Josh Wallenstein
Josh Wallenstein (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 133. He is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Biography
Josh Wallenstein was born in Austin, Texas. He earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Methodist University in 1997, and a law degree from Stanford Law School in 2002. Wallenstein’s career experience includes working as a compliance and ethics attorney.[1]
As of 2024, Wallenstein was affiliated with the following organizations:
- Member, The New York Bar (20 years)
- Member, The District of Columbia Bar (17 years)
- Member, Emmanuel Episcopal Church (10 years)
- Member, The Texas Bar (8 years)
- Parliamentarian, West Houston Democrats (8 years)
- Member, Texas Freedom Network (8 years)
- Board Director, TRACE Foundation (6 years)
- Director, Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association (5 years)
- Member, Leadership Now (3 years)
- Fellow, Leadership Houston (1 year)
- Member, The U.S. Supreme Court Bar (1 year)[2]
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 133
Josh Wallenstein (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 133 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Josh Wallenstein | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 133
Incumbent Mano Deayala (R) is running in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 133 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Mano Deayala | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2024)
General election
General election for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large
Incumbent Richard Cantu defeated Danielle Dick in the general election for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Richard Cantu (D) | 52.5 | 766,273 |
| Danielle Dick (R) | 47.5 | 692,614 | ||
| Total votes: 1,458,887 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large
Incumbent Richard Cantu defeated Josh Wallenstein in the Democratic primary for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Cantu | 63.8 | 95,227 |
| Josh Wallenstein | 36.2 | 53,983 | |
| Total votes: 149,210 | |||
| = 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 Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large
Danielle Dick advanced from the Republican primary for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Danielle Dick | 100.0 | 141,307 | |
| Total votes: 141,307 | |||
| = 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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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Wallenstein in this election.
2020
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 138
Lacey Hull defeated Akilah Bacy in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 138 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lacey Hull (R) | 51.6 | 33,081 |
 | Akilah Bacy (D) | 48.4 | 30,982 | |
| Total votes: 64,063 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary runoff election
Democratic primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 138
Akilah Bacy defeated Jenifer Rene Pool in the Democratic primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 138 on July 14, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Akilah Bacy | 79.3 | 4,061 |
 | Jenifer Rene Pool | 20.7 | 1,063 | |
| Total votes: 5,124 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 138
Akilah Bacy and Jenifer Rene Pool advanced to a runoff. They defeated Josh Wallenstein in the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 138 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Akilah Bacy | 46.8 | 4,416 |
| ✔ | | Jenifer Rene Pool | 29.2 | 2,757 |
| Josh Wallenstein | 24.0 | 2,268 | |
| Total votes: 9,441 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 138
Lacey Hull defeated Josh Flynn and Claver Kamau-Imani in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 138 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lacey Hull | 59.3 | 5,437 |
 | Josh Flynn | 32.3 | 2,962 | |
| Claver Kamau-Imani | 8.4 | 767 | ||
| Total votes: 9,166 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Campaign finance
2018
General election
General election for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large
Richard Cantu defeated Marc Cowart in the general election for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Cantu (D) | 56.7 | 670,827 |
| Marc Cowart (R) | 43.3 | 512,094 | ||
| Total votes: 1,182,921 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary runoff election
Democratic primary runoff for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large
Richard Cantu defeated Josh Wallenstein in the Democratic primary runoff for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Cantu | 50.3 | 26,041 |
| Josh Wallenstein | 49.7 | 25,780 | |
| Total votes: 51,821 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large
Richard Cantu and Josh Wallenstein advanced to a runoff. They defeated Elvonte Patton in the Democratic primary for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Cantu | 39.0 | 53,792 |
| ✔ | | Josh Wallenstein | 30.8 | 42,425 |
 | Elvonte Patton | 30.2 | 41,630 | |
| Total votes: 137,847 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large
Marc Cowart advanced from the Republican primary for Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees Position 3, At-Large on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Marc Cowart | 100.0 | 110,287 | |
| Total votes: 110,287 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Josh Wallenstein has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Josh Wallenstein asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Josh Wallenstein, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?
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You can ask Josh Wallenstein to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing joshfortexas@victoryandservice.com.
2024
Josh Wallenstein completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wallenstein's responses.
| Collapse all
Unfortunately, our public schools are critically underfunded. The HCDE fills the gap between state funding and community needs: it provides crucial assistance to public schools, public school children, and adult learners, all while saving taxpayers money.
To maximize its positive impact, the HCDE needs quality leadership. I am the most qualified candidate in this race. An elected Trustee’s primary job is to comprehensively review contracts. As the only attorney in the race, and with decades of experience, I will do the job well, day one. Additionally, as a compliance attorney, I will design policies and systems to enforce transparency and fair dealing. I will also advocate to expand services to areas of greatest current need: (1) vocational training and certifications and (2) mental health resources.
