List of contenders for Fort Worth mayor grows with Betsy Price out of race
Fort Worth voters may have a long list of candidates to choose from to replace Mayor Betsy Price.
After a decade in office, Price announced Tuesday she would not seek a sixth term. Speculation about who would fill her seat has circulated since late last year, but most possible candidates remained coy ahead of filing opening on Jan. 13.
The list of contenders includes at least two council members, a prominent Fort Worth lawyer and a few who have sought state office.
Though council races are nonpartisan, a number of Democrats have eyed the mayoral race, including Tarrant County Democratic Party chairwoman Deborah Peoples, who committed Tuesday to running again. Peoples lost to Price by about 14 points in 2019.
Peoples had long said she would run in 2021, but hedged her decision suddenly ahead of Price’s announcement, saying she wanted to discuss it with her family. Both of her daughters told her they don’t see a future for themselves in Fort Worth, which spurred her to run again, she said.
“I don’t know that they necessarily see the opportunities and the equity that there should be,” Peoples said, adding that she believes Fort Worth needs progressive leadership.
Peoples attributed campaign spending to her 2019 loss.
Price outraised and outspent Peoples in the last race. Peoples had just over $10,800 on hand and had spent about $62,600 according to the campaign finance report filed just before the 2019 election. Price had $464,700 on hand and spent $169,600.
Peoples has already begun raising money and hopes to increase advertising, but said she would continue the grassroots level-style campaign she used in the last cycle. She said she would push for stronger voter turnout. In 2019, 38,743 people cast votes for Fort Worth’s mayor, about 10% of registered voters.
“I think the more people vote the better our city is,” she said.
Democratic state Rep. Ramon Romero said he has not ruled out running for mayor. Romero joked that though he is a state legislator, he is “really an aspiring council member because my commitment is to Fort Worth.”
Romero attended Price’s speech and applauded her time in office.
“The city really needs a special person right now that really can listen well and is going to be able to listen to all communities,” Romero said, saying he thought it would be “irresponsible” not to consider the race.
Elizabeth Beck, a 38-year-old lawyer and Iraq War veteran who recently ran against Republican incumbent Craig Goldman for Texas House District 97, said she had been “encouraged to explore the idea” but wouldn’t commit to running on Tuesday.
“I certainly have the commitment to continue improving my community, and I think that takes many forms, including possibly on the City Council,” Beck said, later adding that she was not interested in running against her District 9 councilwoman, Ann Zadeh.
Zadeh, 54, did not return a call Tuesday afternoon. She wrote in a message to the Star-Telegram last week that she was “seriously considering” the mayor’s race. On her Facebook page she said she was willing to run for mayor, but didn’t say definitively that she would.
“I would be honored to serve as our next Mayor and I am prepared to do so,” she wrote in a post. “In these coming days, it’s crucial that I speak openly and clearly with our citizens from every part of the city about our future, our opportunities, and our challenges.”
Councilman Brian Byrd has also considered the race. Byrd forwarded a reporter’s request for comment Tuesday to a spokesperson who did not immediately return a call. Byrd has said he is interested.
“I’m in if she doesn’t run,” the District 3 councilman said in a message to the Star-Telegram on Saturday.
Lawyer Dee Kelly Jr. wouldn’t commit Tuesday to whether he would run, saying he would make an announcement later in the week.
Kelly is a partner at Kelly Hart & Hallman, which has represented some of the city’s most prominent citizens, including members of the Bass family, as well as American Airlines. He served as the firm’s managing partner from 2005-2016 and has been a major TCU booster.
“Today is about Betsy and celebrating her service,” Kelly said.
This story was originally published January 5, 2021 at 5:36 PM.
