Frisco elects first new mayor in nine years

Frisco Mayor-elect Mark Hill said he wants to help reunite a city divided by months of debate over diversity, religion and immigration and return the focus to local priorities.

Hill, a lawyer and former Frisco ISD trustee, will take office July 7 after defeating retired construction business owner Rod Vilhauer on Saturday in the city’s first open mayoral race in nine years.

Hill won about 58% of the vote, prevailing in a race that drew unusually high turnout and attention far beyond Frisco, one of Texas’ fastest-growing cities.

Hill campaigned under the slogan “Unite Frisco,” while Vilhauer drew criticism for comparing South Asian immigrants to “rats” and describing Islam as a “terrorist group.”

In recent months, clips of residents speaking at City Hall in opposition to alleged H-1B visa fraud and the city’s growing South Asian population went viral. Activists also protested the construction of a mosque and two temples.

Hill spent much of the campaign arguing that Frisco’s diversity is a strength and calling for residents to come together despite their differences. As of Sunday afternoon, Vilhauer hadn’t made a public statement about the results.

Hill, at his election watch party Saturday, attributed the win to a coalition that stretched across the city.

“The secret to winning an election in Frisco is to go meet everyone,” he said.

He said his team succeeded by “having friends in different corners in the city” and reaching out to diverse groups, and he specifically thanked Hindu, Muslim, Hispanic and Asian communities for their support.

The crowd reflected that coalition. Backers included longtime civic leaders, former mayors and newer residents. Some wore cowboy hats. Others wore hijabs. Many wore “Unite Frisco” T-shirts. The crowd sang “Amazing Grace” before Hill delivered his victory speech.

The race attracted national attention, driven by changing diversity and demographics in the city. Many residents framed it as a referendum on racial integration and a test of anti-Islam messaging in political campaigns in Texas. 

Republican Sen. John Cornyn shared a national report on social media about the outcome, headlined “Voters Reject Anti-Islam Candidate in Mayoral Race in Dallas Suburb.” The post came after Cornyn questioned whether the Texas GOP could continue winning elections without appealing to a broader electorate.

In the campaign, Vilhauer apologized for his inflammatory comments about South Asian immigrants but continued warning about what he described as the spread of Shariah, or Islamic religious codes.

Hill, meanwhile, called his Indian neighbors an “integral part of the community” and said the city should focus on local issues rather than cultural and religious divisions.

Frisco’s population has grown roughly 40% since the last open mayoral race in 2017. The contest attracted more than $1 million in campaign spending over 15 months, an unusually large sum for a local election.

More than 33,000 voters cast ballots in the runoff, with turnout exceeding both recent municipal elections and the May 2 general election that narrowed the field to Hill and Vilhauer.

Hill’s victory also breaks with recent Frisco political history. He served on the Frisco ISD board and the city’s economic development corporation but never on the City Council. The city’s last five mayors all previously served on the council.

Outgoing Mayor Jeff Cheney, who is term-limited after nearly a decade in office, backed Hill. 

Frisco City Council member Burt Thakur, who endorsed Vilhauer, congratulated Hill and called for unity.

“This runoff was hard fought,” Thakur said in an online post. “I am looking forward to working with our council and our new Mayor to Unite Frisco.”