George Vachris
George Vachris (Republican Party) ran for election to the Texas State Board of Education to represent District 8. He lost in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.
Biography
George Vachris earned a bachelor's degree in history from Stony Brook University, bachelor's degrees in chemical engineering and mechanical engineering from the University of New Haven, and a graduate degree in fire protection engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His career experience includes working as an engineer, teacher, machinist, teamster, environmental compliance technician, and laboratory assistant.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Texas State Board of Education election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Texas State Board of Education District 8
Incumbent Audrey Young (R) and Dana Van De Walker (D) are running in the general election for Texas State Board of Education District 8 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Audrey Young (R) | |
 | Dana Van De Walker (D)  | |
| ||||
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Democratic primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary for Texas State Board of Education District 8
Dana Van De Walker (D) defeated Shahzeb Meghani (D) in the Democratic primary for Texas State Board of Education District 8 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dana Van De Walker | 70.8 | 72,868 |
| Shahzeb Meghani | 29.2 | 30,084 | ||
| Total votes: 102,952 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Republican primary for Texas State Board of Education District 8
Incumbent Audrey Young (R) defeated George Vachris (R) in the Republican primary for Texas State Board of Education District 8 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Audrey Young | 69.7 | 72,510 |
 | George Vachris | 30.3 | 31,525 | |
| Total votes: 104,035 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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2022
See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Texas State Senate District 15
Incumbent John Whitmire defeated George Vachris in the general election for Texas State Senate District 15 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John Whitmire (D) | 65.3 | 159,125 |
| George Vachris (R) | 34.7 | 84,437 | |
| Total votes: 243,562 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 15
Incumbent John Whitmire defeated Molly Cook in the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Whitmire | 58.4 | 26,286 |
 | Molly Cook | 41.6 | 18,695 | |
| Total votes: 44,981 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15
George Vachris advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 15 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | George Vachris | 100.0 | 23,261 |
| Total votes: 23,261 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
George Vachris did not complete Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Vachris' campaign website stated the following:
Upholding the Republican Education Platform
George Vachris is committed to ensuring that the Republican Party Platform on Education is implemented to the fullest extent allowed by the State Board of Education. Where the SBOE’s authority is limited by statute, he will work to persuade the Texas Legislature to enact the necessary laws so that the platform’s principles can be fully carried out. His focus is on restoring clarity, accountability, and excellence in Texas public education.
Stronger TEKS & Academic Mastery
Vachris believes that Texas students deserve clear, specific, and rigorous academic standards. He supports strengthening the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) by adding greater specificity to each course so students achieve mastery of essential facts and skills. In STEM education, science should be taught as an experimental, evidence-based process, while mathematics instruction at the primary level should emphasize memorization of calculation facts and methods. Career and Technical Education (C.A.T.E.) courses should prepare students for direct entry into the workforce or further training through military, technical, or community college pathways.
Civic Knowledge & Patriotic Education
A strong society depends on an informed citizenry. Vachris supports expanding social studies curricula to include memorization of essential civic facts, additional founding documents, and a clear understanding of how local, state, and federal governments function. Instruction should reflect a patriotic understanding of America’s constitutional republic, contrasting it with totalitarian, centrally planned, socialist, and communist systems as required by law. The curriculum should also acknowledge the unique religious and historical foundations of the United States and Texas as promoters of liberty. Personal Financial Literacy should be a required course for every Texas student.
Classic Literature, Grammar, & Logic
Vachris supports restoring classic American and Western literature to English curricula, giving students historical perspective beyond the immediacy of the digital age. He believes grammar should be taught at the earliest possible grade levels, with increasing emphasis on writing, composition, rhetoric, and logical reasoning in later grades. Students should graduate with a solid understanding of logic and common logical fallacies, equipping them to think critically and communicate effectively.
Parental Rights & Curriculum Transparency
Parents must have the greatest possible opportunity to participate in their children’s education. Vachris supports full transparency in instructional materials and the SBOE’s authority to examine all educational content, including materials used in dual-credit, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. SBOE members should have unrestricted access to all instructional materials and retain the authority to challenge and remove materials containing factual errors or content prohibited by law. Texas public schools must reflect biological reality — there are only two biological sexes, male and female, and materials claiming otherwise are unacceptable.
Teacher Preparation & Certification
Strong standards require well-prepared educators. Vachris supports ensuring that teacher training and certification requirements are fully aligned with the courses being taught. Teachers should be properly equipped with both subject-matter expertise and instructional readiness to meet Texas’s academic expectations.
Protecting the Permanent School Fund
Vachris is committed to responsible oversight of the Texas Permanent School Fund. Investment objectives and policies should prioritize safe, long-term returns, minimize risk to principal, and account for inflation so the fund continues to grow in real value. Proper stewardship of the fund helps stabilize school finance and reduces interest burdens on bonded debt incurred by local school districts.
Expand Education Choice
Instructional materials must accurately reflect Texas standards. Vachris supports ensuring that Standards Alignment Breakout Documents (SABD) are fully coordinated with the TEKS and that publishers clearly understand both before submitting materials for approval. Textbooks and instructional materials should teach the TEKS as written, contain minimal omissions or errors, and comply fully with Texas law.
— George Vachris' campaign website (January 20, 2026)
2022
George Vachris did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate Texas State Board of Education District 8 |
Footnotes
