Burks wins rematch against Sorrells in race for Tarrant County DA

Editor’s note: This article was updated with unofficial early voting results at 12:50 a.m. Nov. 4.

Democrat Tiffany Burks defeated Republican incumbent Phil Sorrells in a rematch for the Tarrant County district attorney’s seat, unofficial results show.

As of midnight, Burks, the first Black person to hold the position, had garnered 380,936, or 56.12% of the vote, while Sorrells had received 297,808 (43.88%).

Sorrells defeated Burks in 2022 after receiving 53.2% of the vote to Burks’ 46.8%.

Sorrells served as judge of Tarrant County Criminal Court No. 10 for more than two decades and worked as an assistant criminal district attorney before his election as district attorney.

His campaign website states the DA’s office has strengthened partnerships with law enforcement, “focused on prosecuting violent offenders, organized criminal activity, human trafficking, drug trafficking, child exploitation, and other serious crimes.”

Sorrells also created new task forces and units, including the narcotics unit, the cold case task force and the election integrity task force.

Burks has worked nearly three decades as a criminal attorney, including years as a prosecutor in Tarrant and Fort Bend counties. She currently leads the criminal division at Fort Worth law firm Varghese Summersett.

Burks previously told KERA News her top priorities include restructuring the district attorney’s office to keep victims safe and work with police chiefs to discuss policy.

The district attorney is a four-year term and serves as the county’s top legal attorney and prosecutor, handling criminal cases from misdemeanors to felonies.

Nearly 572,000 Tarrant County residents voted early between Oct. 19 through Oct. 30.

Penelope Rivera is KERA’s Tarrant County Accountability Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at [email protected]. KERA’s Editor Juan Antonio Ramos contributed to this report.

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