Republican · Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9
John Messinger
No verified campaign links found
Record verified Sept. 24, 2026 · Corrections welcome
John Messinger is the Republican candidate for Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9 in the November 3, 2026 general election. Attorney with the Office of the State Prosecuting Attorney since 2011. The office decides criminal appeals, including every death-penalty case, on the state's highest criminal court.
The available judicial record documents these points: State appellate prosecutor; Prosecution / state appellate; Enforce laws as written; $6,472 cash on hand; Austin; Represents state before CCA. These descriptions come from the linked official, candidate, or reported sources and are presented without inferring a judicial position from party affiliation.
Reported coverage
Coverage
Credible reporting and clearly labeled analysis, opinion, interviews, and guides.
Record partial · Reviewed September 24, 2026
Photo: Candidate or public-record portrait via TexasJudges.org
Judicial record at a glance
- Criminal-law experience
- State appellate prosecutor
- Prosecution / defense background
- Prosecution / state appellate
- Judicial philosophy
- Enforce laws as written
- Campaign finance
- $6,472 cash on hand
- Hometown / home base
- Austin
- Notable justice record
- Represents state before CCA
Court of Criminal Appeals 2026 primary guide · REPORTED · reviewed September 24, 2026
Court of Criminal Appeals 2026 primary guide · REPORTED · reviewed September 24, 2026
Court of Criminal Appeals 2026 primary guide · REPORTED · reviewed September 24, 2026
Court of Criminal Appeals 2026 primary guide · REPORTED · reviewed September 24, 2026
Texas judicial candidate comparison · REFERENCE · reviewed September 24, 2026
Court of Criminal Appeals 2026 primary guide · REPORTED · reviewed September 24, 2026
Major donor context
Ledwell $5K · Horton $1,041
Court of Criminal Appeals 2026 primary guide · REPORTED · reviewed September 24, 2026
Civil liberties
No public info found
Campaign-finance audit
Filing review and source trail
Partial review · checked September 24, 2026
The candidate’s available 2025–2026 TEC reports were reviewed through June 30, 2026. No explicitly identified pro-Israel PAC receipt was located; that finding does not establish a corporate-PAC-free campaign.
Source details
- Filing system
- TEC
- Review period
- 20250101 through 20260630
- Filing ID(s)
- 00087578
- Review scope
- Partial: PAC-name screening of the 2025–2026 Texas Ethics Commission reports through June 30, 2026 is done. Review of large individual donors and full PAC and independent-spending tracing is still outstanding.
How we checked
- Matched the candidate's Texas Ethics Commission filer ID and 2025–2026 reports in the September 24, 2026 bulk export.
- Screened contributor names for identified Israel-policy organizations; a plain word search was rejected because it matched donor surnames.
- Outstanding: list every PAC contributor, review individual donors giving $25,000 or more against independent advocacy sources, and trace independent spending.
PAC & IE receipts
Direct AIPAC, other pro-Israel PAC, IE support and IE opposition remain separate.
View receipts →Major donor context
No public info found
Israel-linked financial actions
No public info found
Muslim community engagement
We found no public record of an in-person engagement or organized policy work with a Muslim organization in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
Years in public office: No public info found
We have not yet sourced a complete record of this candidate's government service, so no number is shown.
Still needed: An official biography or government record confirming whether this candidate has held any public office has not yet been reviewed.
What to know
Certified for the November 3, 2026 ballot as the Republican candidate.
Attorney with the Office of the State Prosecuting Attorney since 2011.
We are reviewing opinions, briefs and professional records for this judicial race. We do not infer a judge's position from party affiliation.
Sources under review
- TexasJudges.org race index · REFERENCE
Evidence
Written OpinionsOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Legal & Judicial HistoryOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Constitutional & Religious-Liberty CasesOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Criminal Justice & Due ProcessOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Professional HistoryOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Political Money & Israel-Policy Organizations
No public info found
Documented Public StatementsOpen
No candidate-specific record was located for this category in the sources reviewed through September 24, 2026.
How we checked
Ballot listing: 2026 General Election statewide sample ballot, Texas Secretary of State. Page last reviewed September 24, 2026. Return to the Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9 race overview. Methods & authorship. Corrections & updates.