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Republican Tarrant County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare spoke at a True Texas Project event Sept. 14, 2026 to say if the party wants to keep the top seat in the county red, they have to work.<\/p>\n
Rachel Royster<\/p>\n
rroyster@star-telegram.com<\/p>\n
Republican County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare told True Texas Project members Monday night that if Tarrant County doesn\u2019t vote red in November, the county will see more crime, more homelessness and raised taxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis county is special,\u201d O\u2019Hare told the crowd of about 80. \u201cThis county is different, but we are in a battle this time. If we go into this the same way we do every election, we very well may not come out on top.\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hare is the incumbent in the November election for Tarrant County Judge. His opponent is Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons, who told the Star-Telegram in a statement she is running to govern the county with competent, responsible leadership.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hare\u2019s site says he aims to lower taxes, cut spending and maintain a smarter government.<\/p>\n
In the four years since he was first elected to the post, O\u2019Hare has led the charge to lower county and the hospital district property taxes each year, reduce both budgets annually, implement a county-wide homestead exemption<\/a> and give law enforcement officers raises.<\/p>\n O\u2019Hare also proposed the county\u2019s redistricting effort that created a new precinct map that nearly promises Republicans a majority<\/a> on commissioners court.<\/p>\n \u201cMy opponent has voted against property tax cuts 14 times,\u201d O\u2019Hare said. \u201cMy opponent voted against a resolution honoring the Alamo. My opponent voted against a resolution honoring America\u2019s 250th. My opponent voted against bulletproof vests for law enforcement, could you be more anti-police than that?\u201d<\/p>\n Crime, homelessness and fiscal instability are challenges Tarrant County is facing today because of O\u2019Hare\u2019s leadership, Simmons said in a responding statement.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of defending his record, he is trying to frighten voters with dishonest claims about mine,\u201d Simmons\u2019s statement said. I have supported responsible tax relief, fought to protect essential healthcare and mental health services, demanded accountability in our jail and championed real solutions to housing insecurity<\/a>. . .\u201d<\/p>\n A few moments into the 40-minute talk, two dissenters stood up bashing the Republican for voting to close roughly 30% of the Election Day polling locations<\/a> for the November midterm. They were swiftly removed from the meeting as O\u2019Hare said not to pay them any mind.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is how they act in commissioners\u2019 court every single meeting,\u201d O\u2019Hare said. \u201cThey want the attention, and the reason they want the attention is because they have no earthly idea how to govern. They have no plans on how to govern. They couldn\u2019t cut your taxes if you drew them a road map and said, \u2018Here, just press A, B and C.\u2019 They have no plan for what to do other than create chaos.\u201d<\/p>\n If Simmons wins the seat, O\u2019Hare said Tarrant County will have more crime, more homelessness and higher property taxes. He said Simmons has no idea how to handle the budget.<\/p>\n \u201cShe still struggles with simple things like not understanding how the no-new-revenue rate can\u2019t be determined a year in advance,\u201d he said. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t understand it. She keeps asking about it. She doesn\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n The no new revenue rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue from existing properties as the prior year. It is set after the appraisal district finishes updating the certified appraisal roll in late July or early August.<\/p>\n Later on, O\u2019Hare addressed the polling location issue, saying the list of sites from the 2022 midterm election gave the largely Democratic southwest precinct almost 15 more voting sites than a staunchly Republican northeast precinct. Simmons said the decision was an effort to suppress Black and Latino voters.<\/p>\n By cutting 93 Election Day polling locations, the cost was cut by roughly $418,500.<\/p>\n O\u2019Hare told the group if they want to keep Tarrant County Republican, they need to act.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are sounding the alarm,\u201d O\u2019Hare said. \u201cDon\u2019t let it happen. We can control what happens. If we all work, we will win. If we don\u2019t, we\u2019re probably going to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 9:18 PM.<\/p>\n
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