AUSTIN — Five Democratic hopefuls for important judicial posts said Tuesday they're counting on a voter backlash against President Donald Trump and the pro-business tilt of Texas courts to help them end their party's 24-year losing streak in statewide elections.

Four state district and county-level judges from Harris County and a Houston civil litigation lawyer filed for seats on the Texas Supreme Court and the state Court of Criminal Appeals at the state Democratic Party headquarters.

"The only time they open the courts is when it suits their cronies," said state District Judge Steven Kirkland of Houston, referring to the nine Republicans on the Texas Supreme Court.

Kirkland, an openly gay former municipal judge and advocate for the homeless, is running for the Place 2 seat on the Supreme Court held by Don Willett. Trump's nomination of Willett for a federal appeals judgeship is pending in the U.S. Senate.

"They're closing the courts to average Texans," Kirkland said. "At every opportunity, [if] they can find a way to shut down ... working people's attempts to get justice, they will do so."

Kirkland, asked how a Democrat could win statewide for the first time since 1994, replied that the state's population is growing younger and more diverse "and we appeal to that."

Harris County Civil Court Judge Ravi K. Sandill, who seeks Republican Justice John Devine's Place 4 seat on the state Supreme Court, said voters would reject the leadership styles of Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott.

"We've got a bully in the White House. We've got a governor who's a bully," he said. "Texans stand up to bullies."

As the parent of a son in public school, Sandill criticized the court's unanimous ruling last year that Texas' school-finance system may be flawed but is constitutional. Willett wrote the court's opinion.

"The court with its extremist, fringe agenda has assaulted not only equal protection [and] transparency in government but has also abdicated its constitutional role in education," Sandill said.

Kathy Cheng, a native of Taiwan, said she's been "the voice for people who don't have a voice" in nearly 20 years of private law practice. She filed for the Place 6 seat of Republican Justice Jeff Brown.

Signing paperwork to run for Court of Criminal Appeals were Maria T. Jackson, presiding judge of the 339th state District Court in Harris County, and Ramona Franklin, the judge in the 338th.

Jackson filed for the presiding judge seat held by Republican Sharon Keller of Dallas. Franklin is seeking the Place 7 seat of Republican Barbara Hervey of San Antonio.

"No matter where you live or what you look like or who you love, in my courtroom, you're going to receive justice," Jackson said.

The filing deadline is Dec. 11.