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Richards appointees
losing judicial races
3 Democratic judges holding slim leads
By Anne Belli Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News Republican judicial candi- dates ousted most of Gov. Ann Richards' local courthouse ap- pointments, although three of the Democratic judges were swimming against the tide and holding on to their benches late Tuesday night. "This just shows the tremen- dous strength of the Republican Party in Dallas County," said lo- cal Republican Party Chairman Bob Driegert. State District Judge John Creuzot and Judges Barbara Rosenberg and Ron Chapman of
the 5th District Court of Appeals, all recent appointees, had slim leads against their Republican challengers. But four other Democratic appointees lost their jobs. In the most high-profile of the felony and appellate court races, Democratic state District Judge Jerry Birdwell, the first openly gay judge in the county, lost to Dallas lawyer and former prosecutor John Nelms, a Repub- lican. With roughly 70 percent of the total precincts couhtei, Mr. Nelms won 52 percent of the Please see FOUR op Page 5K.