Republican Tony Tinderholt<\/a> and Democrat Jared Williams<\/a> are seeking the Precinct 2 seat left open by Democrat Alisa Simmons, who is running for the court\u2019s countywide judge seat.\u00a0<\/p>\n Precinct 2 was the focus of last year\u2019s unusual, mid-decade redistricting effort led and approved by the commissioners court\u2019s three Republican members: County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare and commissioners Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez. The adopted map, which the two Democratic commissioners voted against, reshaped Precinct 2 to favor Republican candidates ahead of this year\u2019s midterm elections.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tinderholt spoke in favor<\/a> of the redistricting effort last year and announced his candidacy<\/a> for the Precinct 2 seat moments after the new map was adopted. Williams joined protests<\/a> against redistricting, described by critics as racial gerrymandering, arguing that the new map dilutes the voting power of Black and brown residents.\u00a0<\/p>\n The court\u2019s GOP members were clear about their goal of strengthening their conservative majority, arguing that Republican governance better serves the county. Two lawsuits challenging the new maps and alleging racial discrimination were dropped or dismissed<\/a> last year, allowing the new map to go into effect.\u00a0<\/p>\n What does a county commissioner do?\u00a0<\/p>\n Each of the four commissioners represent a portion of the county, while the county judge represents the county overall. Commissioners serve four-year terms and make an annual salary of $227,234.80.\u00a0<\/p>\n Each commissioner is a voting member of the commissioners court, which sets the county budget and tax rates and oversees county infrastructure such as roads and facilities, similarly to how a city council operates. Commissioners also authorize contracts and the payment of county bills, hire county personnel, establish voting precincts and call county bond elections.\u00a0<\/p>\n Precinct 2 has been Democrat-held since 2019. Previously concentrated<\/a> in Arlington and Mansfield, the precinct now covers a sprawling portion<\/a> of southeast and southwest Tarrant County, including parts of Arlington and Mansfield, plus Rendon, pieces of Crowley, Benbrook, Edgecliff Village and the southern tip of Fort Worth.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the campaign, both candidates are leaning on their past public service as local elected officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tinderholt, 56, is a 12-year Texas lawmaker, representing the Arlington area for six terms in the Texas House of Representatives. He is a U.S. Air Force and Army veteran.\u00a0<\/p>\n Williams, 36, is a former Fort Worth City Council member, representing the southwest part of the city plus the majority Black neighborhood of Como for four years. He is the vice president of external affairs for the Tarrant Area Food Bank.\u00a0<\/p>\n Williams said he wants to \u201cbuild a county government that cares for its people.\u201d His campaign promises include lowering the cost of living, ensuring \u201cexcellent\u201d county services and protecting residents\u2019 fundamental rights, such as the right to vote and to address elected officials during public meetings.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to do everything we can in our tool belt to expand real, meaningful savings in people\u2019s pocketbooks \u2014 expanding the homestead exemption to the maximum, making sure that we are good stewards of not only the tax rate but making sure that we are investing in solutions that save people money,\u201d Williams said at an Oct. 7 candidate forum<\/a> hosted by the Fort Worth Report.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tinderholt did not attend the forum or submit responses to a candidate survey for the Report\u2019s nonpartisan voter guide<\/a>. He did not respond to a request for an interview or answer emailed questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n On his campaign website, Tinderholt lists his priorities as lowering property taxes, fully funding law enforcement, eliminating waste fraud and abuse, and supporting economic growth and election integrity.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThroughout my career, I\u2019ve fought to protect our values, ensure responsible government, and serve the people of Texas with integrity and commitment,\u201d Tinderholt wrote on the website. \u201cI\u2019m running to bring that same leadership and experience to Tarrant County.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Tinderholt entered the race with more than $150,000 in cash on-hand and has since raised nearly $30,000 in cash contributions. As of late September, he has spent roughly $100,000 on his campaign with about $65,000 remaining in his war chest, according to his campaign finance reports.\u00a0<\/p>\n Williams had about $7,000 in his war chest when he entered the race. Since then, he\u2019s raised nearly $50,000 and spent about $62,000. As of late September, he had about $6,500 in remaining cash and nearly $18,000 in outstanding loans, according to his campaign finance reports.\u00a0<\/p>\n The reshaping of Tarrant County\u2019s Precinct 2<\/p>\n April 2, 2025: Tarrant County commissioners vote<\/a> 3-2 to launch an unusual, mid-decade redistricting of the commissioners court\u2019s precincts. Republican County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare and Republican commissioners Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez vote yes, and Democratic commissioners Roderick Miles and Alisa Simmons vote no.\u00a0 Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/redistricting_1.png\")
