Wood County Criminal District Attorney candidates, incumbent Angela Albers and challenger Jodi Cox, spoke to voters at last week’s forum sponsored by the Wood County Bar Association. The forum was held in the 402nd District Courtroom last week. 402nd District Judge candidates incumbent Jeff Fletcher and challenger Brad McCampbell were also at the forum.

Albers was appointed to the post after former District Attorney Jim Wheeler stepped down. She is running against Jodi Cox, a Winnsboro attorney working with the district attorney’s office covering Hopkins, Franklin and Delta Counties. 

Albers said experience is important. “I have held this position since March of 2019. Experience does matter. I will have reached the 20 year mark of my career as a prosecutor in June of this year.  When my opponent was studying in law school I was in this courtroom getting four life sentences on an aggravated sexual assault case. Experience matters. Here’s what I have done in the past few months. I have rebuilt broken relationships with law enforcement. Go to the Winnsboro PD, go to Mineola PD, go to Quitman PD, Alba PD, Hawkins PD and talk to all of those and they will tell you what they think of what I have done,” Albers noted. “One of the first things I did when I took over the office was I went to all the locations who would have me and asked them what could I do to fix this broken bridge. I talk to these guys regularly. In fact, we are having our meeting that I set up. Just this week we picked a jury and I secured a conviction on a fairly new law. I’ve also tried two felony cases recently and got 65 years in prison for people violating the drug laws of this county. I care about fixing the drug problem. I have also staffed this office with experience. Experience matters.”

Jodi Cox is ready for the challenge of a race. “I am currently with the 8th Judicial District, that’s Hopkins, Delta and Franklin counties and I am a felony prosecutor. My experience as a trial attorney, I started trying cases my first year out. I became a child protective prosecutor. I traveled around mainly East Texas and I prosecuted those tough cases. I came back and I was a solo practitioner and as a defense attorney you take what comes at you. Based on my experience I feel like I am qualified for this position,” Cox explained. “You can have experience, but you also must be effective. I think my work ethic gets me there. I have tried juvenile cases. I have handled mental health cases. I have been a city attorney so I have handled the municipal part. I have been a child protective prosecutor. Also, let’s look at integrity. Do the right thing when nobody is looking, well I think integrity also means doing the right thing when everyone is looking. You have to take the hard cases. You have to try the hard cases. You have to win the hard cases. Integrity means working with law enforcement and working with everyone in the judicial system and getting results.”

Forums will be held throughout the county in the weeks to come. A forum featuring candidates in the Wood County sheriff’s race and the district attorney’s race will be held Monday, Jan. 27 at Quitman Public Library at 6 p.m. The forum is sponsored by Lake Country Republican Women.