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Could the sentence of a disgraced radio talk show host cost one judge his job?

The Democratic challenger for a District Court position in Fort Bend County is questioning the Republican party's hard-line stance on crime. He's pointing to the incumbent's punishment of convicted sex offender Jon Matthews.

Rarely does a judicial race become so competitive. But the fight for the 268th District Court is testing that theory.

A series of campaign ads published this week label Judge Brady Elliott as soft on crime.

"He's hard on kids who have marijuana but he gave a slap on the wrist to a man who had indecency with a child," said Dan Bankston with the Fort Bend County Democratic party.

Democrats point to Jon Matthews as an example.

The former right-wing radio host pleaded guilty to indecency with a child after exposing himself to an 11-year-old neighbor girl.

The charge carried up to 10 years in prison.

But Judge Brady Elliott sentenced Matthews to seven years of probation.

"I think the public would consider that a child predator and I think that just shows Judge Elliott has his head in the sand once again," said Bankson.

"I don't run attack ads. I don't believe that's proper for a judge to do or judicial candidates to do," said Judge Elliott.

He said he does not regret giving Matthews probation.

It was a plea bargain that prosecutors chose.

The court's probation department recommended it, too.

Judge Elliott agreed. In this case, he said, probation was appropriate so he signed off on it.

"It was not molestation. It was exposure which is quite different from what the ad said," said the judge.

But with less than a week before Election Day, Democrats are determined to expose other convictions on Elliott's record.

Jon Matthews will appear before Judge Elliott again next Thursday.

This time, he's accused of violating his probation by viewing Internet pornography and abusing alcohol. Folks will pay close attention because the judge could send Jon Matthews to prison for a decade or give him probation again.