2026 Texas General Election

2026 Texas General Runoff

Nonpartisan

EDUCATION
UT/El Paso, El Paso, TX, BSMT, 1985
South Texas College of Law, Houston, TX, JD, 1992

Voter Guide Profile for TX Judge, Court of Crim. Appeals, Place 2 candidate - Mark Ash

8. Plaintiff MARK ASH resides in Harris County, Texas, where he is registered to
vote and intends to remain and vote in future elections. In the 2024 election cycle, Ash is a
candidate for Place 7, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Ash ran as the LPTexas nominee for
Attorney General in 2022, the LPTexas nominee for Place 1, Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme
Court in 2020, and for the LPTexas nominee for Judge, Place 8, Texas Court of Criminal
Appeals in 2018.

Case No. 21-1089; Bilyeu v. Nelson — Fourth Am. Complaint and App. for Dec. and Inj. Relief (PDF)

Mark Ash earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law. He resides in Harris County, Texas.

Mark Ash - iVoterGuide

Mark Ash earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law. He lives in Harris County. 

MR. MARK J. ASHE
Eligible to Practice in Texas
Mark Ash & Associates PC

Bar Card Number: 00785673
TX License Date: 05/07/1993

Primary Practice Location: Houston , Texas

State Bar of Texas Member Directory — Mark J. Ash

Practice information

Firm: Mark Ash & Associates PC

Firm Size: Solo

Occupation: Private Law Practice

Practice Areas: Criminal

LEGAL EXPERIENCE - NONJUDICIAL

  * Private practice, Mark Ash & Associates PC (since 1994)
  * Staff Attorney, Office of Manuel Solis (1994)

2018 CCA8 | Texas Judges

Mark Ash works in private practice at Mark Ash & Associates PC, a solo firm with a criminal-law practice. He previously worked as a staff attorney in the Office of Manuel Solis.

Home | Mark J. Ash - State Bar of Texas

Article

Mark Ash ran as the LPTexas nominee for attorney general in 2022, for chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Place 1, in 2020, and for judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8, in 2018.

Mark Ash ran as the LPTexas nominee for Attorney General in 2022, for Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Place 1, in 2020, and for Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8, in 2018.

Has practiced criminal law privately at Mark Ash & Associates PC since 1994.

- Has practiced criminal law privately at Mark Ash & Associates PC since 1994.

Legal Experience

OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Election of judges by the people for a definite term of office is the best way to select judges.
Agree

Supports selecting judges through elections for defined terms of office.

- Supports selecting judges through elections for defined terms of office.

Judicial Administration

“Texas has a dual-track judicial system,” Ash pointed out. “The Texas Supreme Court handles civil cases. The Court of Criminal Appeal handles criminal cases. The judge who wins this race will be handling criminal cases, so the issues that matter most to me are civil liberties issues: the Fourth Amendment right to privacy, the Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate oneself, the right to due process, the abuse of searches and seizures, and other civil liberties issues.”

Libertarian Mark Ash Will Challenge Michelle Slaughter for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Ash also believes in the importance of jury nullification, the principle that juries can declare a defendant to be “not guilty” if they deem the law in question to be unjust, inhumane, or unconstitutional.

“I believe that juries should be informed of their right to find defendants not guilty of unjust laws,” Ash said. “To provide more transparency in police interaction with the public, I encourage the practice of police officers being required to wear body cameras … and that they always be turned on.”

“I believe that juries should be informed of their right to find defendants not guilty of unjust laws,” Ash said. “To provide more transparency in police interaction with the public, I encourage the practice of police officers being required to wear body cameras … and that they always be turned on.”

What is the proper use of legislative history in interpreting statutory law?
All laws written by the legislature should be interpreted in such a manner to not do violence to the US constitutional guarantees of personal and individual liberties.

The U.S. Constitution and my state constitution should be interpreted as living documents, rather than use a strict constructionist or originalist philosophy.
Disagree

Prioritizes Fourth Amendment privacy, Fifth Amendment protections, due process, and limits on searches and seizures in criminal cases.

Supports informing juries of their right to acquit defendants charged under unjust laws.

Encourages requiring police officers to wear body cameras and keep them activated.

Believes laws should preserve constitutional guarantees of personal liberties and rejects interpreting the U.S. and state constitutions as living documents.

