Regina Vanburg
Regina Vanburg (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 21st Congressional District. She is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Vanburg completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Regina Vanburg earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas, Austin in 2006, a graduate degree from St. Edward's University in 2011, and a Ph.D. from Our Lady of the Lake University in 2016. Her career experience includes working as a psychologist.
Elections
2026
See also: Texas' 21st Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.
General election for U.S. House Texas District 21
Dan McQueen is running in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 21 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Dan McQueen (Independent) | |
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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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 21
Kristin Hook, Gary Taylor, and Regina Vanburg are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 21 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Kristin Hook | |
 | Gary Taylor | |
 | Regina Vanburg | |
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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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Daniel Weber (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 21
The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 21 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Daniel Betts | |
 | Jason Cahill | |
 | Jacques DuBose | |
 | Ezekiel Enriquez | |
 | Weston Martinez | |
 | Paul Rojas | |
 | Kyle Sinclair (Unofficially withdrew) | |
 | Mark Teixeira | |
 | Heather Tessmer | |
 | Trey Trainor | |
 | Peggy Wardlaw | |
 | Mike Wheeler | |
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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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Denis Goulet (R)
- Jessica Karlsruher (R)
- Chip Roy (R)
- Matt Okerson (R)
Endorsements
Vanburg received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Regina Vanburg completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Vanburg's responses.
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I’m also the daughter of an immigrant and both of my parents are veterans who later continued their service in the federal government. In my family, service wasn’t optional — it was expected — and I carried that forward. I earned a double major in Government and History from UT Austin, an M.A. from St. Edward’s, and a Psy.D. from Our Lady of the Lake University. I am a VA-trained trauma psychologist. I served veterans at the Audie Murphy VA hospital and in the Kerrville outpatient clinic, and now I work at Lackland Air Force Base, supporting recruit well-being in Military City, USA.
Because I was raised, educated, trained, and continue to serve here, I know Texas 21 is really a nine-county neighborhood with shared values. We are the Texas Hill Country. We love our land, we know water is life, we show up for our neighbors, and we expect honesty from our leaders. The July 4th flood in Kerr County was a painful reminder of how connected we are — and how costly government inaction can be.
I’m not a career politician. I’m a public servant and a Hill Country daughter, running to make sure every voice in Texas 21 is heard in Washington.- "It’s we the people, not we the poor.” Working families are doing everything right and still falling behind. Wages stagnate while billionaires pay lower effective tax rates than teachers and nurses. I’ll close loopholes, make billionaires pay their fair share, co-sponsor Right to Repair and other pro-consumer protections, and champion measures that rein in corporate power. I’ll invest in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, so our economy works for all of us — not just 1% of us. We are not commodities to make tech bros richer — we are Texans, and Corporate America needs a reminder.
- "Our water, our homes, our power — not for sale." Big corporations and Big Tech are buying land, water rights, housing, and power — often in secret deals. Essentials aren’t profit centers. I’ll use federal muscle to back local watchdogs — river authorities, groundwater districts, housing advocates, and community leaders — so they have the resources to defend public assets. I’ll hold utilities accountable when they protect shareholders over ratepayers and make the use of NDAs to hide deals that harm public resources prosecutable.
- "Your vote is the power they fear — so vote like it." Everything we care about in this country depends on free and fair elections. Drawing unfair maps, restricting access to the polls, and coming after our vote all mean one thing: they are afraid of the power of the American electorate at the ballot box — the power of your vote. And they should be. When people don’t vote, corporations and extremists win every time. When people show up, we get a government controlled by the people — not the corporations. I’ll defend access to the ballot, end gerrymandering, stop mid-decade power grabs, and fight to repeal Citizens United.
