Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore sailed to victory four years ago when she came out of retirement to secure the Democratic nomination over two opponents.
Moore again faces two challengers this year, but the path to Election Day was much bumpier.
Facing attacks from one opponent who says she’s too tough on crime and from another who says she’s too soft on sexual offenders, Moore strolls into Tuesday’s Democratic primary with many wondering if she will win without a runoff, or win at all.
Moore needs more than 50% of the vote to avoid the race moving to a two-person runoff on May 26. She scored 59% in the 2016 primary.
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Of Moore’s two opponents, former public defender José Garza has emerged as the bigger threat to her candidacy after he secured endorsements in recent weeks from U.S. presidential hopefuls Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Garza also sought to offset Moore’s advantage in name recognition by going outside of Texas and snagging more than $90,000 from the Real Justice PAC, a political action committee that targets elected prosecutors considered overly punitive on crime.
The third candidate in the race is attorney Erin Martinson, a sexual assault victims advocate whose candidacy is supported by women in the community who say Moore and Austin police have mishandled sexual assault investigations.
Results from early voting will be released after 7 p.m. when the polls close.
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