Rick Stopfer

Rick Stopfer

Nonpartisan

Mayor of Irving

Tenure

2017 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

8

Prior offices

Irving City Council At-large

---

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

May 6, 2023

Personal

Profession

Business owner

Contact

Official website

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Rick Stopfer is the Mayor of Irving in Texas. He assumed office on June 8, 2017. His current term ends in 2026.

Stopfer won re-election for Mayor of Irving in Texas outright after the general election on May 6, 2023, was canceled.

Stopfer was previously an at-large member of the Irving City Council. He served terms as mayor pro tem and deputy pro tem during his tenure on the city council.

Although municipal elections in Irving are officially nonpartisan, Stopfer has been identified by political blogs PoliticalDog101 and RRH Elections as a member of the Republican Party.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Stopfer's professional experience includes working, with ownership interests, for a car dealership. In addition to his service on the city council, he has served as president of the board of the Valley Ranch Association and a member of the Irving Planning & Zoning Commission, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board, the Regional Transit Council. Transportation Excellence for the 21st Century, the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition, and the Irving Flood Control District Board.

Elections

2023

See also: Mayoral election in Irving, Texas (2023)

General election

The general election was canceled. Rick Stopfer (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

2020

See also: Mayoral election in Irving, Texas (2020)

General election

General election for Mayor of Irving

Incumbent Rick Stopfer defeated Olivia Novelo Abreu in the general election for Mayor of Irving on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rick Stopfer (Nonpartisan)	53.9	35,532
	Submit photo	Olivia Novelo Abreu (Nonpartisan)	46.1	30,424

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 65,956
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2017

See also: Municipal elections in Irving, Texas (2017)

The city of Irving, Texas, held an election for mayor and city council on May 6, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was February 17, 2017.

Mayor Beth Van Duyne opted not to run for re-election in 2017. The city council seats for Places 3 and 5 were up for election. Rick Stopfer defeated Kristi Weaver Pena, Elvia Espino, and J.C. Gonzalez in the general election for mayor of Irving.

Mayor of Irving, General Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Rick Stopfer	67.48%	6,795
Kristi Weaver Pena	19.70%	1,984
Elvia Espino	8.98%	904
J.C. Gonzalez	3.83%	386
Total Votes		10,069
Source: Dallas County Elections, "2017 Joint Election," accessed June 9, 2017

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Rick Stopfer did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Rick Stopfer did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2017

Stopfer's campaign website listed the following priorities:

“ Keeping Irving Moving (and Flowing) One of the top challenges for Irving is the condition of our roadways and water and sewer lines. We are underway on the reconstruction of SH 183, SH 114 and Loop 12 – projects that were on the drawing board for more than 20 years. It is time now to focus on our neighborhood streets and arterials. The City’s 'Road to the Future,' is a step in the right direction, along with issuing additional bonds to support road rehabilitation and reconstruction. As for our older water and sewer lines, it’s critical that we keep issuing water bonds, and coordinate replacement with road rehabilitation, so we don't tear up the roads twice. Capitalizing on Opportunities for Smart Growth We have made significant progress with the completion of Water Street and the Irving Music Factory around the corner. We are bringing online new dining, entertainment, lodging, office, retail and housing options that will capture the interest of tourists and business travelers from across the country and around the globe, while providing world-class amenities for our residents and businesses. Our corporate sector continues to grow, which is essential as our business community accounts for 73 percent of our tax revenues. The Verizon transit-oriented development and development of the former Texas Stadium site are two unparalleled opportunities for our great city to further develop its brand as a destination city. We need to turn our attention to redevelopment opportunities and beautification projects in South Irving. Housing starts are underway, and new businesses are moving to the Heritage District, but we need to continue with initiatives that will enhance the Irving Blvd. corridor and clean up blight that hurts property values and quality of life for residents. Ensuring the Safety of our Neighborhoods and Businesses Irving has invested heavily in police and fire, with the addition of new police beats and the construction of a new fire station. What I hear most from residents and businesses that I’ve met with, is that they are frustrated with the code enforcement process that does not protect their places of business or their homes. Engaging All Residents and Businesses in Dialogue Every resident and business – north, south, east and west – has great value to our city, but many feel left out of the loop, their voices not heard. As Mayor, I want our city to greatly improve its two-way communication with neighborhoods and businesses large and small. I will commit to visiting with different neighborhoods each month, to better understand their unique concerns. I will meet regularly with small business owners, so many of whom represent the 'heart' of Irving, and I will continue outreach with CEOs of our corporate community to get them more engaged and invested in our community, in our non-profit organizations, in education. I will champion reinvesting in ICTN to bring it back to its former state as a leader in reporting on community issues, special events and residents and businesses of note. A stronger focus on digital communications, including social media, is needed to keep pace with our increasingly global, tech-oriented community. Doing What's Right for Irving I pledge to conduct city business in the most fiscally responsible and transparent manner possible. No cloak and dagger routine – just honesty, integrity and accountability. I pledge to make decisions that are right for Irving: We are a complex, diverse city of 230,000+ residents that has opportunities we can capitalize on and challenges we can overcome if we work collaboratively towards what is best for all of Irving. ”

See also

2023 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Officeholder

Mayor of Irving

Website

Personal

Facebook

LinkedIn

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	Mayor of Irving 2017-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Irving City Council At-large 1998-2012	Succeeded by -