“What this shows is that Tarrant County is more purple than ever, and both parties are going after each other because it’s getting close,” Bud Kennedy said.
TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — Like the streams that feed the Trinity River, concerns about election integrity are spilling over in Tarrant County as both major political parties challenge candidates ahead of the primary election.
Republican Party Chairman Tim Davis said his party considers election integrity a core principle.
“We like to say we’re the party of election integrity,” Tim Davis said.
Davis serves as the chairman overseeing party operations, candidate support, and election strategy in one of North Texas’s most politically competitive counties.
As chair, Davis has been a vocal advocate for election integrity and party oversight of candidate filings, often positioning the local GOP as closely engaged in primary and general election processes. Davis plays a central role in shaping the party’s messaging and legal posture as Tarrant County continues to trend more politically competitive.
The challenges escalated as both party chairs accused the other side of submitting flawed candidate applications and petitions for the primary ballot.
Davis said the Tarrant County Republican Party reviewed petitions submitted by Democratic candidates and identified issues with seven of them.
“After reviewing all of their petitions, all of their candidates in that regard, we found that these particular seven individuals had problems with their application,” Tim Davis said.
Among the seven candidates challenged is high-profile defense attorney Lisa Pamplin, who is running for County Criminal Court judge. Republicans said her application contained a clerical error.
Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Campolo said her party responded by filing challenges of its own, seeking to remove 43 Republican candidates from the primary ballot. One of those candidates is Juvenile Court Judge Alex Kim. Democrats allege the issue involves invalid petition signatures.
“This is more than just an integrity issue,” Allison Campolo said. “We are seeing evidence of mass sticker sheets being signed and then applied randomly.”
Campolo, as the Tarrant County Democratic Party Chairwoman, leads efforts to recruit candidates, mobilize voters, and expand Democratic influence in a rapidly changing political landscape.
As chair, Campolo has been outspoken on election integrity and ballot access issues, frequently pushing back against Republican challenges while emphasizing fairness and accountability in the local election process. Campolo has become a prominent voice as Tarrant County grows increasingly competitive in statewide and national races.
Despite the dueling challenges, political expert Bud Kennedy said the primary ballot itself is already set.
“The ballot is set for the primary,” Bud Kennedy said.
Kennedy said voters should expect the most significant legal and political battles to intensify after the primary elections conclude.
“What this shows is that Tarrant County is more purple than ever and both parties are going after each other because it’s getting close,” Bud Kennedy said.
Kennedy is a longtime Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist and WFAA political contributor who provides analysis on Tarrant County and North Texas politics. He is widely-known for offering historical context and practical insight into local election trends and voter behavior.
Candidate challenges are not new in Tarrant County elections, but both party chairs said the scale of the current disputes is unprecedented.
“We have never seen a challenge like this in Tarrant County,” Allison Campolo said.
“They challenged every single one of our candidates,” Tim Davis said.
Both party chairs confirmed that if the disputes are not resolved, legal action remains an option ahead of the general election in November.