Beth Watkins (Democrat Challenger)
Beth Watkins is an attorney and a former briefing attorney for the Fourth Court of Appeals.
Watkins received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a law degree from St. Mary’s University Law School. She has been licensed by the State Bar of Texas since 2002 and is board certified in civil appellate law.
Watkins is a member of the National Order of Barristers and received the Patricia L. Scott Award at St. Mary’s University Law School.
Marialyn Barnard (Republican Incumbent)
Justice Marialyn Barnard has served on the Fourth Court of Appeals since 2009. She is the former corporate counsel at CPS Energy. She clerked for U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia and interned on the Texas Supreme Court for Justice John Cornyn, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for Judge Charlie Baird and in the U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Texas.
Barnard received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in public administration from Texas A&M University Commerce and a law degree from St. Mary’s University Law School. She has been licensed by the State Bar of Texas since 1992. She completed the U.S. Army War College National Security Symposium and U.S. Air Force War College National Security Forum.
Justice Barnard has been endorsed by TLRPAC and the Texas Civil Justice League PAC.