BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Shannon Locke, a longtime criminal defense attorney in San Antonio and Bexar County, has announced plans to run for the county’s top prosecutor position.
Locke made the announcement in a Thursday afternoon news release.
In the release, Locke outlined three “core priorities” his campaign would emphasize:
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Ensuring that transparency rebuilds trust
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Experience capable of delivering results
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Accountability at all levels
“This office belongs to the people, not to politicians,” Locke said. “In every courthouse hallway and every neighborhood I walk, I hear the same thing: people want a justice system that is firm, fair, and focused on solving problems, not scoring headlines. That’s the kind of District Attorney I intend to be
Prior to law school, Locke worked in an executive position at an unnamed private-sector Fortune 500 company, the release said.
Following his official filing, Locke will hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m., joined by former District 9 Councilman John Courage in support.
Current Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said earlier this year that he did not have plans to pursue a reelection campaign. Gonzales was elected to the role in 2018, beating incumbent Nico LaHood.
Gonzales was re-elected in 2022 over Republican candidate Marc LaHood, the former district attorney’s brother.
Earlier this month, Texas Rep. Troy Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) formed an exploratory committee to explore a possible run for the district attorney seat.
And, in June 2025, Judge Ron Rangel took similar steps to Fischer, forming his own exploratory committee. However, in an interview with KSAT 12 last month, Rangel said he was no longer pursuing the bid.
The district attorney’s office has drawn ire in Bexar County for a backlog of cases and, most recently, its handling of several high-profile cases, such as charges being dismissed against Myrta Romanos, a co-defendant in the capital murder case involving Savanah Soto, Matthew Guerra and their unborn child.
Locke said a formal campaign kickoff event would be held in the coming weeks, with details to follow.
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