Nineteen African American women elected to Harris Co. judge positions

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The "Harris County Black Girl Magic" campaign sweeps for 17 African American women in 2018 elections. In total, 19 women now hold positions as Harris County judges.

Lori Chamber Gray is one of those winners. Gray has practiced criminal defense law for more than 30 years and is now the judge-elect for the 262nd Criminal District Court.

"I have dealt with a lot of judges in the last 30 years. Many of them were great judges, very experienced. But few were women and even fewer were African American. And because I do a lot of criminal defense work, a lot of my clients are either African American or Hispanic," Gray said, adding that having more diversity on the bench gives each defendant more opportunity to receive a fair trial.

Latosha Lewis Payne, a judge-elect for the 55th Civil Judicial District agrees. Payne said having a diverse bench would help provide equal opportunity for justice.

"I think that having an African American judge or having a female judge-- those are the kinds of things we bring to the bench. And we bring an understanding of a person who may come from that similar background," Payne said.

The blue sweep across many Harris County positions may be attributed to straight party voting. Last year, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 25 into law, eliminating that concept. However, the rule doesn't go into effect until 2020.

Dallas Jones is a Democratic strategist. He said straight party voting has benefited Republicans for decades, but this year's elections, the tables were turned.

"This mechanism has been utilized here for a very long time here. It just didn't favor Democrats in the past, until this time it did," said

Sandra Guerra Thompson is a University of Houston criminal law professor and former prosecutor from New York. Thompson said partisan sweeps have their downsides.

"You're going to get a lot of people who really aren't competent and you're going to vote out some people who are excellent. And it happens every single time. It's an endless cycle," Thompson said.

However, the women said at the end of the day, they know what their job as a judge ultimately entails.

"A judge is supposed to be neutral and detached, not a part of the system. But see it for what it is, call it for what it is. And follow the law," Gray said.