Judge Karahan is endorsed by the Houston Chronicle
Judge, County Criminal Court No. 8: Jay Karahan
What keeps a well-qualified judge from seeking a higher bench? In the case of incumbent Judge Jay Karahan, county court provides him with the best platform to communicate with the people before him and tell them “what happens if you don’t straighten up and fly right.” Republican voters should unite behind Karahan for a fifth term.
The South Texas College of Law graduate has deep experience throughout the courthouse, having served in a variety of roles during his 34 years of practice. Karahan has been an assistant district attorney, assistant U.S. Attorney General, litigation and compliance counsel for a Fortune 100 corporation, adjunct professor at South Texas College of Law Houston and a white-collar defense lawyer.
While judge, he’s presided over one of the five courts for serious DWI repeat offenders, and his court is a pilot to institute changes to automate court services, records retrieval and documentation.
Nothing in this outstanding jurist’s record would seem likely to attract a primary challenger. Karahan, 61, believes that he’s drawn one for two reasons. He performs same-sex weddings, and he doesn’t pay for endorsements on pay-for-play slates.
Karahan also lost an endorsement from the Kingwood TEA Party after asking on Facebook for Democratic friends to vote in the Republican primary to support him over his opponent. Any quality judge should have Democrats and Republicans alike, not just the party faithful, hoping to keep him on the bench.
Republican voters should pull the lever for Karahan to face Democratic nominee Franklin Bynum in the general election. Karahan’s opponent, Dan Simons, didn’t meet with the editorial board.