Tarrant constable election results: Dale Clark barely holds onto seat
Four primaries were contested in races for Tarrant County constables. Here are the latest results:
Precinct No. 1 Republicans
Incumbent H.D. “Dale” Clark III squeezed past a challenge to his seat as Precinct 1 constable. Clark, who has served in the role since 2013, beat Adam Hanson with 50.10% of the vote.
Both candidates served in the military—Clark in the Air Force and Hanson in the Marines—and boast long careers in law enforcement. Hanson currently serves as a deputy constable for Precinct 3.
The precinct they’re now competing to manage encompasses North Richland Hills, Haltom City, and much of downtown Fort Worth. Clark faces no Democratic competitors.
Precinct No. 4 Republicans
Having secured only 22.28% of votes, Jason “Scott” Bedford lost his position as Precinct 4 constable after one term. Challenger Joe D. “Jody” Johnson dominated the three-way primary with 64.12% of the vote.
Bedford, a self-described “follower of Jesus Christ” with an associate’s degree in biblical theology, first took over the precinct in 2022. His competitors, two former Fort Worth police officers who also stress their Christian credentials, had criticized Bedford’s management of the precint during his two-year tenure.
“Justice not served is justice denied under the malfunctioning leadership of the current Constable,” Johnson told the Star-Telegram last month.
“The sitting constable must go!” Carolyn Gilmore, the third candidate who finished in last place with 13.00% of the vote, said in her own statement.
Precinct 4 stretches from White Settlement to the northwest fringes of Tarrant County. Johnson faces no Democratic competitor.
Precinct No. 7 Republicans
John Kiefer dominated the Republican primary for Precinct 7 constable, finishing with 70.18% of the vote.
Both Kiefer and his challenger, Irving Romero, boasted extensive law enforcement careers. Romero serves as a deputy constable in Precinct 1. Kiefer served as chief deputy in the precinct he’s now running to lead, leaving the job last year.
Romero vowed to improve the office’s public accountability and officer active shooter preparedness. Kiefer made similar, if broader, pledges to ensure the office provides “efficient and quality service” to residents in the southeast corner of the county.
Kiefer will square off against Democratic incumbent Sandra Lee, who faces no primary challengers.
Precinct No. 8 Democrats
Precinct 8 constable Michael Campbell held onto his seat (by a landslide), securing 70.72% of the vote.
The incumbent’s campaign against John Wright was embroiled in controversy. Campbell, who’s served as constable since 2012, filed a lawsuit against Wright in January, claiming his challenger wasn’t eligible to run for constable because he didn’t reside in the precinct, which encompasses much of southeast Fort Worth. Reporters later discovered that Wright had received at least 15 disciplinary actions and three terminations over his yearslong career as a deputy constable.
The winner faces no Republican competition.
