Filing deadline drama sets up primary elections. Here are the Tarrant County candidates

by Cecilia Lenzen, Fort Worth Report
December 8, 2025

The filing period for Texas’ 2026 primary election closed with a series of last-minute filings that shook up top Tarrant County races. 

Moments before the filing deadline Monday, Fort Worth Congressman Marc Veasey filed to run for Tarrant County Judge, seeking to challenge Republican incumbent Tim O’Hare. 

Veasey’s decision tees up a high-profile Democratic primary as he faces Commissioner Alisa Simmons, who filed to run for the seat after her Republican colleagues adopted a new county precinct map earlier this year that makes it harder for her to win reelection in her district.  

For Tarrant voters, March’s ballot includes the county judge race as well as two county commissioners; multiple seats in the Texas House; two Texas Senate positions; the Republican and Democratic parties’ county chairs; county and district clerks; justices of the peace and various judges. 

Primary elections determine Democratic and Republican nominees for voters to choose between in the general election in November. The primary election is March 3, and the deadline to register to vote is Feb. 2. Voters may check their registration status here. 

The filing period to claim a place on the primary ballot closed Dec. 8. Incumbent candidates won’t face challengers of the opposite party until November 2026. Filing for the May election, which includes municipal offices, opens in January. 

Here are the candidates for Tarrant County-area races.

Tarrant County Judge

O’Hare is seeking his second term in the countywide position and will face Republican precinct chair Robert Buker in the March primary. Veasey and Simmons, as well as Millennium Anton C. Woods, will face off in the primary for the Democratic nomination.

Business owner Lydia Bean was campaigning for judge but dropped out Monday after Veasey entered the race. She is now running for county clerk, a position that serves as the county’s official records keeper.

Tarrant County Commissioner, Precinct 2

The seat left vacant by Simmons has three Democrats vying for the primary nomination: Amanda Arizola, co-founder of the nonprofit CoACT North Texas; Jared Williams, a former Fort Worth City Council member; and Gabe Rivas, Simmons’ former staffer.

Tony Tinderholt, a former Texas House member representing the Arlington area, and Lucila Seri, a Tarrant County precinct chair, are seeking the Republican nomination for the seat that represents the southwestern and southeastern parts of the county. 

Tarrant County Commissioner, Precinct 4

Republican incumbent Manny Ramirez is seeking his second term representing the northwest part of the county. Three Democrats — Perla Bojorquez, Nydia Cardenas and Cedric Kanyinda — and Republican Ryan Watkins are seeking the seat. 

Tarrant County Republican Party chair

Incumbent Bo French did not seek reelection. He announced he is campaigning to be a Texas railroad commissioner, the agency that oversees the state’s oil and gas industry. Tim Davis was elected to serve as chair during a special election Nov. 22. 

Tarrant County Democratic Party chair

Incumbent Allison Campolo is seeking reelection after a special election named her chair earlier this year. 

Criminal District Attorney

Republican incumbent Phil Sorrells is seeking reelection. He is facing one challenger: Democrat Tiffany Burks. 

District Clerk

Republican incumbent Tom Wilder is seeking reelection after serving in the role for three decades. Democrat Nathan Smith is also running.

County Clerk

Republican incumbent Mary Louise Nicholson is seeking reelection. Bean, who dropped out of the county judge race, will face Gregorie C. Lewis in the Democratic primary.

Texas House District 90

Democratic incumbent Ramon Romero Jr. is seeking reelection to the Fort Worth seat he has held since 2015. 

Texas House District 91

Republican incumbent David Lowe is seeking his second term representing North Richland Hills, Watauga, Haltom City and part of north Fort Worth. Challenging him in the GOP primary is  Kyle Morris. Democrat Yisak Worku is also seeking the seat.

Texas House District 92

Democratic incumbent Salman Bhojani is seeking his third term representing parts of the cities of Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Grand Prairie, Arlington and Fort Worth. Republican Joseph Robinson is also running. 

Texas House District 93

Republican incumbent Nate Schatzline is not seeking reelection after being appointed to President Donald Trump’s National Faith Advisory Board. Two Republicans are seeking the seat to represent parts of north Fort Worth, Saginaw and Haslet: Fort Worth City Council member Alan Blaylock and Northwest ISD trustee Steve Sprowls. Democrat Ericka Lomick is also running. 

Texas House District 94

Republicans Cheryl Bean, Michael Daughenbaugh, Mike Ingraham, Jackie Schlegel and Susan Valliant, as well as Democrats Katie O’Brien Duzan and Rogelio Meixueiro, are seeking the House seat that Tinderholt previously held, which represents parts of Fort Worth, Arlington, Hurst, Bedford, Pantego and Dalworthington Gardens. 

Texas House District 95

Democratic incumbent Nicole Collier is seeking reelection to the seat representing part of Fort Worth, Forest Hill and Everman.

Texas House District 96

Republican incumbent David Cook is seeking election to Senate District 22 instead of reelection to the Texas House. Republican Ellen Fleischmann and Democrat Ebony Turner are seeking the seat representing parts of Mansfield, Arlington, Kennedale and Fort Worth. 

Texas House District 97

Republican incumbent John McQueeney is seeking reelection to the seat representing parts of Fort Worth, Benbrook, Crowley and White Settlement. Democrats Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin, Ryan Ray and Diane Symons will face off in the primary. 

Texas House District 98

Republican incumbent Giovanni Capriglione is not seeking reelection after 13 years representing Keller, Grapevine, Euless and Colleyville. Seeking the GOP nomination are Keller Mayor Armin Mizani, businessman Fred Tate, and small business owner Zdenka Wilcox. Cate Brennan and Aaron Hendley are seeking the Democratic nomination. 

Texas House District 99

Republican incumbent Charlie Geren is seeking reelection to the seat representing part of Fort Worth, Azle, Benbrook and Westworth Village. Democrat Michelle Winder is also seeking the seat. 

Texas House District 101

Democratic incumbent Chris Turner is seeking reelection to the seat representing parts of Arlington and Grand Prairie. Junior Ezeonu, a Grand Prairie City Council member, is challenging him in the Democratic primary.

Texas Senate District 9

Republican incumbent Kelly Hancock resigned — representing parts of Fort Worth, Haltom City, Watauga, North Richland Hills, Saginaw, Haslet, Southlake and Keller — earlier this year to serve as acting state comptroller. Two candidates, Democrat Taylor Rehmet and Republican Leigh Wambsganss, are heading to a runoff election to serve the remainder of his term, which ends in 2027. Whoever wins the runoff must immediately campaign for reelection in the general election next year. 

Texas Senate District 23

Democratic incumbent Royce West is seeking reelection to the seat that primarily represents parts of Dallas County but also includes parts of Grand Prairie and Arlington. 

U.S. House District 12

Republican incumbent Craig Goldman is seeking reelection to the congressional seat representing Fort Worth. Democrat Kenneth Morgan-Aguilera is also seeking the seat. 

U.S. House District 24

Republican incumbent Beth Van Duyne is seeking reelection to the seat representing parts of Euless, Colleyville, Keller, Southlake, Coppell and Watauga. Kevin Burge and TJ Ware are seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat.  

U.S. House District 25

Republican incumbent Roger Williams is seeking reelection to the seat that includes a small portion of south Fort Worth and Crowley. Democrat William Marks is also running.

Editor’s note: This story was published Nov. 13 and updated periodically until the primary filing deadline.

Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org. 

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

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