President’s only nominee for U.S. attorney in Texas withdraws his name from consideration

John B. Stevens Jr. (pictured), President Barack Obama’s nominee for U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Texas, has withdrawn his name from consideration for that post. Stevens, judge of the Jefferson County Criminal District Court in Beaumont, says he is up for re-election this year and has to campaign to keep his job. “It’s taking too long,” Stevens says of the nominations process. Stevens, who was first elected to the district court bench in 2006 after serving 20 years as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District, says he has to start campaigning — something he is unable to do as a federal nominee. He is the Democratic nominee for his district court bench. In February, Obama nominated Stevens to succeed Rebecca Gregory, who resigned in 2009. Stevens says he notified the White House Wednesday that he was withdrawing from the nominations process. It appears Stevens will not face an opponent in his race. Republican nominee Rick Williams, a Nederland solo, says he intends to withdraw from the race. “When I entered this, it was never my intention to run against my good friend Judge Stevens,” Williams says. “This was never about Judge Stevens.” Williams says he notified Stevens this morning of his intention to withdraw as a candidate. Stevens says Williams had told him earlier in the campaign that he did not want to run against Stevens. But Stevens says, “Until he’s formally out, I’ve got to campaign for re-election.” Stevens also says he had to consider the lengthy nominations process in the context of what is in the best interests of his family. “What is in the best interests for my family is for me to continue to serve the people of Jefferson County,” Stevens says.  “I do enjoy what I’m doing.”
-- Mary Alice Robbins