Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) turned up the heat on Democrats for allegedly rejecting his candidate to lead the Northern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office, The Dallas Morning News reported ^[1] Friday.

John Cornyn (Getty images)

The Republican senator said the state’s Democrats are against the candidate he recommended for U.S. Attorney last October, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Saldana, because she handled the successful prosecution this year of former Dallas Mayor Pro tem Don Hill, a Democrat, on extortion and bribery charges.

“I’m willing to go to the mat [for Saldana],” Cornyn said, according to the newspaper.

Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins, a Democrat, rebuked Cornyn, saying no one is trying to chastise Saldana for her prosecution of Hill.

“Politically, it’s time to grow up,” Watkins said. “When you’re dealing with justice, politics shouldn’t come into the equation.”

The state’s House Democrats are submitting their own candidates for the four Texas U.S. Attorney posts. But the Democrats have yet to publicly announce a candidate for the Northern District.

Watkins said he would like the White House to tap his chief deputy, Terri Moore, for U.S. Attorney.