Fort Worth’s longest serving council member reveals her choice for a successor
Mayor Pro Tem Gyna Bivens, who has represented Fort Worth’s District 5 council for a decade, has endorsed Michael Moore to be her successor.
Bivens has represented the district since 2013, bounded roughly by Miller Avenue to the west, U.S. 287 to the south, and the Arlington border to the east.
She announced shortly before the 2023 election that she would not be seeking another term.
The May 3 elections include the Fort Worth mayor and all City Council seats, as well as Tarrant Regional Water District, school districts across the region and other elected offices.
Moore one of six candidates running to succeed Bivens. The others are rancher and Tarrant Regional Water District board member Mary Kelleher, former Tarrant County Democratic Party chair Deborah Peoples, financial controller Marvin Diaz, district operations supervisor Kenneth Bowens Jr., and community activist Bob Willoughby.
In endorsing Moore, Bivens cited his work in the Stop Six community and his attendance at meetings in and out of city hall.
“I have seen Michael Moore stand in the middle of Hwy 303 (E. Rosedale) forcing 18-wheeler drivers to GO AROUND rather than allow them to continue damaging long-awaited infrastructure improvements on Rosedale,” she said in a statement released by the Moore campaign.
Bivens also referenced his work to bridge cultural divides between a Buddhist temple and the surrounding neighborhood, and his work to revitalize deactivated neighborhood organizations.
“Michael Moore is a man of action, and that is what we need on the council,” Bivens said in the statement.
Moore said he was fortunate to have Bivens’ support.
“I will work hard in this campaign as well as in office if I am fortunate to earn the support of voters to live up to the standard of service set by Gyna Bivens,” he said.
Moore is the senior pastor at New Bethel Complete in Christ Church in south Fort Worth and serves as the president of the Historic Stop Six Neighborhood Association.
He’s running on a platform of public safety and bringing jobs to the district, revitalizing neighborhoods and improving parks.
Early voting runs April 22 to April 29 ahead of the May 3 election. If no candidate earns 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will head to a runoff on June 7.
.jpg)