Meet the candidates operating for the Texas Legislature in 2026

Texas’ Republican-dominated state legislature is within the nationwide highlight this election cycle, and several other native races will once more be the main target of huge spending from teams attempting to form it.

Over the last biennial legislative session Texas lawmakers oversaw the creation of a faculty voucher program the state had lengthy resisted, reshaping the schooling panorama for the roughly 5.5 million kids served by Texas public colleges.

Lawmakers additionally green-lit President Donald Trump’s plan to redraw the state’s congressional maps outdoors of the Census cycle, one thing that would assist Republicans retain management of a U.S. Home that’s been pleasant to the White Home’s agenda since Trump returned to workplace.

“Texas issues,” stated Republican strategist Craig Murphy. “Take redistricting, as an example, you may see how essential it was, having management the state Home, when somebody needed to create higher districts for one occasion.”

Towards that backdrop, nationwide sources are already coming into Texas’ state legislative races for 2026. The Democratic Legislative marketing campaign committee has added Texas to its goal record for a $50 million finances throughout a number of states this election cycle.

But the alternatives for Democrats to take extra management on the legislature in 2026 are extraordinarily restricted — although Bexar County has among the best seats on that map.

Seats up for grabs

Each seat within the 150-member Texas Home, the place Republicans at present maintain an 88-62 majority, is up for reelection in 2026.

Texas Home District 118 on San Antonio’s South Facet is likely one of the state’s solely true swing districts, held by state Rep. John Lujan (R-San Antonio), who’s operating for Congress as an alternative of reelection this 12 months, and sure to be one of the crucial hard-fought races.

In the meantime Texas Home District 121 on the North Facet, represented by state Rep. Marc LaHood, is a a lot harder race for Democrats, however one they need to proceed to focus on in the event that they’re going to select up floor.

Earlier than the November election, each events nonetheless have to decide on their candidates for these races within the March 3 main.

This 12 months three longtime Democratic Texas Home members, state Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio), Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio) and Liz Campos (D-San Antonio), all drew main challengers who argue that their occasion must be doing extra to struggle again towards a Republican-led physique that retains marginalizing them from the legislative course of.

On the similar time two Republicans, state Reps. Mark Dorazio (R-San Antonio) and LaHood, who come from the occasion’s conservative wing, face GOP main challengers who need their occasion to return to its extra business-centric roots.

One Democrat, state Rep. Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio), is retiring this 12 months from a safely blue Westside district, the place a crowded discipline of candidates is now vying to exchange him.

Submitting for the primaries closed on Dec. 8, and these are the candidates that Republicans and Democrats will probably be selecting from on their respective main ballots.

The final election in November may additionally embody impartial candidates, who should accumulate signatures to get their names on the poll, and third-party candidates, who’re chosen by a unique nominating course of.

Candidates are listed within the order they may seem on the March main poll.

Home District 116

Longtime incumbent state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) is searching for a fifth consecutive time period and doesn’t face a main challenger this 12 months. Martinez Fischer was as soon as the chief of Home Democrats’ technique, however misplaced that function final session.

He drew one Republican opponent, Rhett Rosenquest Smith, who works in safety.

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 116

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 116

Rhett Rosenquest Smith works in safety.

Home District 117

State Rep. Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio) drew a main challenger this 12 months, lawyer Robert Mihara, after he was one of many solely Democrats who didn’t go away the state in an effort to interrupt quorum and deny Republicans the votes they wanted to approve new GOP-friendly congressional maps.

Republicans have one candidate, Ben Mostyn, who ran for the seat in 2024.

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 117

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 117

Home District 118

This Southside seat is taken into account the only best Texas Home districts. Incumbent Republican John Lujan (R-San Antonio) flipped it for his occasion, however is operating for Congress as an alternative of reelection.

His 2024 Democratic opponent, Kristian Carranza, is operating once more in 2026. Republicans are selecting from a handful of candidates operating to exchange Lujan.

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 118

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 118

Home District 119

Incumbent Democratic state Rep. Liz Campos (D-San Antonio) is operating for a fourth time period and faces a main problem from lawyer Ryan Ayala, a political newcomer.

One Republican, retired operational planner Melva Rivera Perez, is operating this 12 months.

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 119

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 119

Home District 120

State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio) is searching for a sixth time period in her East Facet district. She drew two Democratic main challengers this 12 months, Democratic activist Bentley Paiz and particular schooling trainer Jordan Brown.

The winner of the Democratic main will probably be unopposed in November — no Republicans filed to run.

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 120

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 120

None

Home District 121

Republican state Rep. Marc LaHood (R-San Antonio) faces a well-funded GOP main opponent, David McArthur.

The winner will face Democrat Zack Dunn, a prosecutor within the Bexar County DA’s workplace, within the common election.

An impartial candidate, Jonathan LaFevers, can be accumulating signatures to seem on the November poll.

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 121

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 121

Home District 122

Republican state Rep. Mark Dorazio (R-San Antonio), a pacesetter within the occasion’s conservative wing, gained the seat in 2022. This 12 months he faces a GOP main problem from safety firm proprietor Willie Ng, who served on the board of the Texas chamber of commerce.

The winner of the March main will face Democrat Shelly Nickels, a hospital medical director and political newcomer.

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 122

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 122

Home District 123

Democratic state Rep. Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) an lawyer and former San Antonio Metropolis Council member, gained the seat in a 2015 particular election.

Bernal is as soon as once more operating unopposed in each the Democratic main and common election in 2026.

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 123

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 123

None

Home District 124

Democratic state Rep. Josey Garcia (D-San Antonio), a U.S. Air Pressure veteran, is searching for a 3rd time period in her Southwest facet district and didn’t draw a main challenger.

She faces a rematch in November with Republican Sylvia Soto, a trainer who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2024.

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 124

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 124

Home District 125

Longtime Democratic state Rep. Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio) is retiring this 12 months, creating a gap in his reliably blue Westside seat. The Democratic main features a former constable, former Republican, SAISD union chief and Lopez’s chief of employees.

Two Republicans, Ricardo Martinez and Charles “Chuck” Mercer, are vying for his or her occasion’s nomination.

Democrats operating for Texas Home District 125

Republicans operating for Texas Home District 125

Texas Senate races

Republicans have an excellent greater benefit within the Texas Senate, the place they management 20 out of 31 seats. Roughly half of the members are up for reelection at a time, serving staggered four-year phrases.

This 12 months three out of 4 Bexar County state Senate seats are up for reelection, however solely two are contested, whereas state Sen. José Menéndez (D-San Antonio) didn’t draw a main or common election opponent.

Senate District 19

State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio), who was first elected in 2020 and ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2024, is unopposed within the Democratic main.

He’ll face the winner of a three-way Republican main in November.