone who may just be over zealous in obtaining her seat. Justice Lehrmann and husband Greg and family belong to the First United Methodist Church in Coleyville.
It is my intention to bring my readership a fair assessment of the incumbent/candidate that I support. Many times challengers are worthy opponents, but still I always have to wonder what motivates a challenger to decide to run against a well-respected jurist who has voted conservative consistently with her contemporaries on the Texas Supreme Court.