Election News

Master list of campaign donations for upcoming Dallas election

Scott Griggs, looking very mayoral.

Scott Griggs/Facebook

Dallas will elect a new mayor and new city council on May 4 — an election that has drawn millions of dollars as 60 candidates court voters.

The mayoral race to replace Mayor Mike Rawlings is drawing the largest sums: Between eight candidates, $3.3 million was raised between January 1 and April 26.

Among the city council seats, the most expensive has been District 13 in North Dallas: Incumbent Jennifer Staubach Gates and challenger and former Mayor Laura Miller raised nearly $500,000.

At least a dozen residents have given to multiple races, sometimes to candidates in the same race. Not all the money came from Dallas.

Repeat donors include Park Board President Bobby Abtahi, Lucy Billingsley and family, developer and wife Craig and Kathryn Hall, D Magazine publisher Wick Allison, developer Frank Mihalopoulos, Swiss Avenue preservationist Larry Offutt, DISD board member Dustin Marshall, former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, former Schepps Dairy head Pete Schenkel, Lakewood resident Barry Jacobs, and Arts and Culture Commission member Cannon Flowers.

The Texas Hotel and Lodging Assocation PAC, which receives donations from top executives of the troubled Visit Dallas, made contributions to nearly all mayoral candidates except one: Scott Griggs, the biggest critic of Visit Dallas and only council member running for mayor.

The final round of campaign finance reports is due to City Hall on May 31.

Here's our list of candidates with donor highlights:

Mayoral race
Michael B. Ablon. $560,181. He has 22 maximum ($5,000) donation contributors, the majority from real estate and development, including Shawn and Cheryl Todd, Jon Altschuler, Herb Weitzman, Michael Ochstein, Jonas Woods, Tom Hicks, and Bandera Ventures' principals Charles Anderson, Pryor Blackwell, and Thomas Leiser.

Albert C. Black Jr. $157,543. Many contributions from outside Dallas, while top donors include Austin lawyer Carlos Zaffirini; surgeon John Preskitt; Baylor supporters and Temple, Texas residents Drayton & Elizabeth McLane; the Cortez Law Firm; and former Sheriff Lupe Valdez.

Regina Montoya. $429,807. Donors include her daughter Jessica Montoya Coggins, husband Paul Coggins, Margot Perot, colorful entrepreneur Erika Nazem, Eric Johnson, former Sheriff Lupe Valdez, Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia, former Mayor Ron Kirk, and one-time mayoral candidate Tom Dunning. PACs include Health Care Service Corporation Employees PAC and HOTEL PAC, plus a $2500 contribution from Women Organizing Women Democrats.

Scott Griggs. $303,815. Dozens of individual donors indicative of a strong grass-roots campaign, plus two PACs: Citizens for Affordable Housing PAC and Dallas Retired Firefighters Association PAC.

Eric Johnson. $704,544. Johnson has the largest number of PAC contributors, including AT&T, Orrick Texas, Raytheon, Health Care Services Corporation Employees PAC, and BNSF Rail PAC. Other top contributors were construction magnate Henry Beck, commercial real estater David Corrigan, and four members of the Hunt family.

Alyson Y. Kennedy. $0.

Lynn McBee. $513,637. Numerous bold-faced donors include NorthPark co-owner David Haemisegger, real estate icon Allie Beth Allman, restaurateur Phil Romano, members of the Hunt family, and the Bass family from Fort Worth. Her campaign has spent more than $120,000 on Allyn Media, the favorite of the Dallas Citizens Council.

Miguel Solis. $613,945. Has the most out-of-state contributions in the race, including a Democratic party PAC called Cincinnatus PAC and $500 from presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's campaign, plus old-guard has-beens such as former Mayor Ron Kirk, former city manager Mary Suhm, and former state Representative Domingo Garcia.

Jason Villalba. $77,671. Donors include former state Senator John Carona, one-time city council candidate Leland Burk, the HOTEL PAC, and Metropolitan Anesthesia PAC.

