Tittle defeats 15-year incumbent Leonard for district court seat
Republican candidate Steve Tittle defeated incumbent Joe Leonard for the 196th District Court Judge by a margin of 10,754 to 6,865.
"I am very appreciative of all my supporters," Tittle said. "There are a lot of people that have spent a lot of time, money and effort into campaigns in Hunt County."
He expressed his gratitude for the way his opponent ran his campaign.
"I am equally grateful that my friend, Joe Leonard, and I ran such a good campaign and he was just as honorable as a candidate," Tittle said. "He is a very honorable, honest man."
Tittle plans to get back to his work as district attorney as soon as possible.
"My plans for tomorrow are to resolve cases at the DA office," he said. "I've got a lot of victims that I'm still representing there in the court and I want to make sure they receive justice. The first thing I want to do is separate the criminal and civil cases."
Dale Money, Treasurer Hunt County GOP, discussed how difficult the race was.
"It was an uphill battle," he said. "Tittle beat the long-term incumbent. Leonard was a good man, but Tittle came out on top."
Denise Donnenwerth, Hunt County GOP Secretary and volunteer for Steve Tittle's campaign, thought that electing Republican candidates in non-Presidential elections years was integral to their strategy.
"In the off years when you don't have a Presidential election, it's important to get other Republican officials elected," she said. "In Texas, it helps with redistricting and just to send a voice that says we don't want liberalism, we want conservatism. That's the message it sends to Washington."
Leonard served as judge for the 196th District Court for 15 years.
Tittle considers his youth an advantage for his position.
"At 37-years-old, I have the energy, enthusiasm and determination to work the long hours necessary to streamline the case schedule, balance spending and resolve cases expeditiously," Tittle said.
Now that he is in office, Tittle has many plans to update the Hunt County Courthouse.
"I will modernize the courtroom so that it is functional, yet maintains its historic value," he said. "The 196th courtroom has never had permanent audio or visual equipment installed. There is no permanent monitor, television screen, document projector, or even a simple DVD player installed. Instead, a small television and DVD player are carted into the courtroom when needed."
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent The East Texan News Articles
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE EAST TEXAN NEWS
- 'Expendables 2' epitomizes dumb but fun action
- 'The Bourne Legacy' disappoints with same old thrills
- Tasteless 'Total Recall' remake leaves audiences underwhelmed
- Actor chemistry saves 'The Watch' from being boring waste
- Batman goes out strong in final 'Dark Knight' film
- 'Ted' marks promising film career for McFarlane
- Stylistic choices sink 'Savages'
RECENT THE EAST TEXAN CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- Hispanics and African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye...
- African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye Disease
- Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series
- What You Need To Know About Keratoconus and the iLink...
- Your Child’s Tomorrow Begins Today
- Choose Beer Grown Here: Anheuser-Busch is First to Adopt...
- Helping Alleviate Children’s Anxiety
- Vitamins and Minerals: Fortifying Against Poor Oral Health
- Do you PHIT? Why A Career in Public Health Informatics...
- Do you PHIT? Why A Career in Public Health Informatics...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Ash Carter Exchange Showcases Innovation and National...
- AI Expo for National Competitiveness Announces Key Sponsor
- 2102: PRETENSE, THE PLAY: New Literary Novel Overlays...
- Why It's Important to Talk About Inheriting Wealth
- 100% of Latino Grads Start Trades Careers With Centro...
- Sound Solutions: How Generative AI is Enhancing Business...
- Wow Your Easter Guests With A Very Easy Spring Surprise...
- Tips to savor springtime and reflect on li...
- BookTrib’s Bites: Four Captivating Reads
- Wow Your Easter Guests With Easy Spring Surprise Cake
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK
- BLUMHOUSE AND AMC THEATRES LAUNCH FIRST-EVER HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN FILM FESTIVAL
- THE GEN Z IMPERATIVE: LISTEN TO FEELINGS AND GIVE GEN Z A VOICE
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- State Department Announces 2023-2024 Fulbright Top Producing Institutions