For the first time in more than three decades, El Paso Democrats are fighting to take back the district attorney’s office after the candidate they elected four years ago left the office in turmoil and in the hands of a prominent Republican.
Nancy Casas, Alma Trejo and James Montoya are facing off in the March Democratic primary for a chance to oust El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks, who was appointed to the office by Gov. Greg Abbott.
The three Democrats have competitive campaigns as the El Paso District Attorney’s Office continues to deal with staff shortages, a massive case backlog and one of the most important criminal cases in the city’s history hanging in the balance.
Hicks was appointed DA after Yvonne Rosales, a Democrat who won the 2020 election, resigned from office in November 2022, facing allegations of incompetency, including the mishandling of the El Paso Walmart mass shooter case.
Hicks is unopposed in the Republican Party primary.
The seat in the 34th Judicial District, which includes El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson counties, will be decided in the November general election.