State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, speaks in favor of redrawing Tarrant County’s commissioners court precincts at a public hearing in Arlington on May 17, 2025. (Miranda Suarez | KERA News)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Goss-TarrantCountyCommissionersCourt-01-1024x683.jpg\")
Fort Worth City Council member Jared Williams speaks to protesters before a commissioners meeting June 3, 2025, at the Tarrant County Administration Building. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n
\nMay 2, 2025: Simmons releases<\/a> five proposals for Tarrant County\u2019s new precinct map, which she criticizes as a \u201ccalculated attempt\u201d to make it harder for her to win reelection in Precinct 2.\u00a0
\nMay 17, 2025: Then-state Rep. Tony Tinderholt speaks<\/a> in favor of the county redistricting at a public town hall meeting, saying the precinct map should reflect Republican voting power after 51.82% of Tarrant County voters supported President Donald Trump\u2019s 2024 reelection.\u00a0
\nMay 19, 2025: Ramirez writes<\/a> in a Fort Worth Star-Telegram op-ed that he supports county redistricting to balance population growth across the four precincts and provide the opportunity for a stronger Republican majority on the commissioners court.\u00a0
\nMay 20, 2025: Fort Worth City Council votes 6-4 to oppose<\/a> the county redistricting, which then-council member Jared Williams criticized as lacking transparency and community input.\u00a0
\nMay 21, 2025: Krause says<\/a> at a public town hall meeting in Hurst that he supports the county redistricting because he wants another Republican on the commissioners court. May 30, 2025: O\u2019Hare tells<\/a> CBS News the county redistricting is about \u201cpartisan politics,\u201d and says his goal is to strengthen the conservative majority by guaranteeing three Republican commissioners.\u00a0
\nJune 2, 2025: Tinderholt announces<\/a> that he is stepping down from the Texas House of Representatives after six terms representing House District 94, which includes Arlington, Dalworthington Gardens, Pantego, Fort Worth, Hurst, Euless and Bedford.
\nJune 3, 2025: Tarrant County commissioners vote<\/a> 3-2 to approve a new precinct map that significantly reshapes Precinct 2 to make it more favorable to Republican candidates. Republican commissioners voted yes, while the Democrats voted no.\u00a0
\nJune 3, 2025: Tinderholt announces<\/a> his candidacy for the Precinct 2 seat, moments after the new precinct map is adopted, saying he wants to \u201censure responsible government and serve the people of Texas with integrity and commitment.\u201d
\nJune 4, 2025: A group of Tarrant County residents file<\/a> a federal lawsuit over the new precinct map, accusing the county of disenfranchising Black and Latino voters.
\nAug. 14, 2025: Two voting advocacy groups sue<\/a> the county over the new map, saying the redistricting process violated the Texas Open Meetings Act and purposefully discriminated against Black and Latino voters.\u00a0
\nOct. 29, 2025: A federal appeals court judge acknowledged<\/a> that the redrawn precinct map disproportionately impacted Black and Latino voters but ruled that the redistricting was motivated by partisan politics rather than racial discrimination.\u00a0
\nNov. 28, 2025: The advocacy groups\u2019 lawsuit is dismissed<\/a>.\u00a0
\nDec. 1, 2025: The group of residents withdraw<\/a> their lawsuit without a clear explanation.\u00a0
\nDec. 8, 2025: Williams announces<\/a> his candidacy for the Precinct 2 seat, saying his campaign will focus on affordability and \u201censuring our government works for everyday people.\u201d In January that year, Williams had said he would not seek reelection<\/a> to Fort Worth City Council.\u00a0
\nMarch 3, 2026: Tinderholt wins<\/a> the Republican nomination for Tarrant County\u2019s Precinct 2 in the primary elections. For the Democratic nomination, Williams heads<\/a> to a runoff election against nonprofit leader Amanda Arizola after a three-way primary race also featuring candidate Gabe Rivas.\u00a0
\nMay 26, 2026: Williams wins<\/a> the Democratic nomination for Precinct 2 in a runoff election against Arizola.
\nNov. 3, 2026: Tinderholt and Williams face off for the Precinct 2 seat.\u00a0
\nJanuary 2027: The Precinct 2 winner takes office.\u00a0<\/p>\n