BASTROP, Texas — Following the controversial resignation of former Bastrop Mayor Lyle Nelson, three residents are running to take his place.
Nelson resigned in January amid controversy, which resulted in him having some powers stripped. Now, three names will appear on the ballot to replace him in a special election on May 3.
As Willie DeLaRosa, Ward Northcutt, and Ishmael Harris work to win over voters, KVUE caught up with Harris, a lifelong Bastrop resident who most recently served as the director of Bastrop’s Planning and Zoning Commission.
Harris spent the last year and a half in that role before resigning to run for mayor. He said he’s been active in the community since his teens, coaching youth basketball, working at the Boys and Girls Club, and serving as vice president of the city’s Juneteenth committee.
Harris also ran for city council in 2019 before losing to incumbent Bill Peterson, but said he wants to keep helping Bastrop grow.
“I love Bastrop and I feel that I can be a great person that’s here to fight for us and get us in the right direction,” Harris said.
Harris’ campaign goal is to “bridge the gap,” and he says he’s concerned with helping people make better connections with local government, connecting older generations to new ones, and developing infrastructure in the city.
“Bastrop has a lot of infrastructure issues,” Harris said. “Obviously with the growth, we weren’t prepared for what happened down here. So yeah, we need to definitely look at our roads, look at how to alleviate traffic, and definitely upgrade our wastewater system.”
Harris told KVUE that he’s running for mayor because he hasn’t seen moves in local government that have been “so beneficial for the citizens or growth.” As mayor, Harris hopes to turn Bastrop’s potential for growth into reality.
“I’m running for the people of Bastrop,” Harris said. “I’m fifth generation. My family has played a part in different times in this community. Bastrop has my heart. I want to see the right thing done for Bastrop.”
KVUE also reached out to Ward Northcutt – a retired police lieutenant of 32 years – and Willie DeLaRosa – who served on Bastrop City Council for 27 years and as Mayor Pro Tem. Both declined to speak to us on camera.
However, DeLaRosa told KVUE that he plans to run on helping Bastrop keep up with its rapid growth. He added that he wants to focus on solving traffic issues, creating more recreational options for the youth, and fixing old streets within the city.
Whichever candidate wins the special election will serve a one-year term.
Early voting begins on April 22 with Election Day on May 3.