Phil Sorrells wins Republican runoff for Tarrant County district attorney

In the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney race, it was experience that beat out name recognition in the Republican runoff for November’s ticket.

Phil Sorrells defeated state Rep. Matt Krause in the runoff on Tuesday. Sorrells had 59.21% of the vote with all 152 vote centers reporting, according to unofficial early voting results.

In a tweet, Krause said he had called Sorrells to congratulate him and said he would do anything he could to help Sorrells win in November. Krause didn’t immediately return a phone call for comment late Tuesday.

Sorrells told the Star-Telegram he felt that he and Krause ran a positive campaign throughout the cycle, and said he felt great about the results.

Krause and Sorrells ran platforms focused on law enforcement support, secure borders and election integrity, and the two share similar views on prosecuting abortion providers and diverting low-level offenders. Where Krause argued he had the proven leadership experience as a House representative, Sorrells countered with his court experience. Krause is also a practicing attorney, but doesn’t have his own office.

Krause, who represents east and north Fort Worth as well as Arlington, has been the statewide leader in the push to remove books from school library shelves. He called for an investigation into nearly 850 titles in October that centered on topics like race and sexuality. If elected, he said he believes it is the district attorney’s office’s job to prosecute people responsible for criminal material in schools, a belief also shared by Sorrells. Krause originally announced a run for attorney general before switching to the district attorney race.

Sorrells served as a judge in the county’s 10th criminal court for 25 years, where he prosecuted misdemeanor cases.

Krause will face Democrat Tiffany Burks in November. She won her race with more than 60% of the vote in March’s primary.

Burks has worked most of her 25 year career in Tarrant County’s court system as an attorney and as the deputy chief of the district attorney’s criminal division.

Sorrells said the county has been “targeted” by the “radicalized progressive left” and that he couldn’t let up as November’s race approaches.

Burks told the Star-Telegram late Tuesday that the stage is now set and that her team’s strategy is in place. She said she looks forward to “spirited” debate to discuss issues facing the community and DA’s office, and for community members to learn about both her and Sorrells’ experience.

“We’re ready,” Burks said.