When Washington, D.C., Comes To Tarrant County: How A National Endorsement Could Change Local Races

Arlington TX

01 May, 2022

8:11 PM

Description

By Rachel Behrndt, Fort Worth Report May 1, 2022 All politics are local — or at least they used to be. Donald Trump isn't on the Tarrant County primary ballot, but as national politics invade local elections, his opinion could influence key county positions. Out of 33 endorsements President Trump made in Texas races, two are local candidates – Tim O'Hare for county judge and Phil Sorrells for district attorney of Tarrant County. Trump's endorsement may have less to do with policy and more to do with the race itself, said Mark Jones, a fellow in political science at Rice University's Baker Institute. Regardless, the success of Trump's endorsement of Tarrant County candidates could be a bellwether for increasingly partisan local government campaigns in the future. "The commissioners court begins to mirror the Texas Legislature, which has begun to mirror the US House – it's increasingly polarized," Jones said. To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.