On May 1, 10 candidates will be on the ballot in Fort Worth, each hoping to replace retiring Mayor Betsy Price. With a field that includes two members of the Fort Worth City Council and several other notable individuals, it is certain that the race in the Metroplex will be one to watch this spring.

But who are the Fort Worth candidates and where do they stand financially? Here is a look at where the candidates stand today.

Fundraising By The Candidates in 2021

So far, the candidates running for mayor have been required to file just one campaign finance report detailing financial activities during the 2021 calendar year. This report, required to be filed 30 days before Election Day, covered campaign finance activities from the beginning of the year to the middle of March.

According to the City Secretary’s office, six of the 10 candidates who will be on the ballot also filed campaign finance reports by the 8th-day deadline, with five of the candidates reporting funds raised for their campaigns.

Here is a look at the Fort Worth candidates’ campaign finance activities ahead of the General Election:

Mayoral Candidates’ Campaign Finance, 1/1/2021- 4/23/2021

Candidate	Amount Raised	Amount Spent	Cash-on-Hand	Outstanding Loans
Brian Byrd	$323,996	$695,651	$598,868	$300,100
Mattie Parker	$1,033,304	$834,823	$862,632	$0
Steve Penate	$94,384	$108,056	$17,270	$0
Deborah Peoples	$286,180	$238,350	$89,817	$9,655
Ann Zadeh	$128,415	$194,288	$169,270	$0

Mattie Parker, an education nonprofit executive and former chief of staff to Mayor Price, is currently leading the field of candidate in terms of fundraising, bringing in $1,033,304 for her campaign. City Councilman Brian Byrd follows Parker at a distant second with $323,996 in funds raised, with Tarrant County Democratic Party chair and former AT&T executive Deborah Peoples rounding out the top three with $286,180 raised.

Looking at cash-on-hand, Parker and Byrd are also the top candidates with money in the bank. However, rounding out the top three in this race is City Councilwoman Ann Zadeh, who reported $169,270 in cash-on-hand.

What Does The Money Indicate?

The race for mayor appears to be competitive this year, at least in terms of funds raised. Four of the five candidates who have reported contributions since the beginning of the year have brought in over $94,000, with two candidates — Parker and Byrd — each raising over $200,000. With several prominent endorsements, including Mayor Price, the FWPD, and the FWFD, Parker’s campaign benefits from perhaps the greatest visibility and biggest cash influx.

Campaigns have also been reporting heavy spending in this year’s election, also alluding to the competitive nature of this year’s race, particularly between Parker, Byrd and Peoples. Byrd was the biggest spender as of the 30th Day reports, spending over $212,000, with Parker following close behind at just over $164,000 in expenses. In the final month, Parker surged to the top for expenditures, with $834,823 now spent compared to Byrd’s $695,651. Peoples is in third in this category as well, with $238,350 spent as of April 23. 

If financial metrics are an indicator of Election Day results, Parker is favored across every campaign finance category. But voter turnout is the only number that ultimately matters. It remains to be seen if the financials will correlate to vote count this Saturday.

Early voting is currently ongoing in Fort Worth and Election Day is May 1. Explore the campaign finance records for the Fort Worth Mayoral Race, along with eight City Council districts, here.