Texas Election: Hays County votes on new District Attorney
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HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Hays County District Attorney's retirement has opened the door for two candidates hoping to replace him. One of the topics the winner may have to navigate is whether to prosecute marijuana cases in the rest of the county if San Marcos voters choose to decriminalize low-level marijuana possession.
Hays County — which includes the city of San Marcos, Kyle, Dripping Springs, Buda and surrounding areas — has been represented by Wes Mau, R-Texas, since his appointment as district attorney in 2014.
Republican David Puryear and Democrat Kelly Higgins are running to fill the position.
See latest election results below after polls close at 7 p.m.
Puryear has served nearly four decades in the criminal justice system as both a prosecutor and a judge. His focus lies in public safety, such as the reinforcement of drug-related laws, forming an Anti-Fentanyl Prosecution Team, and eliminating the backlog of pending criminal cases.
“I will be fair but tough on all violent crime offenders, drug traffickers, and repeat offenders, to tackle the influx of crime from surrounding areas," the Republican candidate states on his campaign website.
Hays County voters: What to know for Texas midterm elections
Higgins is a more progressive candidate. His goals include establishing mental health courts for nonviolent offenses and opposing the use of Hays County resources to prosecute abortion cases. He said he does not plan to prosecute "cases of simple possession of cannabis in Hays County."
The longtime criminal defense attorney is also very critical of current practices of the local Attorney's office and seeks to reform the system, according to his campaign website: “I am running to bring a sea change to the District Attorney’s Office in Hays County. I am running to bring a progressive vision to our county, a vision of justice, proportion, and fair play.”