Tim Davis, chairman of the local Republican Party, attempted to remove Wilcox from the ballot on Jan. 7, saying she made clerical errors when she filed for election using the wrong form.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wilcox then sued Davis, arguing she should have been allowed to remedy the errors. Throughout the uncertainty, she\u2019s been excluded from GOP candidate forums and debates.<\/p>\n
Wednesday\u2019s resolution saw both parties agree to drop all legal actions against each other. In an email to Wilcox reviewed by the Report, Davis suggested that they issue a joint statement on the matter to \u201cpromote party unity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilcox faces Keller Mayor Armin Mizani <\/a>and Colleyville businessman Fred Tate<\/a> in the GOP primary race for Texas House District 98, which includes Keller, Grapevine and parts of Southlake. The seat was long held by state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, who isn\u2019t seeking reelection<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whoever wins the March 3 primary election faces the Democratic nominee in November.<\/p>\n On Jan. 15, a Tarrant County district court judge ruled that Wilcox could remain on the ballot; however, Davis was attempting to dissolve that decision<\/a>. Wednesday\u2019s agreement between Wilcox and Davis came a day before they were scheduled to appear in court again.<\/p>\n In an email to the Report, Davis said the case against Wilcox is moot, and that \u201c(Republican) party unity is more important than ever\u201d in the wake of Democrat Taylor Rehmet\u2019s election win on Saturday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rehmet flipped the historically red Texas Senate District 9 seat \u2014 which overlaps with House District 98 \u2014 in a special election that garnered national attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRepublicans need to come together and support each other and our ballot in November,\u201d said Davis, a lawyer who was tapped to be GOP chair in November<\/a>.<\/p>\n Democrats attributed part of Rehmet\u2019s victory to his ability to win over center and right-leaning voters who were disenfranchised with the current Republican Party and Donald Trump\u2019s presidency. Davis previously told the Report that Rehmet\u2019s win didn\u2019t worry Republicans<\/a>, and that he\u2019s confident the GOP can win back voters in the Nov. 3 election.<\/p>\n Wilcox, who owns a health and beauty business, said people have told her she\u2019s the \u201c\u2018Taylor Rehmet\u2019 of the Republican Party\u201d because of her campaign\u2019s small budget and her identity as a non-establishment political outsider.<\/p>\n \u201cThe outcome (of Saturday\u2019s election) sent a clear signal from Republican voters: there is growing frustration with internal division, perceived gatekeeping, and party resources being used against fellow Republicans rather than focused on winning seats,\u201d she wrote in an email to Davis that was shared with the Report.<\/p>\n Wilcox said she feels the incident both strained and strengthened her campaign. She said she feels it showed voters that she was willing to stand up to the Republican Party, despite not having the same backing or budgets of her more established opponents.<\/p>\n Davis had attempted to remove Wilcox because she filed for election using a federal form instead of a state one. The two forms are nearly identical, with one central difference being that the state\u2019s form includes a clause that acknowledges laws against nepotism.<\/p>\n In the courtroom, Wilcox represented herself and argued that election officials are supposed to work with filers and campaign hopefuls, not create a \u201cgotcha system\u201d that surprises candidates with removals.<\/p>\n Wilcox\u2019s court proceedings are just a piece of countywide ballot uncertainty heading toward the March 3 primary election, which sees early voting opening Feb. 21.\u00a0<\/p>\n The same day he attempted to remove Wilcox\u2019s name, Davis also challenged seven Democratic judicial candidates<\/a> placed on the ballot. A few days later, the local Democratic Party challenged<\/a> all 41 GOP judicial candidates and two Texas House candidates on the primary ballot.<\/p>\n The challenges are now being reviewed by Davis and Democratic chair Allison Campolo.<\/p>\n Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org<\/a>or @shawlings601<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/351B1D3A-78FB-4DCB-AB19-DCBCBF233627.PNG-683x1024.jpg\")
Zee Wilcox is one of three GOP candidates vying for a place on the Nov. 3 ballot for House District 98. (Courtesy photo | Zee Wilcox)<\/p>\n![\"(Maria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1122-GOPChair-01--1024x683.jpg\")
Tim Davis speaks as a candidate for chair at a Tarrant County GOP executive committee meeting at Mercy Culture Church in Fort Worth on Nov. 22, 2025. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n