The Tarrant County Democratic Party has elected a new leader, who isn鈥檛, in fact, so new.
Allison Campolo, who previously served as party chair from 2021 to 2023, was elected to the seat with 90% of votes in a July 7 special election. Her return comes after her successor, Crystal Gayden, in June.
Campolo defeated Patrick Moses, a retired federal law enforcement official and pastor who unsuccessfully in the November 2024 election. Moses received 14 votes in the Monday night election for party chair.
Democratic or Republican party chairs are elected by a majority vote of their party鈥檚 precinct chairs. Each precinct chair represents a voting precinct in their county and works on the grassroots level to mobilize voters in their party.
Addressing precinct chairs immediately before they cast votes, Campolo said she plans to build on her own and the party鈥檚 past successes to make the party 鈥渆ven better.鈥� She noted her 2018 campaign for Texas Senate District 10, during which she raised $88,000 and talked to 鈥渢ens of thousands鈥� of voters, and touted her efforts as party chair in 2022, when the party raised about $500,000 and talked to 鈥渙ver 600,000 voters.鈥�
鈥淓very time I do something, I think I get a little bit better at it,鈥� Campolo said.
She returns to the party during a crucial time in Tarrant County politics ahead of the 2026 midterm election.
Political experts previously told the Fort Worth Report that the county will remain a 鈥渕ini battleground state鈥� after Tarrant voters in the 2024 election 鈥� despite supporting Democratic candidate Colin Allred for U.S. Senate over Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. The 2024 election marked the second time Cruz lost Tarrant County after Democrat Beto O鈥橰ourke鈥檚 slim victory in 2018.
On the county level, Campolo told precinct chairs she will lead the charge to kick out and replace Judge Tim O鈥橦are and Commissioner Manny Ramirez, both Republicans, from the Tarrant County Commissioners Court. She also believes the party can help Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons hold on to her seat after a significantly altered the political makeup of Simmons鈥� precinct, leaving it difficult for a Democratic candidate to win.
鈥淚鈥檓 aiming to make us a million dollar party. I鈥檓 aiming to talk to over a million voters,鈥� Campolo said. 鈥淲e can flip this county.鈥�
Gayden, an attorney, has served as party chair since Campolo鈥檚 resignation in 2023. In her , she highlighted progress in grassroots organizing, voter education and turnout in local elections, and improving visibility for Democratic voters, particularly those of underrepresented communities.
Democrats saw several key victories in the May 3 local elections, when lost in school board and city council races across the county. Such positions are ostensibly nonpartisan, but several candidates across the county ran heavily partisan campaigns.
During the special election meeting, Gayden thanked precinct chairs, 鈥渨ho worked tirelessly to move the party forward.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 not going anywhere,鈥� Gayden said. 鈥淚鈥檒l be here, still supporting, still doing the things. We鈥檒l be rocking and rolling in my precinct, and all good things.鈥�
Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org.
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