Jeff Chavez
Jeff Chavez (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 8. Chavez declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on March 3, 2026.[source]
Chavez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Jeff Chavez earned a high school diploma from Palestine High School and a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2013. Chavez's career experience includes working in journalism and as a public school teacher.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 8
Jeff Chavez (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 8 on March 3, 2026.
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 | Jeff Chavez  | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 8
Incumbent Cody Harris (R) and Daniel Hunt (R) are running in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 8 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Cody Harris | |
| Daniel Hunt | ||
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| = 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. | ||||
Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jeff Chavez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Chavez's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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As a Democrat, I stand in the tradition of great leaders like FDR, JFK, and MLK. I am taking a stand against the current political climate because I believe I am part of that dream and belief—a belief that America's promise must extend to all of us. My family has been rooted in Texas since before statehood and in East Texas since the mid-60s. My heritage is defined by service: I am the son of a Vietnam Veteran, a USAF Captain, and the grandson of a WWII Merchant Marine, giving me a profound appreciation for duty. I come to this race with real-world experience, not just political talking points. After earning my Bachelor of Arts degree from UT Dallas, I worked as an East Texas news reporter. That experience showed me the heartbreaking truth: it’s simply unfair how the poor and marginalized struggle compared to the well-connected and wealthy. I then spent three years as a public educator in our schools and saw firsthand how the voucher program is hurting public schools by diverting vital funding.
I want to be the voice against all discrimination—against race, sex, gender, the poor, and the marginalized. We have to fight together, ALL of us, to secure true economic equality and civil rights for every person in District 8. A better life isn't a privilege—it's the standard we must demand.- Education—The Foundation of Our Future
In District 8, that battle begins and ends in our classrooms.
I didn’t learn about school vouchers from a political pamphlet; I learned about them while standing in an East Texas classroom. As a public educator for three years, I felt the "voucher scam" not as a theoretical debate, but as a direct assault on the resources our children need to thrive. This false "school choice" must be reversed. - A Standard of Equality for All -I am running to be a voice against all forms of discrimination—against race, sex, gender, the poor, and the marginalized. This is not just a political stance for me; it is a moral mandate. I stand firmly in the tradition of great leaders like FDR, JFK, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who believed that a society is judged by how it treats those in the shadows. I am taking a stand against the current political climate because I believe I am part of that dream and belief—a belief that America's promise must extend to all of us, not just the privileged few. I want to build the Democratic Party and restore balance to Texas.
- The Fight for Equality in District 8 Every family in East Texas deserves a fair shot. For too long, state government has favored the wealthy and well-connected while rural communities like ours are left behind. My commitment to public service is rooted in the fight for equality—economic, educational, and social—because dignity should be a birthright for every resident of District 8. A Voice for Civil Rights and Justice Equality begins with protecting our fundamental freedoms. No Texan should ever be treated as a second-class citizen because of race, gender, income, or veteran status.
Stop the Drain: I will fight the permits that let these big companies take our water for their profit.
Listen to Local Experts: I will bring together and listen to our local landowners, farmers, and independent water scientists, and work on a plan.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on December 30, 2025
