Arlington voters give Jim Ross third term as mayor
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross has been reelected to a third term.
With all vote centers reporting May 2, Ross had 50.04% of the vote; Steve Cavender had 39.45%, Hunter Crow had 5.5% and Shaun Mallory had 4.91%.
Ross announced the news to a roaring crowd of family, friends, and supporters at his election night watch party at J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill in Arlington.
“This has been a very, very, very nasty, difficult, divisive race, and y’all spoke really loud by saying, ‘We don’t put up with this crap in Arlington,’” Ross told the crowd.
The event was a call for unity, he said, after a contentious race against Cavender.
Ross was first elected in 2021 for a three-year term.
During Ross’ time as mayor, Arlington has seen the opening of the National Medal of Honor Museum, the redevelopment of the Lincoln Square shopping center, a major plan to redevelop the downtown entertainment district, and recently, a $273 million deal to keep the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington through 2055. Arlington has also faced a $20 million budget shortfall, which Ross said was brought on by changes to the Tarrant Appraisal District’s reappraisal process.
In an interview, Ross said that he wanted to leave behind a legacy in Arlington — but not in the form of a plaque or a statue.
“I want people to think that I left Arlington better than it was when I found it,” Ross said. “I want people to truly believe that I care and I love this city. I don’t need a name on a stadium or a park. I don’t need any of that. I want people to say, ‘Jim really did love us.’”
The mayoral race was colored by comments made between Ross and Cavender, a real estate developer. During the Star-Telegram editorial board interview, Ross accused Cavender of being a “puppet” for former Arlington mayor Jeff Williams, Ross’ immediate predecessor.
Arlington voters at the watch party said that they were looking forward to an end to the controversies.
“I have found this election cycle to be very, very disappointing, and I don’t like seeing the division that it has caused in our city,” said Cara Hackley of Arlington. “We see it on a national stage. I don’t like it there, and I don’t like it here.”
Hunter Crow posted a statement to his Facebook at around 9:30 p.m. thanking voters for their support and announcing that he would likely run for other local offices.
“I would like to thank everyone for those that supported my candidacy during this cycle for Mayor of Arlington,” Crow wrote. “Regardless of the outcome of this election. I will never stop caring for this city and will continue fighting for it.”
In the race for the District 3 council seat, incumbent Nikkie Hunter was reelected with 73.79% of the vote. Kelly Burke received 26.56%.
In the race for the District 4 council seat — which current council member Andrew Piel is termed out of — Tom Ware defeated Rojo Meixueiro and Lisa J. Ventura with 51.18%.
In District 5, Brittney Garcia-Dumas defeated incumbent Rebecca Boxall with 51.15% of the vote.
Garcia-Dumas told the Star-Telegram Saturday night that she saw her win as a transformation of the district.
“Every step along the way, this has always been about the true representation of this district,” Garcia-Dumas said. “It has always been about what the people have been raising their voices for, for a very long time.”
In District 8 — which Dr. Barbara Odom-Wesley is termed out of — Melody Fowler and Jason Shelton are headed to a runoff on June 13 since no one received more than 50% of the vote. Fowler received 46.91% and 38.27%.
This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 7:09 PM.