District 1 - Bishop Arts/Oak Cliff
Sylvana Alonzo. $4,700.
Jeremy T. Boss. $0.
Giovanni "Gio" Valderas. $23,071. Donors include former mayoral candidate Marcos Ronquillo and New American PAC, located in the law offices of Domingo Garcia.
Chad A. West. $75,153. Donors include well known Democrat lawyer Lisa Baron, plus dozens of residents and business owners from West's own 75208 neighborhood.

District 2 - Deep Ellum and East Dallas
Barbara Eastwood Coombs. $2,836. Mostly self-funded campaign. Bought a map for $20.
Paul A. Freeman. $0.
Adam Medrano. $12,680. Spent nearly $3,000 for volunteer meals.

District 3 - Mountain Creek/Southwest Dallas
Denise Benavides. $0.
Charletta Rogers Compton. $1,985. Rented out the VFW.
Davante D. Peters. $1,114.
Britannica Scott. $0.
Casey Thomas. $31,700. Incumbent's donors include Dallas Black Firefighters PAC, the Real Estate Council PAC, and the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas PAC.

District 4 - Oak Cliff/South Dallas
Carolyn King Arnold. $24,305. Donors include outgoing D5 councilman Ricky Callahan, Park Board President Bobby Abtahi, and Dallas Black Fire Fighters Retiree PAC.
Dawn M. Blair. $5,155. Biggest donors were executives from Viceroy Investments, a commercial real estate investment firm.
Karon "K" Flewellen. $2,243. Most donors were from outside Dallas.
Obi E. Igbokwe. $0.
Keyaira D. Saunders. $2,150. Four households have donated.
Asa O. Woodberry. $1,544. Mostly family donors.

District 5 - Pleasant Grove
Jaime Resendez. $19,866. Ascend PAC, a 527 that provides financial support to emerging Democratic candidates; and The Real Estate Council PAC.
Ruth Torres. $5,320. Biggest donor is Sarahi Quintana, a resident of Chicago. Received training from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in Washington, D.C.
Yolanda Faye Williams. $13,315. Donors include incumbent Ricky Callahan, Park Board President Bobby Abtahi, Walt Humann, five "unknown donors," and the Dallas Black Firefighters Retiree PAC.

District 6 - West Dallas
Monica R. Alonzo. $52,078. Donors from Plano, Addison, Frisco, Cedar Hill, Duncanville Mansfield, Arlington, Colleyville, and other Dallas suburbs.
Tony Carrillo. $0.
Omar Narvaez. $51,185. Incumbent's donors include the Dallas Police Officers PAC, Citizens for Affordable Housing PAC, United Food & Commercial Workers, and the National Latino Law Enforcement Organization Greater Dallas Chapter.

District 7 - Fair Park/South Dallas
Adam Ryan Bazaldua. $15,874. Donors include the New American PAC.
Sandra Crenshaw. $0.
Kevin Felder. $12,800. Donors include Lucy Billingsley, airport concessionaire Gilbert Aranza, and Jean Dean who serves on a variety of boards including the North TX Crime Commission. Felder spent more than $18,000 in the first quarter, and has expensed meals at Hillstone and Olive Garden.
Yvette Gbalazeh. $0.
Calvin D. Johnson. $0.
Sade' Johnson. $0.
Korey Deon Mack. $32,620. Has the most individual donors in this race.
Joseph Thomas. $4,070. Nearly half of his donors are not in Dallas.
Tiffinni A. Young. $3,925. Spends campaign funds to Uber around the district.

District 8 - Red Bird/Far South Dallas
Tennell Atkins. $63,135. Donors include Dallas Police Officers PAC and Dallas Fire Fighters Association Public Safety Committee.
Erik Wilson. $2,100. He had six individual contributors.

District 9 - Lakewood/East Dallas
Paula Blackmon. $75,749. Donors include Max Wells, former president of the Park and Recreation Board who was accused of conspiring to limit debate on the future of Fair Park, plus developers Daniel Deichert and Craig and Kathryn Hall.
"TAMI" Brown Rodriguez. $6,860. Has more loans than donations.
Sarah Lamb. $21,090. Majority of donors live on or near Gaston Avenue, dating back to Lamb's participation in the 3G road project.
Erin Moore. $40,788. Donors include the ever-present Lupe Valdez.