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 website
Vanburg's campaign website stated the following:
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What I stand for Progressive principles. Practical solutions. People, not politics. Democracy That Works When they make it harder for people to vote, they are choosing who counts. I believe no one should fear their government. I believe in due process, in participation, and in a system that lifts people up instead of shutting them out. Because when democracy works, people thrive. When it doesn’t, only the powerful win. Why this matters: Democracy only works when government power is constrained, rights are consistently enforced, and no agency is allowed to operate beyond meaningful oversight. Voting Rights and Election Access I support bold federal action to guarantee access to the ballot and end partisan manipulation of elections. That includes independent redistricting, bans on mid-decade redistricting, and strong national standards for early voting, vote by mail, and voter registration. Voting access should never depend on your zip code, your work schedule, or which party controls the statehouse. Money Out of Politics and Repealing Citizens United I will do everything humanly possible to repeal Citizens United and overturn the idea that corporations have unlimited political speech. Until that decision is overturned, I support strict campaign finance limits, full transparency, and public financing of elections to reduce the influence of wealth and corporate power. Democracy should represent people, not donors. Digital Rights, Doxxing, and Artificial Intelligence People should not fear being harassed, stalked, or doxxed for doing their jobs or speaking out. I support making doxxing a federal crime and establishing strong national standards for data privacy and online safety. We also need federal guardrails on artificial intelligence, including limits on facial recognition, restrictions on biometric surveillance, and clear rules governing how personal data is collected and used. States should be free to enact stronger protections if their communities demand them. Due Process and Limits on Federal Power No one should fear their government. Democracy requires real checks and balances and meaningful limits on executive power. When any president circumvents Congress, they are circumventing the people. I oppose qualified immunity for presidents and federal law enforcement agencies. No one should be above the law. Immigration Reform as a Democratic Issue Immigration policy is not just about borders. It is about due process, equal protection under the law, and whether the government can deprive people of liberty without accountability. I support comprehensive immigration reform that repeals the three and ten year bars, broadens pathways to citizenship, expands opportunities to naturalize, keeps families together, and guarantees full due process in immigration proceedings. ICE Accountability and Democratic Norms An agency with the power to detain, deport, and use force must be held to the highest democratic standards. I support immediate congressional oversight, strict limits on funding through the appropriations process, an end to private detention contracts, and removal of qualified immunity for ICE agents. Long term, I will work to dismantle enforcement models like ICE that operate without transparency or accountability and replace them with systems rooted in due process and human rights. I also support local ordinances that allow communities and businesses to limit cooperation with ICE when civil rights are at stake. An Everyone Economy The purpose of your time here on earth is not to make someone else rich. If you work full-time, you should be able to pay your bills, go to the doctor, and enjoy time off with your family and friends. The economy does not just happen. It is built by policy. Right now, it is rigged and not in our favor. Why this matters: Economic freedom means you can say no to exploitation, get care when you need it, and build a life without constant fear of financial collapse. Raise Wages and Respect Work I support Rep. Al Green’s Raise the Wage Act to increase the federal minimum wage and make sure work pays. No one working full time should live in poverty. Taxing Wealth Instead of Work Working people should not shoulder the entire burden while extreme wealth and corporate power avoid accountability. I support closing loopholes, taxing wealth fairly, and ensuring corporations pay what they owe so public dollars go toward people, not just profits. Healthcare as a Public Good, Medicare for All I support a modern, phased-in Medicare for All system that guarantees comprehensive care without premiums or surprise bills. This approach lowers costs immediately, eliminates medical debt, and frees workers from job lock while building toward universal coverage. K-12, College for All, and Student Debt Relief Public education should be a public investment. I support tuition-free public college, strong funding for higher education, and major student debt relief so people can build lives, not just service loans.I oppose national voucher programs that drain public dollars from public schools to subsidize private interests. Labor Rights, the Gig Economy, and Job Mobility Working people deserve rights, dignity, and economic security no matter how they earn a living. I support strong labor standards, the right to organize, and collective bargaining for all workers, including those in the gig economy. Unions are essential to a healthy democracy and a fair economy, and I will always stand with labor. Portable benefits mean healthcare, retirement savings, and paid leave follow people from job to job instead of being controlled by a single employer. I will enforce labor laws, crack down on worker misclassification, and strengthen collective bargaining so working people have real power on the job. No Subsidies for Bad Actors Public money should not reward corporations that bust unions, pollute communities, or exploit workers. I oppose subsidies and tax breaks for bad actors and support accountability tied to public investment. Take Back Texas Texas is not broken. It is being sabotaged. Our grid failed and people died. Our prisons are run for profit. Powerful interests redraw our districts and strip Texans of their rights. It is time to remind government who it serves. Why this matters: Taking back Texas means safety, dignity, and real control over the basics of life, not corruption, neglect, and sabotage. Grid