The race to replace longtime incumbent Roy Brooks in Precinct 1 is headed to a runoff after the four Democratic primary candidates failed to secure more than 50% of the vote.
A crowded field of candidates with prior leadership experience set the stage for a runoff. The first and second highest vote-getters, Kathleen Hicks, who got 36% of the vote, and Roderick Miles Jr., who secured 31%, will face each other in a runoff. Precinct 1 has elected Democrats for decades.
Hicks, 51, made history as the youngest woman to serve on Fort Worth’s City Council in 2008. Miles, 52, works for incumbent Brooks as his executive administrator over programs and outreach.
Hicks, who spent election night with her family, said she was excited by the results and felt that voters heard her message despite having fewer resources compared with other candidates.
“I think people want to see someone who is really experienced that can go in from day one and work hard for the citizens of Precinct 1,” Hicks said.
Miles watched the results roll in with a crowd of supporters at his election night party in southeast Fort Worth at Blank Space Fort Worth. He said he expected to win his party’s nomination outright but is thankful to be one of the final two candidates.
“I’m the candidate who has the experience, who has demonstrated ability, who’s always been reliable and shows up when the community needs me,” Miles said.
Both Miles and Hicks’ platforms include reducing the number of deaths in the Tarrant County Jail and strengthening the social safety net in the precinct.
Amanda Arizola, a Miles supporter, said she worked closely with Miles as co-founder of the nonprofit CoAct.
“Already having that strength, that background in the community is really important. He really is the right choice,” Arizola said.
Brooks said the Tarrant County Commissioners Court has become more partisan compared to when he first joined in 2004. He endorsed Miles when announcing his retirement in September 2023. Miles has the experience to succeed him in Precinct 1, he said.
While campaigning, Hicks touted her experience working with conservatives on City Council and a record of spurring economic development in Fort Worth. She has worked hard to communicate the importance of the Precinct 1 position to voters, emphasizing its impact on JPS and county infrastructure.
“If I win … I will be a county commissioner for everyone in Precinct 1,” Hicks said. “Everyone matters. Everyone’s voice matters.”
Miles and Hicks beat Mia Hall and Darryl Brewer to secure a spot in the runoff.
“There’s a lot of work to be done in Precinct 1 and I strongly believe that our current environment calls for bold, innovative leadership,” Hall said in a statement addressing her loss. “I’m not going anywhere, and you can trust that my fight for what’s right won’t end here.”
Hall supporter Tracy Scott, president of the Black Women’s PAC Texas, said she sees Hall as the future of Fort Worth.
“She has worked hard to earn the reputation she has professionally,” Scott said. “If Fort Worth doesn’t start looking at different candidates, the evolution of our community will be stagnant.”
Hall, who currently sits on Crowley ISD’s board of trustees, is also running for reelection to her seat there.
The runoff election will take place on Tuesday, May 28. Once a runoff election is called, it’s similar to a regular election, including a period of early voting and an election day. Voters may request a mail-in ballot. The deadline to register to vote is April 29.
Whoever wins the runoff election will face Republican nominee Michael Barber, who ran uncontested in the primary.
Turnout was lowest in Precinct 1 compared to the rest of the county. Just about 38,500 Democratic and Republican voters cast a vote in the precinct, compared to about 56,200 in Precinct 3, where both the Republican and Democratic candidates ran uncontested.
Overall, just about 12% of Tarrant County’s 1.2 million registered voters cast a ballot in the primary election.
Rachel Behrndt is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at rachel.behrndt@fortworthreport.org or via X.
