Dallas trial attorney and former prosecutor Eric Reed has launched an independent write-in campaign for Dallas County district attorney, giving voters an alternative to Democratic nominee Amber Givens in a race that previously lacked a general election challenger.
Reed announced his candidacy Wednesday and said his campaign will focus on public safety, fairness and accountability. Texas requires declared write-in candidates for county offices to file before a statutory deadline and directs election officials to count votes only for candidates on the declared list, according to the secretary of state’s candidate guide.
“After spending my career on both sides of the courtroom, I understand the authority entrusted to a district attorney and the responsibility that comes with it,” Reed said in a campaign release. “The office must protect victims, prosecute dangerous offenders and keep Dallas County safe while ensuring that every case is handled according to the law and the evidence.”
Reed said that mission requires experience, sound judgment and professional independence. He plans to meet with voters, civic organizations, legal professionals and law enforcement officials across Dallas County before the November 3 election.
Reed brings prosecutor and defense experience
Reed began his legal career in the early 1990s as a clinical prosecutor with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office in New Mexico and as a student prosecutor for Laguna Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo. He later served as a special prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota and as a tribal prosecutor and attorney for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, according to the release.
He opened a Dallas private practice in 1996 and has represented individuals, tribes, businesses and nonprofit organizations in state, federal, tribal and military courts. His campaign said he also served as a special consultant to the Texas Rangers and Hunt County Sheriff’s Office and lectured at the University of Texas at Dallas for more than 15 years.
“I have prosecuted cases, defended people accused of crimes, represented tribal governments and worked with federal prosecutors and law enforcement,” Reed said. “Those experiences taught me that effective prosecution depends on careful decisions grounded in the facts and the law. Conviction numbers alone do not tell you whether a prosecutor is doing the job well.”
Reed said Dallas County should not have to choose between public safety and fairness. He pledged to pursue violent crime, support victims and protect due process and constitutional rights.
Givens remains the Democratic nominee
Givens defeated two-term incumbent District Attorney John Creuzot in the March Democratic primary. Republicans did not nominate a candidate, leaving Givens without a general election opponent before Reed entered the race.
Givens presided over Dallas County’s 282nd District Court for 11 years before resigning in December to run for district attorney. Her campaign platform calls for evidence-based prosecution standards, community justice councils, diversion programs and greater policy transparency.
Her judicial record became an issue before the primary. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct imposed a public reprimand and public admonishment in 2025, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. A three-judge Special Court of Review dismissed all sanctions on July 16 after concluding the commission failed to prove its allegations by a preponderance of the evidence.
Reed acknowledged the difficulty of mounting a write-in campaign but said he intends to use every remaining day to reach voters. His campaign instructs supporters to select the write-in option in the district attorney race and enter his full name, Eric Reed.
Provided by Dallas Express
