Race for Tarrant County judge a barometer of region’s political dynamic, analysts say – Fort Worth Report

Race for Tarrant County judge a barometer of region’s political dynamic, analysts say  Fort Worth Report

Incumbent Republican Tim O’Hare faces Democratic commissioner Alisa Simmons in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. After four years sharing the commissioners court dais, Tim O’Hare and Alisa Simmons face off Nov. 3 in the race for Tarrant County judge. O’Hare, the Republican incumbent seeking his second term, has focused his campaign on keeping property taxes low and bolstering public safety. Simmons, a Democratic county commissioner, wants to strengthen county services and has centered her campaign on empowering residents while holding government officials accountable. Both candidates took office in January 2023. Their tenure on commissioners court has been marked by repeated public clashes, as the two held opposing stances on issues including accountability for in-custody deaths at the county jail, local law enforcement’s role in immigration enforcement, last summer’s county redistricting and decorum at public meetings.

The race for county judge is also a test of the county’s political dynamic, as O’Hare seeks to maintain and further assert Republican dominance in Tarrant County after the high-profile county redistricting he initiated last summer. Political analysts told the Fort Worth Report and KERA News that county judge races are not typically the biggest drivers of voter turnout in midterm elections, but national attention on the high-profile governor and U.S. Senate races can generate a trickle-down effect on the down-ballot races. 📣 Your Community.