Harris County judicial candidate (D) barred from ballot for alleged threat to incumbent, fraudulent signatures
A Democratic candidate in the race for the 234th District Court judge in Harris County has been ruled ineligible by a judge's order after the incumbent accused her of intimidation and using fraudulent signatures on her candidate application.
Judge Christi Kennedy on Thursday granted a temporary injunction requested by Judge Lauren Reeder, a Democrat seeking reelection this year. Kennedy’s decision bars challenger Kim McTorry from appearing on the March 3 primary ballot — at least for now.
After a court hearing Thursday, Kennedy found that McTorry's candidate petition contained invalid signatures, according to the judge’s order, which also found that McTorry violated the Texas Election Code by trying to coerce Reeder to withdraw from the race.
Kennedy wrote in the order that it was not a final judgment and that McTorry, a former associate judge and prosecutor, could challenge the decision.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/elections/2026/01/16/540976/harris-county-judge-lauren-reeder-kim-mctorry-democratic-primary/