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.

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Teresa Gubbins contributed to this story.

politics

Summer arts planner

Standing ovation for the 11 can't-miss arts events of summer 2023 in Dallas-Fort Worth

Courtesy of Meow Wolf

Rendering of the Meow Wolf Grapevine lobby.

Arts calendars usually have more blank spaces throughout the summer. Musicians play festivals in far-flung places (or take much-needed vacations), museums focus on family-friendly camps and programs to entertain kiddos, and most performing arts organizations gear up for their season debuts in the fall. But this summer, one of the most highly anticipated art events of the year kicks off mid-July. Also, a local museum hops on the biggest concert tour of the year; the best teenage pianists on the planet compete note-for-note; and pop-up concerts and dance festivals remind us that great performances can be staged anywhere.

Here are the 11 can't-miss arts events of summer 2023 in Dallas-Fort Worth. (Find even more arts events, including touring musicals and gallery offerings, in the calendar on our site).

Visual Arts
Note: Several DFW museums currently are showing big exhibitions that will remain open into the summer. Find out more about a few of them here.

Meow Wolf: The Real Unreal
Opening July 14 at Grapevine Mills
The buzziest art event of the summer is Meow Wolf, an immersive experience that's been a sensation since it opened in Santa Fe. The first Texas edition (or "portal," as they call it), dubbed "The Real Unreal," promises to take guests on a journey through a Technicolor wonderland that blends more than 30 rooms' worth of storytelling, technology, and immersive art - much of it created by local artists. (Read more about what to expect in this story.) In addition to the exhibition, The Real Unreal will also include a cafe featuring 15 food purveyors, retail store, and venue for live events. Meow Wolf will be open at 10 am daily beginning July 14. (Hours may vary.) Tickets are now available for pre-purchase starting at $50 for general admission ($45 for children). Pre-booking a time slot for entry is required.

"Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Collection"
June 3-September 24 at Arlington Museum of Art
Fresh off her sold-out three-night "Eras Tour" stand at AT&T Stadium this spring, the nearby Arlington Museum of Art dedicates an entire summer exhibition to Taylor Swift. In collaboration with the HELP Center for LGBT Health & Wellness, "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Collection" will feature items from Swift’s private collection. Visitors will be able to experience her journey as an artist and view outfits, photographs, and concert videos from the “eras” of her life and career. Highlights of the collection are eight iconic costumes from four of Swift’s albums. Tickets run $5-$20.

In conjunction with this exhibition, the museum also will present "Girl in a Country Song: Women of Country Music," featuring intimate portraits of such female country music legends as Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Tanya Tucker, LeAnn Rimes, and others. They'll also open "Hometown Harmonies," which includes personal memorabilia from three women whose musical careers began on the stages of Arlington: Mickey Guyton, Kirstin Maldonado, and Maren Morris.

Classical Music

Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition
June 8-17 at SMU's Caruth Auditorium and the Meyerson Symphony Center
The Cliburn will present the third Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival, featuring 24 of the best 13- to 17-year-old pianists on the planet. Through four rounds of competition, including a final round with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the elite young artists will showcase their virtuosity and musicality. Preliminary, Quarterfinal, and Semifinal Round performances (solo recitals) will take place at Caruth Auditorium. The Final Round concert moves to the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, where three finalists will play a full concerto with the DSO, conducted by Valentina Peleggi. Admission is free-$25 for preliminary rounds; $38-$98 for final round. The entire event will be webcast here.

Outdoor symphonic concerts (ongoing)
Summer symphonic concerts lighten up a bit, with more pop-style fare in fun outdoor settings. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents a series of Parks Concerts, which are family-friendly, free, and staged at parks across the city. Remaining performances are June 1 at Exall Park; June 6 at Campbell Green Park; June 8 at Kidd Springs Park; and June 13 at Paul Quinn College. The DSO's popular Concert Truck is also zipping around town, presenting free pop-up concerts in more than 30 locations through June 11. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's annual Concerts in the Garden series at Fort Worth Botanic Garden runs on weekends through June 11, and each performance ends with a new sparkly extra, a drone show.

Courtesy of Meow Wolf

Rendering of the Meow Wolf Grapevine lobby, coming July 14.

