Two seats on the Dallas City Council are for new blood

The May 6 city council elections attracted both new and familiar faces. Every sitting president who can is running for re-election. However, two of the council members’ terms have expired, so these seats are for new blood.

The current member of the District 3 City Council, Casey Thomas, is completing his fourth and final term of office. There are five candidates running for his place. District 10 City Councilman Adam McGough is also retiring after four consecutive terms. Residents will have to choose among four others to replace McGaw. If candidates do not receive at least 50% of the votes in their races, they will take part in the second round of elections.

District 3:

August Doyle
August Doyle has lived in Dallas for over 50 years. Doyle had run for city council before, once in 1983 and again in 1985. In a social media post announcing his candidacy, Doyle said he has a background in city hall that gives him “a unique ability to know the issues our citizens face.”

Denise Benavidez
Denise Benavidez is a Hispanic quarterback in Dallas who ran in District 3 in 2019. She has lived in the area for almost seven years. In a Facebook post on her campaign page on Feb. 19, Benavidez said the county needs more Hispanic representation. “The Hispanic community has been ignored and not served in District 3 for years,” she wrote. “Our people need someone to fight for them on the city council, and I am ready to fight for the good of all people, especially people who are ignored and underestimated.”

Joe Tave
Joe Tave said he was asked to run for city council by the people of District 3. Tave is a retired teacher and radio talk show host. He has lived in the county for over 30 years and ran twice for the county, in 2015 and 2017, losing to Thomas both times. He said Observer that some residents of the area felt left out of some decisions. If elected, he said he would focus more on ensuring community participation in decisions that affect District 3 residents.

John David Sims
John David Sims did not respond to a request for comment. But in his District 3 City Council nomination application, Sims said he was an entrepreneur and that he had lived in the district for 13 years.

Zarin Gracie
Zarin Gracie is running for city council for the first time, but he has worked in Dallas over the years in a variety of positions. Starting in 2005 as the city’s debt manager, Gracie eventually became assistant director of the city’s economic development office. He is also a former member of the Dallas Community Services Corporation in District 3. He is currently an executive pastor at Concord Church. Public safety and justice are two areas Gracie plans to focus on in her candidacy. According to his campaign website, this means increasing funding for law enforcement and first responders, and ensuring access to affordable housing and city services for all Dallas residents.

However, two of the council members’ terms have expired, so these seats are for new blood.

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District 10:

Chris Carter
Chris Carter did not respond to a request for comment. He told local publication candysdirt.com that his family has been living in the area for 57 years. Carter graduated from Lake Highlands High School in 1981 and the University of Texas at Austin in 1985. He worked on Wall Street until 2010 when he became an international investment broker. He told candysdirt.com that he works on an anti-corruption platform in support of the police. If elected, he will advocate for the immediate dismissal of Dallas city manager TC Broadnax, as well as a 30% pay increase for police officers.

Brian Hasenbauer
Brian Hasenbauer lived in District 10 for 17 years. During this time, he has gained experience as a public defender and in City Hall. From 2018 to 2021, Hasenbauer was Commissioner for Community Development under the current board member. In 2018, he chaired the Economic Development and Housing Committee and previously served on the City’s Citizen Engagement and Rules Committee.

Hasenbauer is Vice President of Marketing at Astanza Laser, a company specializing in laser tattoo removal, laser hair removal and aesthetic laser technology. Hasenbauer told Observer he worked with McGough for many years in the district. “I was happy to always support him, and when the space became available, I wanted to help continue some of the things he was doing and make a few changes of my own,” he said. “I have a passion for helping the homeless and trying to make our neighborhoods more beautiful and safer.”

Katie Stewart
Katie Stewart, attorney, has lived in the 10th arrondissement for over 40 years. In 2014, she became Executive Director of the Lake Highlands Community Improvement District, a position she held until 2019. In 2018 and 2019, she was also Executive Director of the North Lake Highlands Community Improvement District. learned to serve the community,” Stewart wrote on her campaign website. “In particular, I learned to listen. Standing in school libraries, cafeterias, or parking lots, I learned how important it is to listen to what society has to say about our schools, families, and neighborhood.”

Sirrano Keith Baldeo
Sirrano Keith Baldeo ran for District 10 City Council against McGough in both 2019 and 2021. According to the data, each time he won less than 10% of the vote. Magazine Lawyer. He runs the Dallas Pulse News and Opinions online publication and frequently posts on social media about his desire to root out corruption in local politics. He said Observer he’s running for city council because he’s unhappy with McGough’s leadership in the district and doesn’t think any of the other candidates are capable of taking a seat in District 10. He has two priorities for the district: cutting taxes and improving public safety.

Residents must register by April 6 to participate in municipal elections.