District 10 - Lake Highlands/Northeast Dallas
D'Andrala "DeDe" Alexander. $27,605. Many small-donor donations, including some from out of state, and one PAC contribution from Ascend PAC.
Sirrano Keith Baldeo. $0.
Adam McGough. $78,102. Donors include the Dallas Firefighters Association and the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas - PAC. His expenses include $95 he spent at a Trump Hotel bar during a City Council trip to Washington, D.C.

District 11 - North Dallas
Curtis T. Harris. $0.
Lee M. Kleinman. $64,730. The Real Estate Council donated $2,500, along with PAC support from Texas Instruments PAC, Metrotex Association of Realtors PAC, and HOMEPAC, the political action committee of the Dallas Builders Association.

District 12 - Far North Dallas
Cara Mendelsohn. $28,185. Donors include council member Lee Kleinman and PACs from Citizens For Affordable Housing, Dallas Police Officers, Dallas Retired Firefighters Association, Metrotex Association of Realtors PAC, and the Dallas Firefighters Association Public Safety Committee.
Carolyn "Cookie" Peadon. $30,434. Donors include outgoing council member Sandy Greyson and the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas PAC.
Daniel Powell. $4,044.

District 13 - North Dallas/Preston Hollow
Jennifer Staubach Gates. $218,223. Incumbent has received PAC money from Comerica and Safari Club's SCI PAC, the largest sportsmen-led PAC in America. Other donors include mayoral candidates Lynn McBee and Mike Ablon; Dallas Regional Chamber CEO Dale Petroskey; Michael Boone of law firm Haynes and Boone; the Hunt, Perot, and Billingsley families; developer Craig and Kathy Hall, Beck Group Executive Chairman Peter Beck; and a woman named Patsy Cline.
Laura Miller. $190,149. Gates' challenger has donations from former state Senator John Carona, D Magazine Publisher Wick Allison, attorney Lisa Baron (this time donating as Lisa Blue), and Harwood District kingpin Gabriel Barbier-Mueller.

District 14 - Downtown/Uptown/East Dallas
David Blewett. $50,656. Donors include Pete Schenkel, Highland Park Village owner and high-profile Republican Ray Washburne, Jose restaurant owner Brady Wood, and the PAC for the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas.
Warren Ernest Johnson. $39,430. Biggest donor is himself. Among his expenses were consultants from Florida and Washington, D.C.
Phillip Kingston. $61,400. Contributors include an array of independent donors and neighbors, plus lawyer Lisa Baron, and PACs such as Citizens For Affordable Housing PAC, Dallas Fire Fighters Association PAC, and United Food and Commercial Workers Union PAC.

----

Teresa Gubbins contributed to this story.

politics

RIP Tom

Prominent Dallas businessman and sports mogul Tom Hicks dies at 79

By American Battle Monuments Commission

Tom Hicks, RIP

Thomas O. Hicks, legendary Texas businessman, philanthropist, mentor, and devoted husband and father, died in Dallas on December 6, surrounded by his family; he was 79.

Hicks was widely regarded as a pioneer in American business, reshaping private equity and introducing strategies that influenced an entire generation of investors. He co-founded Hicks & Haas in 1984, where he executed landmark deals including the transformative Dr Pepper/7UP merger. He later co-founded Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst in 1989, which grew into one of the largest private equity platforms of its era, completing major transactions across consumer products, broadcasting, and food and beverage.

More importantly, Hicks was known for his integrity, generosity, and loyalty in business—qualities that shaped every partnership he formed and every life he touched.

Longtime friend and peer in Dallas business community Richard Fisher reflected on this spirit, saying, “Tom Hicks was a legend in finance who perfected the leveraged buyout and pioneered the ‘buy and build’ strategy by creating one of the world’s largest beverage companies. Best of all, he was a devoted, constant friend who supported me with gusto when I ran for the U.S. Senate, even though we were from different parties. A man is measured by his affection for and unflinching support of family and friends. At this, Tom was a true champion.”

