After making a normal and expected endorsement of County Judge Ed Emmett and an abnormal and unexpected endorsement of Orlando Sanchez, the Chron goes Democratic for the remaining three countywide offices.
District Clerk: The duties of this office include summoning jurors for the district and county criminal courts, maintaining court records, preparing daily court dockets and receiving child support payments.
The choice for voters in this contest is easy. Democratic incumbent Loren Jackson has done an excellent job upgrading the electronic capabilities of the office and making it more efficient and user-friendly. On his first day in office, Jackson created an express window lawyers had long sought so they could quickly file papers and return to the courts.
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County Clerk: In this contest to replace retiring incumbent Beverly Kaufman, the Chronicle endorses Ann Harris Bennett, a veteran of more than 14 years’ service as a district court coordinator.
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County Tax Assessor-Collector: In this contest to fill the unexpired term of Republican Paul Bettencourt, who resigned shortly after his election in 2008, the Chronicle endorses the Democrat who narrowly lost to him, Diane Trautman. The incumbent appointed by Commissioners Court, Leo Vasquez, lost to a challenger in the GOP primary.
The Chron had endorsed Trautman in 2008 as well. I feel quite confident saying that the Tax Assessor’s office would be subsumed in much less controversy today had she won back then or been appointed to replace Paul Bettencourt after he cut and ran.
I’ve got all the relevant candidate interviews on the 2010 Elections page. If you don’t feel like listening to them again, then go check out Mark Bennett’s review of an interview that Jackson’s unqualified challenger did with David Jennings of Big Jolly Politics. You already know how good a District Clerk Loren Jackson is, that will give you an appreciation of the contrast between him and his opponent. PDiddie has more.