DALLAS — Former Dallas City Council member Philip Kingston is running for Dallas County Commissioner’s Court.
Kingston filed paperwork this afternoon to run in the Democratic primary for District 2. The winner of the Democratic primary will challenge incumbent commissioner J.J. Koch.
"District 2 on commissioners court is not being governed properly," Kingston told WFAA on Thursday afternoon. "I’m a candidate with a track record of accomplishments, and moving things forward, and protecting our Democratic values rather than behaving like a child and suing the county."
In August, Commissioner Koch sued Dallas County over its face mask requirements after he was removed from a Commissioners Court meeting for refusing to wear one.
Koch's case is now before the Texas Supreme Court.
Kingston, a Dallas attorney, served three terms on Dallas City Council but lost his re-election bid in 2019 to David Blewett.
At City Hall, Kingston represented District 14 which includes most of Downtown and Uptown, plus parts of Lakewood and the M Streets.
Dallas County District 2 includes some of that area as well, but also stretches from Highland Park up to both northern corners of the county from Coppell to Rowlett.
“This tells you everything you need to know about the race on the Democratic side when a failed city councilman is the one generating the most buzz about his candidacy,” Koch told WFAA.
Kingston will first face Tom Ervin and Andrew Sommerman in the Democratic primary.
The filing deadline for candidates to run in 2022 is Monday, December 13.