Hicks’s influence extended well beyond business. A passionate sports fan, he owned and chaired the Dallas Stars from 1995–2011, guiding the club to multiple division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies, and the 1999 Stanley Cup Championship. He also owned the Texas Rangers from 1998–2010, leading the team to three American West Division titles and a World Series appearance.

In 2007, he acquired a 50% stake in Liverpool F.C., making him one of the few individuals to hold simultaneous ownership across NHL, MLB, and Premier League organizations.

“Tom was a close friend and a great partner. He dreamed big and watching him bring the Stanley Cup here to Dallas was something that I will always cherish,” said Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones. “Tom was a champion for sports, and we had the same vision for Arlington—to make it a destination where fans could feel the heartbeat of our teams and our community together. Being shoulder to shoulder with him was always about more than ballparks and stadiums, though. It was about personal respect, trust and friendship. We shared a lot of miles together, and I’ll miss him greatly. My heart goes out to his family.”

He also made extraordinary contributions to the city of Dallas, helping shape the region’s cultural, educational, and civic landscape across decades. Hicks played an instrumental role in the development and planning of the American Airlines Center, which opened in 2001, and contributed significantly to the Santiago Calatrava–designed Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge spanning the Trinity River.

He also supported education initiatives across North Texas, including the land donation that became Tom Hicks Elementary in the Lewisville Independent School District.

Reflecting on Hicks’s profound impact on the city he loved, Ross Perot Jr. said, “Tom Hicks was an innovative businessman and a pioneer in private equity. He combined his commitment to business and sports through his ownership of the Stars and the Rangers. Tom was dedicated to Dallas and, as a partner in the American Airlines Center, helped revitalize an important part of downtown. He was a great partner and a longtime friend, a man of vision and courage who loved his country and Texas. He played a meaningful role in building our great city, and he will be remembered with gratitude.”

In addition to his business and civic achievements, Hicks remained deeply involved with the University of Texas, where he served on the Board of Regents from 1994 to 1999 and helped establish UTIMCO, now the largest public university endowment in the country—an accomplishment he regarded as one of the most meaningful contributions of his professional life.

Hicks also served his country. He was a paratrooper in the Army Reserves and later served as a presidentially appointed Commissioner of the American Battle Monuments Commission, which oversees U.S. military cemeteries and memorials around the world.

Yet above all his accomplishments, Hicks will be remembered most for his profound love of family. Known by those close to him for his humor, intellect, and steadfast leadership, Hicks treasured time with his children and grandchildren above all else. He is survived by his beloved wife of 35 years, Cinda Cree Hicks; his six children—Thomas Ollis Hicks Jr., Mack Hardin Hicks, John Alexander Hicks, Robert Bradley Hicks, William Cree Hicks, and Catherine Forgrave Hicks. He was a much-loved father-in-law to Alexandra, Stacy, Portia, Rachel, Paige, and Rick. Finally, his greatest joy was his grandchildren, all fourteen and counting: John, Jet, Isabella, Eloise, Annabelle, Gigi, Mack Hardin Jr., Scarlett, James, Lincoln, Jake, Hawk, Campbell, and Nancy.

His six children collectively shared, “Of everything he accomplished in his remarkable life, Tom Hicks’s most cherished title was, ‘Dad’. No matter the trials and tribulations he faced in life, he was constant in his generosity and love for his family. He remains a guiding force for our family, and we are deeply honored to continue expanding his legacy. Although we are devastated by this loss, we are profoundly grateful to have been his children.”

Services are pending, and additional information will be provided as arrangements are finalized.

Election News

Master list of campaign donations for upcoming Dallas election

Crazy wave of Dallas restaurants and bars have all just opened

Ambitious Indian restaurant Jashan opens at Plano's Legacy North

Surprising Dallas neighbor ranks among hottest ZIP codes in U.S.

RIP Tom

Prominent Dallas businessman and sports mogul Tom Hicks dies at 79