Former Keller mayor and attorney Armin Mizani announced his candidacy for the open Texas House District 98 seat, setting up a November 3 showdown with Democrat Cate Brennan, a retired nonprofit health‑care executive. The race follows Rep. Giovanni Capriglione’s decision not to seek re‑election after 13 years of service.
Candidate backgrounds
Mizani, who served on the Keller City Council before becoming mayor, won the Republican primary in March against Fred Tate and Zdenka “Zee” Wilcox. He highlighted his record of delivering historic tax relief, preserving the maximum 20 % homestead exemption, and overseeing major road, park and infrastructure projects that helped Keller experience record economic growth. In an email to the Fort Worth Report, Mizani said, “Those results and proven experience are what I will bring to the Texas House.”
Brennan secured the Democratic nomination over Aaron Hendley. She spent three decades as a senior executive for a nonprofit health‑care association and later served as CEO of two organizations. Brennan also held the position of Tarrant County precinct chair #2704 from 2023 to 2024. She told the Report she entered the race because she could not stand “private school vouchers undermining our public schools” and felt the “ultra‑conservative legislature and governor in Austin” do not represent most residents of HD 98.
Top priorities
Mizani listed three priorities: securing property‑tax relief, fully funding public schools, and combating illegal immigration while strengthening border security. He emphasized the need to rein in property taxes over the next five to ten years by controlling government spending, using surplus revenues responsibly, and reforming what he called an “antiquated” school finance system.
Brennan’s platform focuses on fully funding public schools, addressing affordability, and expanding Medicaid while curbing health‑care costs. She pledged to repeal the school‑voucher program, limit public funding for charter schools, return curriculum control to teachers and local ISDs, and create a separate fund to track how property taxes are redistributed under recapture rules. Brennan also called for greater budget transparency.
Immigration and constitutional issues
Mizani framed immigration as a border‑security and public‑safety issue. He noted that Keller voted unanimously to join ICE’s 287(g) program, which provides federal immigration‑enforcement resources to local police. He also highlighted a Keller resolution rejecting “parallel legal systems,” originally drafted to oppose sharia law, asserting that U.S. and Texas constitutions must remain the sole sources of legal authority.
Brennan described herself as a supporter of law and order and the deportation of criminals with due process, but criticized the 287(g) program for “instilling fear in the community.” She dismissed the anti‑sharia resolution as a “disappointing political stunt” and called the issue a “conservative‑driven culture war” that threatens First Amendment rights.
Campaign finances
According to campaign‑finance filings from Feb. 22 to June 30, Mizani raised $161,080, reported $185,422 cash on hand, and spent $218,977. Brennan raised $10,527, had $7,388 on hand and spent $6,960 during the same period.
Election logistics
Early voting for the November 3 election runs Oct. 19‑30. Voters can check registration status and find polling locations via the Texas Secretary of State website or the Fort Worth Report’s voter guide.
The District 98 seat covers the northeast corner of Tarrant County, including Keller, Grapevine, Euless and Colleyville. Both candidates say they will represent the community’s family values, economic interests and constitutional freedoms in the state legislature.
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
