Who is running for Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3 in 2026?

Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Texas Attorney General

Thomas Smith is an assistant attorney general in the Texas Attorney General's Office⁴⁵. He won the Republican nomination for Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 in a May 26, 2026 runoff against Alison Fox, according to The Associated Press as reported by The Texas Tribune⁵. He faces Democrat Okey Anyiam and Libertarian Mark Ash for the seat held by Judge Bert Richardson, who did not seek reelection¹⁵.

• Assistant Attorney General, Texas Attorney General's Office, since 2015³⁴
• Counsel and policy analyst to then-State Senator Ken Paxton, 2013 to 2015²³⁴
• Private practice and in-house counsel: General Counsel, Davaco Inc. (2006 to 2011); Associate General Counsel, Fossil Group (2001 to 2005); associate, Jones Day (1998 to 2001)³⁴
• Law clerk to Ohio Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer, 1996 to 1998; JD, The Ohio State University College of Law, 1996²³
• Not a sitting judge; seeking an open seat after winning the May 26, 2026 Republican runoff⁵.
• Bar poll: State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll, final vote summary dated February 10, 2026. This was a non-binding straw poll of State Bar members on contested races, taken before the March 3 primary; the Bar describes it as a preference poll only, not an endorsement. Results: Okey Anyiam 1,034 votes, Alison Fox 592, Lesli Fitzpatrick 463, Thomas Smith 391, Brent Coffee 345, Mark Ash 337 (Fox, Fitzpatrick and Coffee did not win the Republican nomination)⁶⁷.

Criminal defense attorney (Dallas)

Okey Anyiam is a Dallas criminal defense attorney who has been licensed to practice law in Texas since 1997²⁴. He was the only Democrat in the Place 3 primary². He faces Republican Thomas Smith and Libertarian Mark Ash for the seat held by Judge Bert Richardson, who did not seek reelection¹⁵.

• Criminal defense attorney in private practice in Dallas²³⁴
• Licensed to practice law since 1997⁴
• Not a sitting judge; unopposed in the Democratic primary for an open seat²⁵.
• Bar poll: State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll, final vote summary dated February 10, 2026. This was a non-binding straw poll of State Bar members on contested races, taken before the March 3 primary; the Bar describes it as a preference poll only, not an endorsement. Results: Okey Anyiam 1,034 votes, Alison Fox 592, Lesli Fitzpatrick 463, Thomas Smith 391, Brent Coffee 345, Mark Ash 337 (Fox, Fitzpatrick and Coffee did not win the Republican nomination)⁶⁷.

Criminal defense attorney (Houston)

Mark Ash is a Houston criminal defense attorney who has been licensed in Texas since 1992³. He was nominated for Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 at the Libertarian Party of Texas state convention in Abilene in April 2026². He sought a seat on the same court as a Libertarian candidate in 2018⁴.

• Licensed criminal defense lawyer in Texas since 1992; Houston resident since 1985³
• Graduate of South Texas College of Law and the University of Texas at El Paso³
• Not a sitting judge; Libertarian Party nominee, listed on the Secretary of State's general election candidate list¹².
• Bar poll: State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll, final vote summary dated February 10, 2026. This was a non-binding straw poll of State Bar members on contested races, taken before the March 3 primary; the Bar describes it as a preference poll only, not an endorsement. Results: Okey Anyiam 1,034 votes, Alison Fox 592, Lesli Fitzpatrick 463, Thomas Smith 391, Brent Coffee 345, Mark Ash 337 (Fox, Fitzpatrick and Coffee did not win the Republican nomination)⁵⁶.