By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-896009.mp3
Dallas, TX – In a landslide runoff victory, newcomer Clay Jenkins defeated Larry Duncan to be the Democratic candidate for Dallas County Judge this fall. KERA's Bill Zeeble has more.
As soon as the polls closed at 7 pm and early vote totals appeared online, it looked good for Clay Jenkins. He led Dallas County Schools Board President Larry Duncan by roughly 2 to 1. And by the time all votes were counted, that gap barely changed. Jenkins pulled more than 65 percent of the vote. An attorney with a young family, he said it's time for a change on Commissioners Court, the body led by the County Judge.
Jenkins: The voters of Dallas county have spoken again, the Democratic primary voters. And what they've said they want is new leadership on Commissioners Court that will stop the bickering and get things done. It's time of partisan games to end and work to begin.
Jenkins spent roughly $600,000 to win over Democratic leaders in the county & gain vital name recognition, to beat Larry Duncan, the seasoned officer holder. Duncan acknowledged he was cash poor, saying he relied more on his name and his record of getting things done. In defeat, he said that still holds
Larry Duncan: I work at things. I've been doing that for 30 years in public service and I will continue to do that.
Jenkins now faces Republican Wade Emmert in the fall. Emmert sits on the city council of Cedar Hill, and is also a lawyer,