Judge loses second bench but was top Republican vote-getter in El Paso County

It’s been nearly three decades since a Republican candidate won a countywide election in El Paso. It’s a small consolation to Chris Antcliff (pictured) that he was the top Republican vote-getter in El Paso County on the 2010 general election ballot when he lost his seat on the 168th District Court bench. Antcliff was defeated in his quest to hold onto his second bench appointment by Gov. Rick Perry. He’s now making plans to return to a solo civil and criminal-defense practice at the end of the year. Perry first appointed Antcliff to the 448th District Court — a bench Antcliff lost in the 2008 general election in what he likes to call “The Obama tsunami.” Perry next appointed Antcliff to the 168th District Court to fill an unexpired term, which he lost this time by getting 43.96 percent of the vote — besting all statewide Republicans on the ballot in El Paso, even the man that appointed him. “In this one, I came as close as anyone has in recent memory,” Antcliff says. “I ran hard. This time, I put out a commercial on TV. I had a mailer to Democrats who might switch in the general election. I had 700 signs around El Paso . . . and the name recognition from the first race; those things all helped.” Antcliff says he doesn’t have any plans to make a repeat run for a bench anytime soon. “It has been a privilege to serve the state of Texas for the last three years. And I thank the governor for giving me the opportunity.”
– John Council