Midterms Matter More
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Nisie
4.5 million registered voters across Texas voted in the 2026 Republican and Democratic Primaries. The overall turnout alone is impressive, but Democrats were the ones who turned up the heat in an already hot race. Nearly 2.3 million Democrats cast their ballots, shutting down anyone who doubted the party’s ability to energize voters. The once-doubted party made it clear they wanted a say in the direction their party would take. As for the republicans, they voted too, and they voted MAGA. Aside from a major run for the Republican U.S. Senate race between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn, it was even more obvious Republicans were not putting away their MAGA hats any time soon. Despite the Epstein file scandals and plummeting approval, Trump’s influence on Republican voters seems to remain steady. Yes, voters turned out across Texas, but what about Tarrant County?
Tarrant County is a key electoral battleground, and while there are other very important seats up for grabs in the upcoming midterms, all eyes are on Alissa Simmons and Tim O'Hare. Almost 200,00 voters participated in the Democratic primary for Tarrant County Judge. If Democrats have their way, the political landscape in Tarrant County could be forever altered. Some voters believe sewing up the ever-widening divide in the community is just the kind of change Tarrant County needs. The question is: who is better poised to sew that divide without shredding the fragile fabric of democracy and fair elections? That answer is easily identifiable to Democrats. Republicans have their answer in the “King of Tarrant County” – Tim O’Hare.
O’Hare has put forth policies that some believe directly challenge the integrity of our elections. He boasted the redrawing of precinct lines as "100% about partisan politics," stating he wanted a map that "guarantees three Republican commissioner’s seats". While Alissa Simmons alleged that the new maps were discriminatory against Black and Latino voters. She made it clear to voters that the new maps have "decimated" her district (Precinct 2), which shifted from a competitive area to one favoring conservative candidates.
Tim ‘O Hare and Allisa Simmons are both incredibly strong candidates for the race for the Judge Seat in Tarrant County. But while both candidates make strong arguments, they are on totally opposite sides of the aisle. Aside from the increase of Democratic voters in the Republican and Democratic primaries, if Democrats want to win this one, they will have to show up with even bigger numbers for the midterms in November.
The differences between the two candidates, as I said before, are stark. Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare and Commissioner Alisa Simmons have significant disagreements over budgetary priorities, meeting decorum, redistricting, and election integrity. There have also been allegations of bullying by Tim O’Hare of Alissa Simmons. In April 2024, Simmons was expressing her concern over the hiring of the executive director of the Huffines Liberty Foundation when Tim O’Hare told her to “sit there and be quiet" – she did not follow his inappropriate directives.
There is a lot at stake for voters in the upcoming midterms. The voter turnout for the Democratic and Republican Primaries was impressive, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Choosing your candidate for the midterms is important, but don’t forget that Mid terms matter more, and the future of Tarrant County depends on your participation and your vote.