Joe Shellhart
Joe Shellhart (Republican Party) is running for election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 118. He is on the ballot in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Shellhart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Joe Shellhart served in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2012. He earned a graduate degree from the University of the Incarnate Word in 2019. His career experience includes working in business.[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 118
Kristian Carranza (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 118 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Kristian Carranza | |
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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. | ||||
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Republican primary
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 118
Jorge Borrego (R), Desi Martinez (R), and Joe Shellhart (R) are running in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 118 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Jorge Borrego | |
 | Desi Martinez | |
 | Joe Shellhart | |
| ||||
| = 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
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joe Shellhart completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Shellhart's responses.
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I didn’t grow up with much. My childhood was unstable, and I learned early what it felt like to be overlooked. But I also learned that any obstacle can be overcome with hard work and responsibility. Those lessons shaped my life, from my military service to raising my family here in San Antonio. San Antonio is home. I’ve worked here as a small business owner, served our students as a substitute teacher, and spent years helping veterans navigate their toughest moments. I know this district because I live in it. I’m not running for a career move; I’m running because I care about this community. Austin has forgotten who it’s supposed to serve. While state leadership focuses on political wins, families in HD 118 struggle with high costs, aging infrastructure, and schools stretched too thin. The job of a representative is simple: listen, serve, and fight for the people back home. Every decision should start with one question: How does this help the families of HD 118?
I believe in community. I’ve spent my life stepping up where needed, in uniform, in classrooms, and as a volunteer. You deserve a representative who is honest, grounded, and approachable. I will never forget where I came from. This campaign isn’t about politics; it’s about people. I’m ready to serve.- Strengthening Public Education & Empowering Parents: I will fight to ensure more of our tax dollars reach the classroom and the teachers who are shaping our children's futures. I want to limit administrative bloat, increase teacher pay, and ensure parents have a respected, transparent seat at the table in their child’s education.
- Supporting Working Families & Affordability: I will work to lower the burden on families and small businesses by cutting unnecessary red tape and addressing the rising cost of living. My goal is to make sure San Antonio remains a place where you can afford to live, work, and grow a business.
- Ensuring Safer Streets & Stronger Communities: I will prioritize public safety by supporting our law enforcement and investing in community-based solutions that address the root causes of crime. Every family in our district deserves to feel safe in their own neighborhood.
At the end of the day, I am passionate about Common-Sense Fiscal Responsibility. Whether it’s the state budget or a family’s grocery bill, the math has to work. I want to ensure Texas remains a place where small businesses can grow, and families can keep more of what they earn.
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 January 27, 2026
