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EC attorney Allison files against former boss for DA
Incumbent DA Josh McCown and his former first assistant Dawn Allison both turned in their candidate applications to Republican Chair Debra Medina on Monday. McCown has served as Wharton County DA since October 1995. He earned a bachelor of science degree in 1966 from The University of Texas at Austin, went into the lumber business, then decided to try law school. He earned his law degree in December 1991 and passed the bar in February 1992. He started working for the county the following month, initially in two part-time positions as an assistant in the county and district attorney offices. At the time, a district attorney represented both Wharton and Matagorda counties. He was appointed as Wharton County's first solo district attorney by Gov. George W. Bush on Oct. 10, 1995. He was sworn into office Oct. 27 by 329th District Judge Dan Sklar.
McCown served two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Navy. Allison, who was once employed for seven years by McCown as first assistant district attorney, also announced her candidacy and filed for office Monday. As first assistant district attorney, Allison was responsible for consulting with law enforcement agencies regarding charges and reviewing cases to ensure a person's constitutional rights had not been violated. She prepared and presented cases for the grand jury, consulted with witnesses and conducted pretrial and trial hearings. She also oversaw plea bargaining negotiations and courtroom prosecution. Allison began her legal career in 1999 after graduating from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law where she graduated magna cum laude. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in law and justice, also cum laude, from Central Washington University. She currently works for the Manske & Manske law firm in El Campo, and serves as an adjunct instructor at Wharton County Junior College, teaching college students pursuing an associate degree as a legal assistant or law school preparation courses. Monday was the first day candidates could file for a place with their party for the primary election, which is set for March 4. In addition to the two district attorney filings, three additional candidates filed for a spot on the Republican ballot. They include incumbent Sheriff Jess Howell and incumbent Precinct 3 Commissioner Philip Miller. Both filed on Tuesday. The first person to file for the ballot on Monday was Precinct 1 Constable candidate Dale Potter. Three candidates have also filed with the Democratic Party for its primary. All three filings were by incumbent office holders. Seeking re-election to their current office are Tax Assessor- Collector Patrick Kubala, Precinct 2 Constable John Szymanski and Precinct 4 Constable Shawn Ferguson. Candidates winning their party primary or unopposed in the primary qualify for a place on the November general election ballot. Local offices appearing on this year's ballot include district attorney, sheriff, county attorney, tax assessor-collector, county commissioners/precincts 1 and 3, justices of the peace and constables. All are four-year term offices. Federal offices on the ballot include president, U.S. senator and U.S. representative. State offices include railroad commissioner, supreme court chief justice, supreme court judge (two places), court of criminal appeals, Texas House District 28 (John Zerwas), state board of education and various chief justices of the courts of appeals, court of appeals justices, district judges, criminal district judges and family district judges. A brief calendar of this year's election cycle, according to the Secretary of State's office, has the last day to file as a candidate as Jan. 2. The last day to register to vote is Feb. 4. Early voting for the primary runs Feb. 19 to Feb. 29 with Election Day being March 4. |
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