Ruben Rios
Ruben Rios (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 16th Congressional District. Rios lost in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.
Biography
Ruben Rios' career experience includes working as a teacher.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Texas' 16th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on May 26, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for U.S. House Texas District 16
Incumbent Veronica Escobar (D) is running in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 16 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Veronica Escobar (D) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary runoff
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 16
Manuel Barraza (R) and Adam Bauman (R) are running in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 16 on May 26, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Manuel Barraza | ||
 | Adam Bauman | |
| ||||
| = 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
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 16
Incumbent Veronica Escobar (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 16 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Veronica Escobar | 100.0 | 53,517 |
| Total votes: 53,517 | |||
| = 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Arturo Andujo (D)
Republican primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 16
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 16 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Adam Bauman | 23.9 | 4,697 |
| ✔ | Manuel Barraza | 18.0 | 3,540 | |
 | Ruben Rios | 14.5 | 2,848 | |
 | Hector Cabildo | 14.4 | 2,821 | |
 | Raul Castaneda | 11.8 | 2,317 | |
| Marisela Chavez | 9.4 | 1,842 | ||
 | Deliris Montanez | 8.0 | 1,574 | |
| Total votes: 19,639 | |||
| = 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
Ruben Rios did not complete Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Rios' campaign website stated the following:
My name is Ruben Rios, and I am running for Congress in Texas’s 16th District. I believe in integrity and in living by strong principles rooted in faith, family, patriotism, and personal responsibility. These core values guide every decision I make.
I support limited government and fiscal responsibility, and I believe in respecting the hard-earned money of taxpayers. We cannot allow the government to spend money it doesn’t have while continuing to burden families and small businesses with endless regulations. Taxpayer dollars deserve accountability and respect.
I am a strong defender of the Constitution and the God-given freedoms it protects, including free speech, religious liberty, and the right to keep and bear arms. The Constitution should be followed as it was written, not rewritten to serve political agendas.
I strongly support our educators, who play a vital role in shaping the next generation. Teachers deserve respect, safe classrooms, and the resources they need to help students succeed. We must empower parents, value local control in education, and ensure our schools focus on academic excellence, not political agendas.
I have the utmost respect and appreciation for our law enforcement officers and first responders. Their efforts are essential to keeping our communities safe and sound. We need to ensure that they are able to do their jobs knowing that they have our unvavering support.
I also believe strongly in supporting our veterans. Without their sacrifice, we would not enjoy the freedoms we have today. Our community deserves leadership that listens, understands local concerns, and ensures those voices are heard at every level of government. I hope to earn your trust and your support as I work to bring much-needed change to the people of El Paso.
— Ruben Rios' campaign website (February 11, 2026)
Campaign finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from the Federal Election Commission. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