The incumbent, after a six-year term, has done none of this. Instead, he used the seat to run for higher office (and lost). The HCDE must not be a consolation prize for a lost election; instead, our community deserves a candidate with a almost a decade of proven dedication to the institution and a serious commitment to its future.- Demonstrated Commitment: I am an anti-corruption attorney. Eight years ago, I and spent 18 months publicly protesting corruption and cronyism at the HCDE Board – we made good trouble and effected real, positive change! Now that schools and teachers are under attack, it is more important than ever that education-focused offices are not mere stepping stones to higher office; officeholders must instead demonstrate their dedication to serve the county for a full six-year term.
- Focus on Greatest Needs: I will expand the HCDE's vocational training programs (for adults) and its Head Start opportunities (for kids), as well as provide mental health resources (for students). I will also l increase funding for the Tools for Teachers program (which provides free school materials to teachers that otherwise have to pay out of their own pocket.)
- Tireless Advocacy and Transparency: I will fight to retain and improve the HCDE. Because the HCDE is partially funded by taxes, there is constant legislative pressure to eliminate it. Any suggestion of unfair dealing and conflicts of interests threaten its survival. To avoid even the perception of impropriety, I will institute a strong, department-wide conflict of interest policy and whistleblower hotline.
I am a strong proponent of public schools, particularly in counties like Harris where public schools cater to a significant proportion of at-risk students. The public interest is for all of our children to be well-educated and empowered to reach their full potential. This is a public trust, a moral obligation, and a Texas constitutional mandate.
Unfortunately, Texas consistently ranks at the bottom of US states for per-pupil education spending and hasn’t increased school funding since 2019. In Houston, I until recently served as District VI's representative to HISD's Capital Planning Steering Committee to try to focus attention on areas of greatest investment need.
The HCDE is, bar none, the best investment our residents can make. It multiples every tax dollar by almost 500% (through external grants and economies of scale). Simply put, it is the cheapest way to help our cash-strapped public schools and our most vulnerable public school children, as well as those in our community who want to earn a degree or learn a trade.
Despite the tragic early death of my father, I was given wonderful opportunities early in life. I am not the type of person to pull up the ladder behind me. Instead, I am willing to sacrifice to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to succeed that all adults are given the support they deserve.
More broadly, I learned about life. This local Texaco was a community treasure: for decades, elderly residents came to get "full service" from personnel who had been working there for decades. In fact, it seemed like every week we received fresh baked goods from a happy local customer.
I learned so many skills and values, among them: the value of a dollar (and the impact of taxes on a paycheck); the value of hard work and education; the importance of keeping your word; persistence until the puzzle was solved; the customer is always right; the value of a smile of kindness; and how invaluable it is simply to demonstrate a willingness to help.
I also learned how crucial it is in today's world to have a job...and adequate transportation to get to it.
My local Texaco became a second family and part of my identity. One summer, a girl from high school even engraved my tire pressure gauge for me. I was proud of who that station helped me become.
I will propose that the HCDE work with unions and other organizations to introduce adult learners to these opportunities. As an example of why: unions present opportunities for paid apprenticeships (with health care) so that folks can pay the bills while learning a trade.
• Dr. Diane Trautman (former County Clerk; former HCDE Trustee Position 3 At Large)
• Obes Nwabara (former candidate, HCDE Trustee Position 7, At Large)
• Marilyn Burgess (Harris County District Clerk)
• Brian Alcott Joe Cone – Candidate for US Congress (NJ-3)
• Holly María Flynn Villaseca (former HISD Trustee)
• Ryan C. Irving, Jr. (Candidate, CFISD, Pos 3, Pos 6)
• Kimberly Dang (President, Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association)
• Jeff Hilton (President, West Houston Democrats)
• Dr. Bill and Randy Race
• Alec Zorich
• Niko Zorich
• Lauren M. Strickland
• Ximena Magaña
• Ricardo Martinez
• Dr. Trisha Ruiz
• Dr. LaKeshia Barbee
• Leif and Elsie Hatlen
• Yasmeen Belal
• Chartenya Cleveland
• Catherine Flowers
• Craig Howard
• June Liu
• Hope Pamplin
• Russell Richard
• Priya Sharma
• Ken Smiley
• Quynh Tran
• Aby Whitmire
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.
2020
2019
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Josh Wallenstein participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on April 7, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Josh Wallenstein's responses follow below.[3]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | 1) Preventing the elimination of the Harris County Department of Education 2) Ensuring accountability and transparency |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | Public education is necessary public infrastructure. It’s also a constitutional mandate in Texas. We don’t do it well- and we do a tremendous disservice to our kids thereby. I will work hard to promote fiscally prudent solutions to our problems with public education.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[5]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Josh Wallenstein answered the following:
Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?
| “ | This government entity is the best use of our tax dollars that no one has ever heard about. It supports our public schools and public school children, and helps out adult learners, too- all in a very cost-efficient manner. Were it to be eliminated, our taxes would go up, necessary services would be eliminated...and our cash-strapped school districts would have even less money to provide their essential services. We must fight to keep it around![5] | ” |
| “ | Contracting expertise Compliance expertise Demonstrated commitment[5] | ” |
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
|
Candidate Texas House of Representatives District 133 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on December 3, 2019
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on January 15, 2024
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Josh Wallenstein's responses," April 7, 2018
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
