Outgoing Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price Announces Run For Tarrant County Judge

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Outgoing Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price has officially joined the race for Tarrant County judge.

It was in January when Price announced that she would not run for re-election. The 71-year-old is the city's longest-serving mayor and first took the office in 2011.

Speculation about Price's possible candidacy for Tarrant County's top job heated up after current Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley made an announcement on June 8 that he would not seek a fifth term. Whitley has served as Tarrant County Judge since 2007.

On Tuesday, Whitley didn't hesitate to support the idea of Price as his successor.

"I think she'd make a great county judge. She's got county experience, she's got city experience, she's very fiscally conservative," Whitley said.

In a statement release Thursday morning Price said, "Not only do I have the fire and passion to continue serving the good people of our county, but my decades of business and public servant experience — both as Tarrant County Tax Assessor and Mayor of Fort Worth — make me an ideal and qualified candidate for this position critical to both our present and future."

In that statement Price said she already had the backing of a number of North Texas Republican leaders including Judge Whitley, Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams, North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino, and former Southlake Mayors John Terrell and Laura Hill.

Price will be running against fellow Republican Tim O'Hare, the former mayor of Farmers Branch and current treasurer for the Republican Party of Texas, who has also announced a the position.

Thursday morning Price said some of her goals, if she were to be elected, would be continue education and transportation initiatives.

The individual selected as Tarrant County Judge will preside over the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, oversee and approve the county budget, set the tax rate, order elections, and authorize county contracts among other duties.

The primary election for Tarrant County Judge will be held in March 2022, with the general election to follow in November.