Local leaders gathered in DeSoto to discuss issues facing their communities, such as crime, economics, and immigration.
The Dallas County Republican Party hosted Sholdon Daniels, Everett Jackson, Wil Adams, and Payton Jackson for a town hall at the DeSoto Recreation Center on the evening of June 24. Party Chairman Lt. Col. Allen West was supposed to attend, but was not present.
Daniels Takes Aim at Crockett
Daniels, a Republican Army veteran running to unseat U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in 2026, told The Dallas Express he believes Crockett is a “failure at the job” and that America has “egg on its face” whenever she steps in front of a camera.
“She’s an influencer pretending to be a congresswoman, so the people lose,” Daniels said. “In 2025, the American people deserve good government.”
Crockett represents Texas’ 30th Congressional District, which runs from Dallas Love Field through downtown and across South Dallas. As The Dallas Express previously reported, she made headlines for attacking Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who uses a wheelchair, as “Governor Hot Wheels.”
Many young Americans “bust their butt” working two to three jobs but still struggle to get ahead, according to Daniels. “As opposed to trying to bring some solutions, and actually represent those people — the backbone of our country — she spends all her time trying to undermine whatever progress that we are making,” he said.
If elected, Daniels said he plans to support small businesses and families.
“I want to walk the walk of being a family man, someone that loves the country, someone that’s willing to sit down with the other side and try to find common ground, versus just lobbing insults,” Daniels said. “I think it’s time for the government to work with the American people.”
Candidates Tackle Local Concerns
Daniels, Everett Jackson, Adams, and Payton Jackson participated in a panel discussion and took turns answering questions about pressing issues facing southern Dallas County.
According to Daniels, some of the area’s main issues are public safety, public schools, government trust, and economics.
He cited recent theft from the DeSoto Police Department’s evidence locker, which led to charges against a clerk, as The Dallas Express reported. Daniels also endorsed school choice, saying money should follow students, not a “building.”
“I’m not a politician,” Daniels said. “I don’t have the millions, but I’ve got the people, we have the message, we have the values, and I’ve got God,” he said.
Everett Jackson Enters House Race
During the event, Everett Jackson announced his campaign for state representative in District 109, an office currently held by Democrat Aicha Davis.
“One of the things we were talking about during the town hall was about changing what is going on in the southern corridor of the Dallas County area, and I believe I have more productive and practical ideas than my opponent,” Jackson told The Dallas Express.
Jackson previously won the general election for DeSoto City Council in May, but lost in a runoff. As WFAA reported, there was confusion about Jackson’s eligibility due to a past criminal record, with conflicting messages from city officials.
Public Safety, Education, and Police Response
Jackson said safety and economics are the area’s main issues. He pointed to an incident earlier this year, where police arrested a former DeSoto substitute teacher for an “improper relationship” with a student and “sexual assault of a child.”
“We have a situation going on right here, right now in the city of DeSoto, of children being sexually assaulted and action not being taken,” Jackson said.
He added that South Dallas is “policed completely different” than North Dallas, citing longer police response times in “minority-based” communities compared to “our white counterpart communities.”
On average, Dallas police response times for “priority 1” emergencies are more than 11 minutes, as The Dallas Express previously reported. For “priority 2” calls, the response time is more than an hour and a half. For “priority 3,” it is nearly four and a half hours. For “priority 4,” it is more than five hours.
“They just simply believe we are more tolerant of crime. We have to combat this,” Jackson said. “It all starts with us opening up the dialog and conversation, that titles do not make us. Democrat, liberal, conservative, Republican – that does not make us. What you believe, your principles, should determine who you are.”
Adams Calls for Community Restoration
Adams, who ran and lost in the general election for DeSoto City Council in May, said that when he grew up, “the community did something different.”
“There’s a sense that we’ve walked away from community,” Adams said at the event. “Opportunity was something that you earned. It was something that was bracketed between family, church, and the community that you lived in. And it seems as though those things have changed.”
He also said community officials failed in areas like safety and infrastructure, and that officials should hire more police officers to improve response times.
Dallas voters passed Proposition U in November, requiring the city to maintain at least 4,000 officers on the force, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. The department has continued to fall short of those numbers.
Payton Jackson on Homelessness and Immigration
Payton Jackson, who ran and lost against Fort Worth City Councilman Chris Nettles in May, said the area’s top issues are homelessness and immigration.
“Sometimes you are more tolerant to crime, because anybody that shares my skin color — they’re siding with the other side when it comes to this border crisis,” she said. “We are naive if we think that it does not have an effect on Black jobs. Not only Black jobs, but Black education, Black neighborhoods. These people breaking into the country — they’re not going into gated communities.”
Criticism of Legacy Media
The speakers also criticized bias in legacy media outlets and urged the public to think independently.
Everett Jackson said he thinks Dallas-area media engaged in “voter suppression” by reporting mixed messages from officials during his bid for city council.
“When you’re dealing with the media, they stand between you and the truth,” he said. “Do your due diligence and research the topic or the issue. I have a simple phrase for it— I call it ‘confirm your concern.’”
Payton Jackson said people must use “independent thinking” when reading the news, or they will “be a victim.” “The only way around fake news is due diligence,” she said. “Nobody can play on your ignorance if you’re not ignorant.”
Daniels called the legacy media a “failure.”
“We don’t know where these narratives come from, but it’s not real news. It’s designed to keep you deaf, dumb, and blind,” he said. “We are the media now.”
Allen West: Restoring the Black Family
West, who appeared by video, said he grew up in a neighborhood where Black professionals inspired him to achieve.
“When we look at our inner city neighborhoods and communities today, what do we see? We don’t see the successful, traditional, nuclear, Black family like we once saw,” West said. “How do we restore those things? How do we make sure that we’re protecting our children? How do we make sure that we have law and order, and safe and secure neighborhoods? That is the whole purpose of you being here tonight.”