Failure and Infrastructure Accountability I will fight for federal oversight and investment so Texas families are never again left freezing or without power because of deregulation and neglect. We can modernize infrastructure using technologies like GIS and radar-based systems to detect leaks, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. Water, Land, Utilities, and Texas Resources In TX-21, water is the fight. I support protecting water rights, regulating irresponsible development, and ensuring Texas land, utilities, and natural resources serve Texans, not speculators. Data Centers, NDAs, and Public Assets Corporations like Meta, Amazon, and Google are building massive data centers while using non-disclosure agreements to avoid public scrutiny, bypass regulation, and shift infrastructure and utility costs onto local taxpayers. I will introduce and support legislation banning NDAs involving public assets, public utilities, or public funds. Texans deserve a seat at the table when their land, water, power, and tax base are on the line. Housing and Corporate Accountability I support caps on corporate homeownership to stop Wall Street firms from buying up housing stock, driving up prices, and hollowing out communities. Climate, Energy, and Land Stewardship I support an all-of-the-above energy strategy that creates jobs, diversifies our energy portfolio, strengthens reliability, and respects Texas communities. We can protect our land, grow our economy, and honor Texas because we love her. Local Control, Fair Representation, and Broadband Texans deserve fair maps, real local control, and representation that reflects communities, not national partisan strategy. I also support universal broadband so rural and small-town Texans are not locked out of education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. People Over Politics Government should exist to serve people, not to score political points or impose ideology on deeply personal decisions. Too often, politicians use fear, division, and control to distract from their own failures. I believe in putting people first. That means trusting individuals, respecting professional expertise, and refusing to let politicians insert themselves where they do not belong. When we center dignity, care, and common sense, policy works better for everyone. Reproductive Rights and Medical Discretion I am a healthcare provider, and I believe deeply that medical decisions belong between patients and their providers. There is no justification for the government to insert itself into exam rooms, treatment plans, or deeply personal healthcare choices. Reproductive healthcare is healthcare. That includes access to contraception, abortion, fertility care, and pregnancy-related services. Politicians are not doctors, and laws written for political gain put lives at risk. I will fight to protect reproductive freedom, medical privacy, and the professional discretion of healthcare providers so patients can receive evidence-based care without fear, delay, or political interference. Common-Sense Gun Policy and Responsible Ownership Texans believe in personal responsibility. Rights come with obligations, and government should focus on solutions that actually work. That means pursuing common-sense gun safety measures that are broadly supported by gun owners and non-gun owners alike and that respect constitutional rights while reducing preventable harm. Examples of common-sense reforms include background checks on all firearm purchases, keeping guns out of the hands of individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders, and allowing courts, with strong due process protections, to temporarily restrict access to firearms when there is clear evidence of an immediate danger. These measures do not punish responsible gun owners. They reflect the values most Texans already live by. Veterans and Federal Employees Federal employees, active-duty service members, and veterans are all servants of our nation. They invest their lives in keeping this country running and secure, and they are the backbone of our government and public institutions. They deserve respect, stability, and support, not to be used as pawns in political maneuvering. That is why I support advanced appropriations to protect veterans’ care from government shutdowns, expanded Veterans Affairs services and staffing, and fair treatment for the federal workforce. Public service is honorable work, and we should treat those who serve with the dignity they have earned. Housing First Housing is a human need. I support a Housing First approach that treats stable housing as the foundation for health, employment, and community safety. A Green New Deal Economy I support the Green New Deal as an economic and environmental framework that creates good-paying jobs, lowers energy costs, modernizes infrastructure, and confronts climate risk while strengthening domestic industry. Ending Prison Profiteering I oppose for-profit prisons and will work to end federal contracts that incentivize incarceration over rehabilitation and human dignity. Foreign Policy Israel and Gaza No nation has the right to commit human rights abuses. While Israel has the right to defend itself, I will not support United States funding or military assistance used to violate international or human rights law. The path forward requires ending collective punishment, allowing Palestinians to govern themselves, and holding violent extremists on all sides accountable. Ukraine and Russia I support Ukraine’s right to self-determination and policies that defend sovereignty, uphold international law, and deter authoritarian aggression, with strong oversight and accountability for United States involvement. Venezuela I oppose authoritarianism and corruption while rejecting blanket sanctions that harm civilians. United States policy should prioritize humanitarian relief, democratic participation, and regional stability. Greenland and Arctic Security Greenland is strategically important due to climate change, emerging shipping routes, and resource competition. I support diplomacy, indigenous sovereignty, environmental protection, and peaceful cooperation with our NATO allies in the Arctic rather than militarization for profit. |
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| —Regina Vanburg's campaign website (2026)[2] | ||
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
Footnotes
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Regina Vanburg's campaign website, “Policy,” accessed Feburary 13, 2026
