Travis County == Austin, right?
Yes, indeed. And the Travis County DA enjoys a peculiar importance under the Texas Constitution.
Remember the name Ronnie Earle? Earle was the Travis County DA who indicted Cong. Tom Delay. And Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
The Travis County DA enjoys prosecutorial authority over all elected state officials and Texas' elected federal officials.
Historically, elected Travis County DAs (always Democrats) have made life a living hell for all Republican state and federal officials.