- Prioritizes Fourth Amendment privacy, Fifth Amendment protections, due process, and limits on searches and seizures in criminal cases.
- Supports informing juries of their right to acquit defendants charged under unjust laws.
- Encourages requiring police officers to wear body cameras and keep them activated.
- Believes laws should preserve constitutional guarantees of personal liberties and rejects interpreting the U.S. and state constitutions as living documents.

Judicial Philosophy

As of September 11, 2026, Mark Ash did not have a website or any information online.

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

Mark Ash

As of September 11, 2026, Mark Ash’s website did not contain information on this issue.

LinkedIn

Mark Ash earned a BSMT from the University of Texas at El Paso and a law degree from South Texas College of Law.

Mark was the Libertarian nominee for attorney general. He was also listed as the Libertarian candidate for Texas Supreme Court Place 1 chief justice.

- Advocates interpreting legislation consistently with constitutional guarantees of individual liberties.
- :null

Alejandra Gracias

Buket Urgen

Democratic Primary Ballot for Live Oak County

Okey Anyiam lives with his wife, Chika, and they have four children. 

Okey is a criminal defense attorney. He works at the Law Office of Okey Anyiam.

Okey Anyiam - Ballotpedia

Mr. Iheanyi Okechukwu 'Okey' Anyiam - Attorney in Texas - Cases ...

Find A Lawyer | Iheanyi Okechukwu Anyiam - State Bar of Texas

Okey Anyiam's campaign for Place 3 judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in the Democratic primary is his first entry into politics.

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Turn Texas Blue 2026! - VICTORIA TX DEMOCRATS

As a criminal defense attorney has extensive experience in defending individuals against a wide range of charges, from misdemeanors to capital felonies.

- As a criminal defense attorney has extensive experience in defending individuals against a wide range of charges, from misdemeanors to capital felonies.

As of July 22, 2026, Okey Anyiam’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Okey Anyiam

Thomas Smith is from southern Ohio. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Akron, a law degree from The Ohio State University, and a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Texas. He and his wife, Audrey, have two children and live in the Dallas area.

Thomas Smith is from southern Ohio. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Akron, a law degree from The Ohio State University, and a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Texas. He and his wife, Audrey, have two children and live in the Dallas area and attend Highland Park United Methodist Church.

Thomas is an attorney. He has served in the Texas Attorney General's office since 2015, including as a special assistant attorney general for criminal justice. Before joining the Attorney General's office, he worked at the law firm Jones Day. He also served as a lawyer on President Donald Trump's Election Integrity Team in Arizona.

Thomas works as a special assistant attorney general for criminal justice in the Texas attorney general's office. He previously worked as an attorney for the law firm of Jones Day and as a law clerk for Thomas J. Moyer, chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court.

Thomas is currently a Special Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Justice in the Texas Attorney General's Office. He has served in this role since 2015. He previously served as counsel to then-Senator Ken Paxton from 2013 to 2015.

Thomas Smith (Texas) - Ballotpedia

Thomas' campaign for judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is his first run for public office.

As a special assistant attorney general for criminal justice, Smith prosecuted violent crimes, supervised criminal justice attorneys, and provided legal counsel and representation to the Texas Attorney General and the Office of the Attorney General in all criminal justice matters.

As a special assistant attorney general for criminal justice, prosecuted violent crimes, supervised criminal justice attorneys, and provided legal counsel and representation to the Texas attorney general's office.

- As a special assistant attorney general for criminal justice, prosecuted violent crimes, supervised criminal justice attorneys, and provided legal counsel and representation to the Texas attorney general's office.

As of July 22, 2026, Thomas Smith’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Plans to have a "a conservative, limited judicial philosophy [in] cases before the court"

- Opposes "destructive judicial activism."
- Plans to have a "a conservative, limited judicial philosophy [in] cases before the court"

Twitter

Thomas Smith

- Voters of the entire state elect judges to the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals. He or she serves in that capacity for a full six-year term. There are no term limits, but judges must retire at 75 years or older.
- The court has the power to overturn a criminal conviction and is the final authority on criminal matters in the state of Texas.
- The Criminal Court of Appeals can choose whether or not to review most criminal cases. However, the court is required to review cases involving the death penalty or bail denials.
- Court of Criminal Appeals judges earn a salary of $210,000 to $264,600, depending on how long they have served.

One of nine judges who serves on the highest appeals court for criminal matters in Texas. 

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge, Post 3

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Legal Experience

Judicial Administration

Judicial Philosophy

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement