‘Wasn’t anything personal’: Fort Worth council candidate turned away from community forum
Fort Worth district 8 council candidate Payton Jackson was turned away from a candidate forum after organizers said she failed to RSVP for the event.
Jackson arrived at Saint Andrews United Methodist Church shortly after the April 14 forum began, sitting in the back of the sanctuary while the seven other candidates running for mayor and districts 5, 6, and 7 introduced themselves.
The other candidates participating were incumbent district 8 council member Chris Nettles, district 6 candidate Mia Hall, district 5 candidates Deborah Peoples and Marvin Diaz, and mayoral candidates Chris Wood, Josh Lucas, and Lawrence Walker.
About 75 residents were present spread out among the historic church’s wooden pews to watch the event.
Jackson sat down at the table with the other candidates after moderator Pastor Michael Bell asked a question about the process for hiring Fort Worth’s next police chief after current Chief Neil Noakes retires.
Pastor Bell walked over to Jackson, and spoke with her briefly before she got up and walked out of the sanctuary. She spoke with event organizers outside on the church’s porch for a few minutes pleading her case before being told by police that she wasn’t welcome at the event and would need to leave.
“This is the Fort Worth way. They’ve been trying to silence me this whole time,” Jackson said. She blamed organizers for sending out invitations last minute, and said she confirmed she would attend by talking to one of the organizers over the phone.
“All I can tell you is the ones who were seated were the ones who RSVP’d,” said event organizer and Saint Andrews Pastor Carol Gibson.
When pressed about Jackson’s claim that she did RSVP to the event, Gibson said Jackson did not respond to the written invitation sent out by the church.
The event organizers had a process that required participants to RSVP in writing and be present to speak to residents, Gibson said.
“It wasn’t anything personal,” she said.
Jackson compared Monday’s forum to a February event hosted by the Cowtown Democrats where she said she was invited but not allowed to speak.
Monday’s forum came four days after a scuffle between Jackson and her opponent incumbent council member Nettles at a candidate debate held in the gymnasium of the Bethlehem Center, 951 Evans Ave.
Video from the debate showed Nettles appearing to nudge Jackson away with his forearm after the pair had exchanged words when she walked up to his table. Nettles can be seen turning away from Jackson when she grasped at his forearm before he swatted her hand away.
Both Jackson and Nettles filed police reports following the April 10 debate alleging assault by offensive contact, according to Fort Worth police records.
Speaking after Monday’s forum, Nettles said it was “disheartening” that Jackson didn’t participate in the event.
“We’re in a heated race, and I think it’s important that we share our views of why we should be elected to represent District 8,” he said.
When asked about Jackson being turned away from the event, Nettles responded that every candidate should have the opportunity to participate, but at the same time should respect the rules of the group organizing the candidate forums.
Election day is May 3.
This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 9:22 PM.
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