Mimir Chamber Music Festival
July 5-14at TCU and Kimbell Art Museum
While the big chamber music presenters prep for their fall seasons, summer chamber music cravings are fulfilled by this renowned festival, now in its 26th year. Acclaimed professional musicians are joined by emerging artists for a series of concerts that span more than a week. Among the big names joining the roster this year are Japanese pianist Rieko Aizawa, two-time Grammy nominated violinist Jesse Mills, and the rare billing of both Canadian pianist Lucille Chung and her husband, DFW fan-favorite pianist Alessio Bax. More information is here, and tickets will go on sale in June.

Dance

Titas/Unbound presents Ballet BC
June 9 at Winspear Opera House
Bold, innovative and uniquely great, Ballet British Columbia is an internationally acclaimed Canadian contemporary dance company. It is rare to find a company where just everything works; vision, dancers, repertory, say press materials. The program includes Crystal Pite’s The Statement, as well as Garden by Medhi Walerski and Bedroom Folk by Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar. Tickets are $12-$135.

Ballet Concerto: Summer Dance Concert
June 22-25 at The Shops at Clearfork
Now, remarkably, in its 41st year, the annual summer showcase isn't slowing down. Three ballets are planned for each night of performances. Spanish dance king Luis Montero will return to restage his Andalusian Suite, which was world premiered at Ballet Concerto’s 1997 Summer Dance Concert. The programs will also Irish Suite with choreography by Dennis Spaight (restaged by Associate Artistic Director Webster Dean) and Dream On with choreography by Elise Lavallee. Performances begin at 8:30 pm and are free to attend on the lawn, or $75 and up for reserved table seating. Make a night of it by pre-ordering food from nearby Rise or B&B Butchers and pick it up at the event tent on the lawn. More information here.

Modern Dance Festival at The Modern
July 22-23, 29-30 at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Presented by Contemporary Dance/Fort Worth in collaboration with the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the 17th edition of the festival will celebrate the exhibition Robert Motherwell: Pure Painting and CD/FW’s “Thirty-Something” anniversary. A series of live performances of dance and music will be inspired by the exhibition and dedicated to the memory of Jerry Bywaters Cochran, who founded the modern dance program at TCU and was a pioneer for modern dance in North Texas. Performances take place at 2 pm in the Grand Lobby and are free to watch.

Theater

Next to Normal
June 1-July 7 at Theatre Three
The Goodman family is just a “normal” family: Dad's an architect, mom packs lunches and makes birthday cakes, and their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens. Under the surface, their family is anything but. Next to Normal is an emotionally charged Tony-Award winning musical that explores a family’s raw and emotional journey with a mother struggling with chronic bipolar disorder as they navigate a world of therapists and medication. Tickets are $37-$40.

Miss Saigon with Lou Diamond Phillips
June 3-11 at Casa Manana
A tragedy of passion and beauty, Miss Saigon is one of the most stunning theatrical spectacles of all time. The musical takes audiences on emotional journey. In the turmoil of the Vietnam War, Chris, an American soldier, and Kim, a Vietnamese girl, fall in love and marry but are distressingly separated when Saigon falls. As years pass, Chris remarries and attempts to move on with his life. Kim, however, gives birth to Chris’ son and waits faithfully for Chris’ return. When circumstances bring Chris back to Vietnam, he learns the truth. (This show is suitable for mature audiences.) Legendary actor Lou Diamond Phillips returns to Texas to star as The Engineer. Tickets start at $59.

Uptown Players presents Chicken & Biscuits
July 28-Aug 13 at Kalita Humphreys Theater
Written by Douglas Lyons, Chicken & Biscuits follows rivaling sisters, Baneatta and Beverly, as they try to bury their father without killing each other. This proves difficult, when Beverly shows up to the chapel with all her “blessings” on display. Baneatta’s husband tries to mediate the family drama while preparing Bernard’s eulogy. Baneatta’s son intentionally brings his neurotic white Jewish boyfriend along, knowing Baneatta disapproves. All while Beverly’s nosy daughter keeps asking questions no one wants to answer. But when a family secret reveals itself at the altar, the two sisters are faced with a truth that could either heal, or break them. The show recently had a run on Broadway and now closes Uptown Players' season. Tickets are $35-$60.

Cliburn Meow Wolf Modern Dance Festival at The Modern Summer Dance Concert Theater Three presents Next to Normal concerts museums