Money pours into Fort Worth mayor and City Council campaigns as Election Day nears

Fort Worth incumbents are flush with cash with days to go before Saturday’s election for mayor and City Council.

Mayor Mattie Parker has the most cash on hand with $437,506, followed by unopposed District 3 council member Michael Crain with $335,935, according to a Star-Telegram review of campaign finance reports submitted April 28.

The reports cover money donated to the campaigns between March 28 and April 26.

Parker raised a little over $200,000 during that period with 10% of those donations comping from the Accountable Government Fund, a political action committee based in Dripping Springs.

That group’s biggest funder is Sundance Square co-owner Ed Bass, who donated $100,000 on March 6, according to reports submitted to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office.

Crain raised a little under $40,000 during the month of April, including $5,000 from the Accountable Government Fund.

Two challengers, attorney Pamela Boggess running in District 9, and small business owner Italia de la Cruz running in District 6, each received over $100,000 in in-kind contributions, or contributions of goods and services rather than straight cash.

Most of this support came from the Fort Worth Excellence PAC, which contributed $107,481.97 to Boggess and $95,484.40 to De La Cruz, according to campaign finance reports.

The group is funded heavily by Don Woodard Jr., who runs the businesses services firm Western Commerce Group. It gained attention recently for campaign mailers attacking the records of incumbent city council members Elizabeth Beck in District 9 and Jared Williams in District 6.

Woodard has donated $230,000 of the $234,950 the group has raised this election cycle, according to reports submitted to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office.

He also donated $25,000 of the roughly $29,000 Boggess raised between Jan. 20 and March 27, according to campaign finance reports filed with the city of Fort Worth.

He did not respond to a text message Monday requesting comment on his donations.

Beck’s largest donor in her most recent campaign filing was the Fort Worth’s firefighter’s union, which contributed roughly a third of the $94,916 she raised in April.

She also received $10,000 from Lee Bass, brother of Ed Bass and co-owner of the City Center Towers downtown.

Williams’ largest donor in his most recent filing was the Accountable Government Fund, which donated $5,000 of the $24,532.82 he raised in April.

In District 7, nonprofit executive Macy Hill continued her fundraising strength bringing in just over $96,000 in the month of April, according to her most recent campaign finance report.

Hill is running to replace outgoing council member Leonard Firestone, who is serving as Hill’s campaign treasurer.

Early voting continues through Tuesday.