Has longtime incumbent in southwest Fort Worth council district earned another term?
During Jungus Jordan’s long tenure on the City Council, our Editorial Board has gone back and forth on whether voters should give Jordan another term.
This year, we think they should. Jordan is well-versed on the issues facing southwest Fort Worth’s District 6, particularly the ongoing challenges posed by relentless growth. He’s been influential in preparing infrastructure for it.
With a new mayor and plenty of other turnover on the council likely, Jordan’s experience will be important for a smooth transition. His long record of service — this would be a ninth term, after a distinguished military and business career — is commendable.
But in the city’s best interest, Jordan should give up the mayor pro tem slot. It’s not a crucial position, but the council should rotate it and the deputy mayor pro tem slot so it can highlight more diversity in leadership. Jordan would do the city a favor if he told the new mayor and council to assign the position to someone else.
Jordan’s opponents are promising future leaders, but not quite ready for the council. Jared Williams, 31, a soft-spoken but engaging and passionate nonprofit leader and educator, has a strong focus on serving neighborhoods in his campaign.
Tiesa Leggett, 39, a government relations professional, campaigns on equity issues that are increasingly urgent in a diverse city. But in our candidate interview, she was a little too focused on revenue promised from the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex that hasn’t materialized. It’s a relevant issue but far from a top priority for the district.
For now, Jordan remains the district’s best bet.
Early voting begins Monday and runs through April 27. Election Day is May 1. A June 5 runoff would decide the contest if no candidate wins a majority in the first round. Council terms are for two years, paying $25,000 annually.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bud Kennedy, columnist; Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor; and Nicole Russell, opinion writer.
Members of our Community Advisory Board may also participate in candidate interviews and offer their views, but they do not vote on which candidate to recommend.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.