Democrats Take Control of Tarrant County Leadership After 2025 Redistricting

Tarrant County commissioners court now holds a four-to-one Democratic majority following Tuesday's election. The result reverses a 2025 redistricting plan that sought to create a Republican advantage. Democrats also secured the county judge position and the district attorney seat.

Alisa Simmons defeated incumbent Republican Tim O'Hare for the county judge role. She will be the first Democrat to hold that office since 1986. Simmons, who led the Arlington NAACP before joining the court in 2022, declared victory in Arlington after receiving a congratulatory call from O'Hare. The race saw Simmons lead by 15 points when early votes were released.

The shift on the court stems from changes to district boundaries made in 2025. O'Hare, who served as county judge from 2023, led efforts to redraw Precinct 2. He aimed to boost Republican voters in that district to secure a 4-1 GOP majority. Instead, Democrat Jared Williams defeated Republican Tony Tinderholt in Precinct 2. Williams had resigned from the Texas House to run for the seat. Trump won the redrawn district by 6.1 points in 2024.

Democrat Nydia Cardenas defeated incumbent Republican Manny Ramirez for the Precinct 4 seat. Ramirez represented the northwest corner of the county since 2023. Matt Krause, a Republican representing the northeastern corner since 2025, is the only remaining Republican on the court. He was not up for reelection this year.

In the district attorney race, Democrat Tiffany Burks defeated incumbent Republican Phil Sorrells. Sorrells served for 25 years as a judge in Tarrant County Criminal Court No. 10 before taking the district attorney position. Democrats also won every contested statewide office in the county. State Sen. Taylor Rehmet defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss for the Texas Senate seat.

Rehmet, an Air Force veteran and union leader, stated in a release that she intends to continue the work voters sent her to do. She noted that she carries the trust and struggles of the district with her. Allison Campolo, chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party, said residents fought for ballot access and demonstrated what was possible in the election.

O'Hare previously served as mayor of Farmers Branch and chair of the Tarrant County GOP. He defeated Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price in the 2022 Republican primary. The two candidates frequently clashed at commissioners court meetings. In April 2024, O'Hare told Simmons to sit and be quiet after she objected to a government contractor hiring.