In a closely watched Irving City Council election, voters dealt a blow to casino proponents by backing anti-casino candidates in two pivotal races while sending the hotly contested Place 2 race to a runoff.
Incumbent John Bloch and newcomer Adam Muller, both vocal opponents of a proposed casino rezoning effort, won their respective contests on Saturday.
In District 1, Bloch edged out Tony Grimes with 51.75% of the vote, according to results on the City of Irving’s website. District 2 saw David Pfaff leading a crowded field with 47.31%, setting up a runoff with Sergio Porres, who trailed closely at 45.11%. In District 7, Adam Muller narrowly defeated Priscilla Vigliante by just 49 votes, earning 51.19% to her 48.81%.
“Thank you to all the amazing supporters I had in this election,” Bloch told The Dallas Express after securing reelection.
“I particularly want to recognize all the support I received from the Families For Irving PAC and their supporters who recognized the work I’ve 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,” added Bloch.
“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,” Sergio Porres told The Dallas Express. “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.”
Porres concluded, “[After the results were announced on election night] Vicky Oduk endorsed me in the runoff, and we are grateful for her support and proud to bring her into our coalition. We expect our momentum to continue into the runoff and deepen our engagement on issues focusing on how the city council needs to address ongoing issues around home ownership, homelessness, the revitalization of South Irving, and making our streets safer.”
Muller defeated Vigliante, a candidate who received support from the pro-casino Lone Star Conservative Action Fund, a group linked to Las Vegas Sands, according to financial disclosures previously reported by The Dallas Express. Both candidates officially opposed casino gambling in Irving.
Bloch’s and Muller’s victories mark significant wins for opponents of casino expansion in Irving, an issue that has divided voters and drawn major outside spending into typically low-profile municipal races. Their wins also reinforce the current council majority’s opposition to the controversial casino project, which was formally withdrawn earlier this spring but has continued to dominate local political discourse.
Meanwhile, the battle between David Pfaff and Sergio Porres for the open Place 2 seat remains undecided. Neither candidate earned more than 50% of the vote, triggering a runoff.
The Place 2 race between Pfaff and Porres became the focal point of the election, drawing the most money and attention. In the final weeks, both candidates ran energetic campaigns, navigating shifting endorsements and increasing scrutiny over ties to casino interests.
Like Vigliante, Pfaff was backed by the Lone Star Conservative Action Fund. Financial filings revealed that Lone Star spent more than $93,000 on advertising and campaign materials supporting Pfaff, Vigliante, and Grimes.
Pfaff, however, publicly distanced himself from the group. “I don’t want their [Sands and Lone Star’s] support,” he said in a campaign video. “I can not be bought.”
Porres, who has actively highlighted his opposition to the proposed casino, responded to the outside influence by questioning the sincerity of casino proponents’ claims that the development was no longer under consideration.
“If the casino is a dead issue, why are all the pro-casino people coming out in support of Pfaff?” Porres previously said, citing The Dallas Express’ investigation linking Sands-affiliated PACs to support efforts for Pfaff and others.
The race also saw a flurry of endorsements and retractions from Irving’s sizable Muslim community. CAIR Action Texas initially endorsed Pfaff before quickly rescinding its support, while other Muslim civic groups shifted their endorsements to Porres. The newly formed Irving Muslims PAC backed Porres exclusively.