To his Republican opposition, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot’s policies look “soft” on crime. Within a year of taking office in 2019, he stated his office wouldn’t prosecute certain crimes including shoplifting baby formula and, in many cases, first-time marijuana possession. Creuzot clearly signaled that decarceration was his goal, making him one of a small but visible contingent of reformist DAs to win over voters nationwide in the past decade. Creuzot is up for reelection this November, and the race will serve as a referendum on these progressive policies.
Creuzot is vying for another term in office against Faith Johnson, who held the position from January 2017 through 2018. Johnson was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott after her predecessor resigned from the position. Johnson, with her ties to Abbott, hefty campaign budget, and desire to return to more “tough on crime” policies, is a direct foil to Creuzot. While an upset of Creuzot is not expected, Johnson has secured an endorsement from Abbott himself, and she has significant money behind her, adding significant pressure for the incumbent to justify his policy stances and retain voter confidence.
As of late September, Johnson held a nearly threefold cash-on-hand advantage over Creuzot—about $530,000 to $180,000. Some major Republican donors, including Robert Rowling (who donated a whopping $260,000 to Johnson’s campaign) and Harlan Crow, are throwing their financial weight behind her. Creuzot, on the other hand, is getting a fair amount of in-kind support from Democratic PACs, including the Soros-funded Texas Justice and Public Safety PAC.
