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| Court & Place | Republican | Democrat | Notes/Other |
|---|---|---|---|
John Messinger (R-Austin) | Holly Taylor (D-Austin) | Candidate (L) | |
| Campaign Mailing Address | P.O. Box 305 Pflugerville, TX 78691-0305 | 1101 West 34th Street, No. 119 | |
| Campaign Phone | (512) 365-4026 | (512) 643-3637 | |
| Campaign Website | messingerforjustice.com | hollytforjudge.com | |
| Social Media Links | twitter | twitter youtube | |
| Bar Card Number | 24053705 | 00794721 | |
| Current Occupation | Office of the State Prosecuting Attorney since 2011 | Director of the Public Integrity and Complex Crimes Division Travis County District Attorney's Office | |
| Years of Texas Residency | 22 years | Native Texan | |
| JD School & Year | Baylor University 2006 | University of Texas 1995 | |
| Other Education | New Jersey Institute of Technology, B.S./M.S. Marketing, 1999/2000 | Master's of Public Affairs, University of Texas 1995 B.A., Rice University 1989 | |
| Year of State Bar Licensure | 2006 | 1995 | |
| Legal Experience - Nonjudicial | Office of the State Prosecuting Attorney since 2011 McLennan County District Attorney's Office - 150 briefs in Courts of Appeals -120 Petitions for discretionary review - 90 briefs in Court of Criminal Appeals -45 oral arguments | Travis County District Attorney’s Office: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: | |
| Jury Trial Experience | 2 trials as attorney | 5 trials | |
| Appellate Judicial Experience | |||
| Other Judicial Experience | |||
| Board Certifications | Criminal Appellate Law | ||
| Courts Admitted | U.S. Supreme Court Texas state courts | ||
| Honors and Awards |
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| Prior Elections | 2024 General Election, 3rd Court of Appeals Place 2 49% vs Maggie Ellis 2024 Primary, 3rd Court of Appeals Place 2 Unopposed | 2024 Texas General Election | |
| Most Recent Bar Polls | 2026 - 799 24% | 2026 - 1529 47% | |
| Key Endorsements (Max 5) | 20 State Republican Executive Committee members Grassroots America - We the People True Texas Project Montgomery County Tea Party Dr. Steve Hotze | Texas AFL-CIO COPE Congressman Greg Casar State Senator Sarah Eckhardt Houston Lawyers Association Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation | |
| Judicial Philosophy (Max 250 words) | It should be obvious, but in a system of law you cannot have justice without enforcing the law. Yet too many judges do what seems right in their own eyes instead of following the law as written. All Republican judicial candidates say they won't legislate from the bench. More often than not, you just have to trust them because they have no record to prove it. I have a written record of advocacy as a prosecutor---hundreds of briefs, petitions, motions---that proves my faithfulness to the law. | Holly is dedicated to building and sustaining a justice system that is:
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| Misc | •chair of the State Bar’s Pattern Jury Charges—Criminal Committee •John has filed 115 petitions for discretionary review in the Court of Criminal Appeals and has represented the State in over 90 cases granted review by that court. He has also represented the State in over 150 cases in the intermediate courts of appeals. John has presented oral argument in over 40 cases, split almost evenly between the Court of Criminal Appeals and intermediate courts of appeals. •Serves at local church and pregnancy center | •Former adjunct law professor, the University of Texas School of Law •Co-Chair, Austin Bar Association committee that provides free monthly trainings and annual ethics training for lawyers •Spouse and mother to four children | |
| Date Submitted by Candidate | Submitted by candidate 1-31-26 | Submitted by candidate 11-25-25 |
