| BOR has learned that Amy Clark Meachum, a partner at the Austin law firm McGinnis, Lochridge and Kilgore, has filed a campaign treasurer appointment with Travis County for Justice of the Peace in Precinct 2. Rumors about a potential Meachum candidacy have been circulating for about 6 weeks, ever since a group of party leaders, elected officials and activists began courting Meachum and asking her to consider the race. We first wrote about Meachum's potential run on June 30 and her filing yesterday is the clearest indication that a formal announcement is imminent. Her treasure is David Hilgers, a prominent Austin attorney and democratic donor and partner at Brown McCarroll.
Meachum will be a formidable candidate when she decides to formally enter the race. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from SMU before earning a law degree from UT Law where she graduated with honors in 2000 and was a member of the prestigious UT Law Review. Three times, Texas Law and Politics Magazine named Meachum a "Texas Rising Star", in 2007, 2008 & 2009. Her legal talent was so well-regarded that McGinnis, Lochridge and Kilgore made her a partner at the age of 32.
The Republican incumbent Meachum would be challenging, Barbara Bembry, is the only remaining Republican judge in Travis County. In 2006, her Libertarian opponent received an incredible 35% of the vote. The last time the incumbent faced a Democratic challenge was 1998. In 2008, Democrat Adan Ballesteros beat long-time Republican Constable, Bob Vann, in this same precinct in their contested race for Precinct 2 Constable. Had Bembry been on the ballot in 2008, she would have lost.
There is no doubt, however, that it will take a coordinated and herculean effort to oust this entrenched, 12-year incumbent in a non-presidential year. However, a great candidate who runs a perfect race and gets some luck at the top of the ticket can win this seat. I think Meachum is exactly that candidate.
In the interest of full-disclosure, Meachum hosted the first ever TexBlog PAC fundraiser at her house in Northwest Hills. |
