Tarrant County Democratic candidates shared similar goals, visions and solutions on how they would represent residents following a midcycle redistricting plan and a growing presence of immigration enforcement.
The Fort Worth Report, alongside fellow nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations SteerFW and the League of Women Voters, hosted a second night of candidate forums on Feb. 12, this one including those vying in the March 3 primary election for seats on the Tarrant County Commissioners Court and in the U.S. and Texas Houses.
Nearly 60 attendees filled the Baker Building at Texas Wesleyan University Thursday night.
Republican candidates for commissioners court and the Texas House were asked about similar topics during Wednesday night’s forum.
Next month’s primary will determine which lone-standing Republican and Democratic candidates will run in the November election.
Tarrant County Commissioners Court Precinct 2
Candidates Amanda Arizola, Gabe Rivas and Jared Williams are seeking the Precinct 2 seat as current Commissioner Alisa Simmons runs for county judge.
Each candidate spoke against the Republican-led commissioners vote that redrew the Precinct 2 boundaries during a mid-decade redistricting process last summer. The reshaped map faced criticism and now-dismissed lawsuits by some who believe it disenfranchised voters of color.
The candidates agreed that the precinct must continue to be represented by a person of color as it has been for the past 15 years. They said they are focused on engaging residents regardless of political affiliation and meeting with community members directly.
If elected, each candidate said they would limit or oppose the county’s role in collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Earlier this week, the GOP-majority of the county commissioners approved applying for a new Texas grant designed to help local departments partner with ICE in identifying undocumented immigrants.
Although Texas law requires local enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials under Senate Bill 8, Arizola, co-founder of the nonprofit CoACT North Texas, said she has a responsibility to push back against related policies and closely examine any budget items brought forth to the court.
Rivas and Williams both called for an end to Tarrant County’s partnership with ICE through the 287(g) program.
Rivas, a former staffer of Simmons, said the partnership damages trust between communities and local law enforcement. Residents won’t feel comfortable calling 911 if they believe they’ll be asked for proof of citizenship, he said.
Williams, who previously served two terms on Fort Worth City Council, said Tarrant County should not allow further harm at the hands of “exploitive political maneuvers” after two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis last month.
All three candidates shared the opinion that the commissioners court has a responsibility of providing oversight for the Tarrant County Jail. More than 70 people have died in jail custody since Sheriff Bill Waybourn took office in 2017.
Each candidate said they would focus on ensuring jail accountability and advocate for programs, such as mental health services, that prevent people from being incarcerated.
Tarrant County Commissioners Court Precinct 4
Candidates Perla Bojorquez and Nydia Cardenas kicked off the second panel by discussing how they would better serve Latino residents of Precinct 4 if elected to serve on the commissioners court. Candidate Cedric Kanyinda was also invited to participate in the forum but did not attend.
Precinct 4 encompasses Northwest Tarrant County, including Saginaw, Haslet, Azle and Lake Worth. The seat is held by the Republican incumbent Manny Ramirez.
Cardenas, a small business mentor, wants to meet with residents to teach them more about county commissioners’ responsibilities and how their jurisdiction affects challenges faced by the community. She attended the event virtually after testing positive for COVID.
Bojorquez, a former educator and paralegal, said she spent the last year and a half meeting with residents and plans to continue engaging with Latino communities so they know she is listening to their concerns.
Both candidates said, if elected, they will prioritize the safety of the community in response to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office’s partnership with ICE.
Bojorquez said Waybourn is not equipped to work with federal agents, criticizing the number of in-custody deaths that occurred under his authority.
Waybourn, a Republican, was not at the forum. He previously has defended his jail, arguing there’s nothing he can do about someone who gets booked into custody already suffering from a terminal condition.
County officials should not be tasked with the job of the federal government, Cardenas said. She said she would ensure that county staff are doing the minimum to comply with federal immigration laws and would hold Waybourn accountable for Tarrant County Jail inmate deaths.
Bojorquez and Cardenas also want to see individuals provided with more mental health resources rather than incarceration.
Bojorquez is hopeful that having two Latina candidates will encourage younger residents to participate more in local elections.
Cardenas said voter apathy is the most critical issue local officials face. It is up to officials to show young voters that problems at the federal level can be resolved through elections.
Texas House District 98 and U.S. House District 12
The third panel included candidates for Texas House District 98 Cate Brennan and Aaron Hendley. Angela “Heli” Rodriguez Prillman, who is seeking to represent U.S. House District 12, was also on the panel as her opponent, Kenneth Morgan-Aguilera, did not attend.
Tarrant County Republican Giovanni Capriglione is not seeking reelection for that Texas House seat. Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, currently serves in that congressional seat.
Candidates for Texas State Representative District 98 Aaron Hendley, center, and Cate Brennan, left, answer questions along with Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman, candidate for U.S. House District 12, during the Democratic candidate forum hosted by the Fort Worth Report on Feb. 11, 2026. (Christine Vo | Fort Worth Report) All three candidates agreed that their best chances of securing a win and encouraging young voters is by leading a campaign similar to Fort Worth Democrat Taylor Rehmet, who flipped the historically red Texas Senate District 9 in a January runoff.
Rehmet’s efforts centered on door knocking and building community relationships by meeting voters “where they are,” they said.
If elected, each Democratic candidate said they would do the “minimum” required in working with ICE and defund Operation Lone Star, a border security initiative launched by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021.
Brennan, who spent over three decades in nonprofit management, said she would focus on educating residents within her district about their rights.
Handley, a current fast food employee and former janitor, referred to ICE as a “rogue organization” and said he would repeal Senate Bill 8, which requires certain county law enforcement to partner with federal immigration officials.
Rodriguez Prilliman, a Fort Worth entrepreneur, said she would work on the federal level to abolish ICE. The U.S. needs a new and reformed immigration system, she added.
When it comes to bipartisanship collaboration, Rodriguez Prilliman sees both the Democratic and Republican parties as “extremely corrupt” and believes the country needs new leadership.
At the state level, Brennan said she would focus on outreach and collaboration to “make friends” in Austin. She’s focused on legislation that will make a difference in people’s lives, she said.
Hendley said he’s open to working with anyone to pass legislation that will “give people stability,” but he doesn’t believe bipartisanship will address the problems he sees in Texas around health care and affordability.
Texas House District 97
Joining the last panel of the night, Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin, Diane Symons and Ryan Ray addressed the focus of their campaigns for Texas House District 97.
Symons and McLaughlin, both critical of Texas’ new congressional maps, noted residents living in the district were affected by the change. McLaughlin cited the Wedgwood neighborhood as an example of an impacted community.
Ray, a property tax financier and former Crowley school trustee, described Texas’ redistricting as a “direct assault on democracy” and insisted the process was illegal.
He said, if elected, he intends to deploy a council of civilians and to actively engage with residents to ensure communities of color and their concerns are heard and taken into account.
All the candidates agreed the state’s rising cost of living is one of Texas’ biggest issues.
McLaughlin, a former Fort Worth ISD educator, said she will focus on creating a policy that brings in more financial support from the federal government to help residents access Medicaid and child care.
A policy that calls for the expansion of Medicaid would allow at least millions more people to become insured, Ray said. More investment into the federal program at the state level would reduce health care costs, he said.
While property tax relief for all household incomes must be on the Legislature’s agenda, such policies as proposed by Abbott would only benefit the wealthy, Ray said.
Symons, a self-employed photographer, proposed increasing the minimum wage and eliminating property taxes for social security recipients and educators as solutions to rising costs.
She understands such a policy would hurt public hospitals and schools, so she proposes allocating more state funding to those public entities.
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.
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