Irving Runoff to Shape Long-Term City Development Path

One of Irving’s three contested City Council races is heading to a runoff after Saturday’s election, while two others were settled by tight margins, according to unofficial results.

The elections unfolded in a city grappling with a proposed “destination resort” by Las Vegas Sands Corp., a project that has stirred strong opinions and helped shape the tone of the campaigns. 

Bloch and Muller’s Victories, a Boost for Anti-Casino Supporters

The development plan, which has sparked heated debate and large turnouts at City Hall earlier this year, became a central issue on the trail.

In District 1, incumbent John Bloch won a second term, narrowly defeating former school board trustee Tony Grimes with 52% of the vote.

“Thank you to all the amazing supporters I had in this election,” Bloch said in an interview for The Dallas Express.

Bloch emphasized the support he received from the Families For Irving PAC as well as their supporters who recognized the work he has done “to make Irving the best place in the country to raise a family.”

“When we prioritize the next generation of people who will love Irving, we all win,” he added.

Bloch and Muller’s wins represent a big boost for those pushing back against casino development in Irving while helping maintain the council’s similar stance.

Pfaff and Porres, Headed for June Runoff

District 2, an at-large seat, had four candidates on the ballot, even though Mark Zeske had announced he was stepping back from the race after the deadline to withdraw formally. 

With no candidate receiving a majority, the top two vote-getters, David Pfaff (47%) and Sergio Porres (45%), are headed for a June 7 runoff.

“The story of [the election was] that our messaging broke through to the voters after early voting, and we are excited going into the runoff,” Porres’ statement for The Dallas Express said. 

“We spent the second week of [early voting] building bridges with the Muslim community that had not shown up to vote yet. Besides being concerned about the looming casino issue, members of that community continue to be engaged over First Amendment issues about speech and religious freedom.”, he further explained. 

District 7’s race saw Adam Muller edge out Priscilla Vigliante with a slim 51%-49% win. The seat had been vacated due to term limits for outgoing council member Kyle Taylor.

Campaign messaging and spending played a significant role, with an outside group, the Lone Star Conservative Action Fund, spending over $93,000 to support three candidates. 

In contrast, Families for Irving, the local PAC aligned with nearly half the current council, spent just over $1,600 in the same period, with around $15,500 still in reserve.

Gambling Could Be Brought Back 

The Sands resort proposal remained a defining issue for many voters. The company initially included gambling in its plans for the former Texas Stadium site, but later pulled that portion after fierce opposition. 

Critics worry that a shift in council seats could revive the original version.

“We’ll accept whatever happens, but we certainly hope it goes one way,” said Annie Draughon, who, along with her husband Clayton, helped circulate a petition against the resort that gathered over 6,000 signatures.

Jay Tripp said his ballot was influenced not just by the resort, but also by opposition to Families for Irving’s broader agenda.

“I don’t need an organization to tell me what’s important,” he said.

The runoff results could shape Irving’s development path for years to come.