Tarrant County candidates rush to file for 2016 ballot

Tarrant County politicians haven’t let any grass grow under their feet.

Dozens of local candidates already have filed for spots on the 2016 ballot, setting up high profile, costly contested races for posts ranging from state representative to sheriff to party chair.

“The election season this year is highly charged,” said Allan Saxe, an associate political science professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. “There is no great advantage to filing early but just to ‘get it over with.’

“But (it also is) to show supporters and donors one is serious,” he said. “It is a good sign that so many are filing, though the incumbents likely are not thrilled.”

Filing began Nov. 14 and runs through Dec. 14.

Here’s a look at locals who filed through Nov. 20, according to officials with the local and state Republican and Democratic parties.

U.S. House

District 6: Republican — incumbent Joe Barton of Ennis

District 12: Democrat — Eric Mauck of Fort Worth

District 24: Republican — incumbent Kenny E. Marchant of Coppell

District 25: Republican — incumbent Roger Williams of Austin

District 26: Republican — incumbent Michael C. Burgess of Lewisville

Texas Legislature

Senate District 12: Republican — incumbent Jane Nelson of Flower Mound

House District 91: Republican — incumbent Stephanie Klick of Fort Worth

House District 92: Republican — incumbent Jonathan Stickland of Bedford, challenger Scott Fisher of Bedford.

House District 93: Republican — incumbent Matt Krause

House District 94: Republican — incumbent Tony Tinderholt of Arlington; Andrew Piel of Arlington.

House District 95: Democrat — incumbent Nicole Collier of Fort Worth

House District 96: Republican — incumbent Bill Zedler of Arlington; Democrat — challenger Sandra Lee of Kennedale

House District 97: Republican — incumbent Craig Goldman of Fort Worth

House District 98: Republican — incumbent Giovanni Capriglione of Southlake

House District 99: Republican — incumbent Charlie Geren of Fort Worth; Bo French of Fort Worth

House District 101: Democrat — incumbent Chris Turner of Grand Prairie

Other races:

Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector: Republican — incumbent Ron Wright

Tarrant County Sheriff: Republican — incumbent Dee Anderson, Bill Waybourn

Tarrant County Commissioner Precinct 1: Democrat — incumbent Roy Charles Brooks.

Tarrant County Commissioner Precinct 3: Republican — Gary Fickes

Supreme Court Place 3: Republican — incumbent Debra Lehrmann, Michael Massengale

Second Court of Appeals, Place 4: Republican — incumbent Bonnie Sudderth

17th District Court: Republican — incumbent Melody Wilkinson

48th District Court: Republican — incumbent David Evans

67th District Court: Republican — incumbent Don Cosby

96th District Court: Republican — incumbent R.H. Wallace Jr.

153rd District Court: Republican — incumbent Susan McCoy

348th District Court: Republican — Lisa Lumley

352nd District Court: Republican — incumbent Mark Pittman

360th Family District Court: Republican — incumbent Mike Sinha

Tarrant County constable: Democrat — Precinct 5, Richard Alfaro; Precinct 8, incumbent Michael R. Campbell; Republican — Precinct 1, incumbent Dale Clark; Precinct 2, incumbent David Woodruff; Precinct 3, incumbent Darrell Huffman; Precinct 4, Michael Hardy, Joe D. “Jody” Johnson, Johnnie Duane Sparks; Precinct 6, incumbent Jon Siegel

Party chair: Republican — Tim O’Hare of Southlake, David Wylie of Arlington

This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Tarrant County candidates rush to file for 2016 ballot."