Amber Givens, a former Dallas County district judge, upset incumbent District Attorney John Creuzot in the Democratic primary Wednesday, making her the next DA in a county that has no Republican challenger.
Creuzot conceded in a statement released Wednesday afternoon, in which he congratulated his opponent.
“While the outcome was not what we had hoped for, I am proud of the work my team accomplished and the important conversations we advanced about justice, accountability, and public safety in Dallas County,” he said.
The Texas Newsroom has reached out to Givens for comment on her victory.
In early voting, Givens and Creuzot had almost evenly split the vote. Givens had slightly more than 50% of the vote and Creuzot had slightly less.
Results released by the elections department at 2 a.m. showed Givens leading with about 52% of the votes that had been counted at that point. Creuzot had picked up about 48%. That’s despite a sizeable fundraising advantage by Creuzot.
In a county that leans heavily Democratic, the primary serves as the de facto election for the prosecutor’s office. With no Republican contender, a Democratic primary victory effectively secures election in November.
Givens, who stepped down from the 282nd Criminal District Court in December to challenge Creuzot, argued the office needed stronger leadership, clearer policies and improved transparency with the public. She pointed to her years presiding over felony cases and said her courtroom experience would bring consistency and accountability to charging decisions.
Creuzot, first elected in 2018, has described his approach as “research-based,” saying his office evaluates policies based on their impact on crime and recidivism.” He campaigned on criminal justice reform and reducing mass incarceration, particularly its disproportionate impact on people of color, while highlighting declines in violent crime.
During his tenure, he emphasized prosecutorial discretion, joining other Democratic prosecutors in a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over oversight rules they say infringe on local authority. He also signed onto a national coalition of prosecutors pledging to challenge alleged overreach by federal law enforcement.
Givens' campaign was overshadowed at times by scrutiny over judicial disciplinary matters from previous years. During the campaign, she pushed back against some claims made about her.
In June 2025, the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct reprimanded Givens after finding she allowed her court coordinator to impersonate her online in a hearing years earlier. She also received an admonition for taking action in two criminal cases after recusing herself — jailing one man and revoking another’s bond.
One of the men filed a lawsuit in October alleging wrongful imprisonment. Givens has argued judicial immunity in that case, which is ongoing.
Givens appealed the sanctions, triggering a two-day trial last week before a three-judge Special Court of Review in Austin. Testifying Wednesday, she denied allowing anyone to impersonate her. The panel hasn’t yet ruled and could take weeks to decide the appeal.
During the hearing, Creuzot testified about an email Givens sent after the allegations surfaced, in which she accused one of his prosecutors of spreading false information. The prosecutor was reassigned, according to Creuzot.
