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Texas' 23rd Congressional District election, 2020

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Texas' 23rd Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
Republican primary runoff
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 9, 2019
Primary: March 3, 2020
Primary runoff: July 14, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
Will Hurd (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Texas
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Lean Democratic
Inside Elections: Tilt Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
Texas' 23rd Congressional District
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Texas elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

Tony Gonzales (R) defeated Gina Ortiz Jones (D) and Beto Villela (L) in the general election for Texas' 23rd Congressional District on November 3, 2020. Incumbent Rep. Will Hurd (R) did not seek re-election.

Both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) targeted this race. The DCCC named this district one of its 2020 targets and added Ortiz Jones to its Red to Blue program, while the NRCC added Gonzales to its Young Guns program.[1][2][3] Ortiz Jones was endorsed by former President Barack Obama (D) and former Vice President Joe Biden (D), while Gonzales was endorsed by President Donald Trump (R).

This was the second time Ortiz Jones ran in Texas’ 23rd as the Democratic nominee. In 2018, Hurd won with 49.2% of the vote to her 48.7%. The district was last represented by a Democrat in 2015. Hillary Clinton (D) won Texas’ 23rd in the 2016 presidential election with 49.8% of the vote to Donald Trump’s (R) 46.4%, making it one of 5 congressional districts represented by a Republican that Clinton won in 2016.[4]

The outcome of this race affected partisan control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 117th Congress. All 435 seats in the House were up for election. At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232 to 198 majority over Republicans. The Libertarian Party had one seat. Four seats were vacant. Democrats defended 30 districts Donald Trump (R) won in 2016. Republicans defended five districts Hillary Clinton (D) won in 2016.

Texas' 23rd Congressional District is located in the western portion of the state. The district includes Brewster, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Kinney, Loving, Maverick, Medina, Pecos, Presidio, Reagan, Reeves, Schleicher, Sutton, Terrell, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Ward, Winkler, and Zavala counties. Areas of Bexar, El Paso, and La Salle counties are also included in the district.[5]

Tony Gonzales completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection Survey. Click here to view his responses.

This race was one of 89 congressional races that were decided by 10 percent or less in 2020.


Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.

Post-election analysis

The table below compares the vote totals in the 2020 presidential election and 2020 U.S. House election for this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.

Presidential and congressional election results, Texas' 23rd Congressional District, 2020
Race Presidential U.S. House
Democratic candidate Democratic Party 48.5 46.6
Republican candidate Republican Party 50.3 50.6
Difference 1.8 4

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Texas modified its absentee/mail-in voting, candidate filing, and early voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Local election officials could not reject an absentee ballot due to a perceived signature mismatch unless the voter was given a pre-rejection notice of this finding and a "meaningful opportunity to cure his or her ballot's rejection." Return locations for absentee/mail-in ballots were limited to one per county.
  • Candidate filing procedures: The petition deadline for independent candidates for non-presidential office was extended to August 13, 2020.
  • Early voting: Early voting began on October 13, 2020.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 23

Tony Gonzales defeated Gina Ortiz Jones and Beto Villela in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 23 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tony Gonzales
Tony Gonzales (R) Candidate Connection
 
50.6
 
149,395
Image of Gina Ortiz Jones
Gina Ortiz Jones (D)
 
46.6
 
137,693
Image of Beto Villela
Beto Villela (L)
 
2.8
 
8,369

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 295,457
Candidate Connection = 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

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 23

Tony Gonzales defeated Raul Reyes Jr. in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 23 on July 14, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tony Gonzales
Tony Gonzales Candidate Connection
 
50.1
 
12,342
Image of Raul Reyes Jr.
Raul Reyes Jr.
 
49.9
 
12,297

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 24,639
Candidate Connection = 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 23

Gina Ortiz Jones defeated Efrain Valdez, Rosalinda Ramos Abuabara, Ricardo Madrid, and Jaime Escuder in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 23 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Gina Ortiz Jones
Gina Ortiz Jones
 
66.2
 
41,718
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Efrain Valdez
 
11.4
 
7,163
Image of Rosalinda Ramos Abuabara
Rosalinda Ramos Abuabara Candidate Connection
 
10.9
 
6,896
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Ricardo Madrid
 
7.2
 
4,518
Image of Jaime Escuder
Jaime Escuder Candidate Connection
 
4.3
 
2,725

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 63,020
Candidate Connection = 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

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 23

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 23 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tony Gonzales
Tony Gonzales Candidate Connection
 
28.1
 
11,522
✔
Image of Raul Reyes Jr.
Raul Reyes Jr.
 
23.3
 
9,555
Image of Alma Arredondo-Lynch
Alma Arredondo-Lynch
 
13.2
 
5,391
Image of Ben Van Winkle
Ben Van Winkle Candidate Connection
 
10.8
 
4,427
Image of Jeff McFarlin
Jeff McFarlin Candidate Connection
 
10.3
 
4,241
Image of Sharon Thomas
Sharon Thomas Candidate Connection
 
6.1
 
2,511
Image of Cecil B. Jones
Cecil B. Jones Candidate Connection
 
3.8
 
1,552
Image of Alia Garcia-Ureste
Alia Garcia-Ureste Candidate Connection
 
2.5
 
1,039
Image of Darwin Boedeker
Darwin Boedeker Candidate Connection
 
1.8
 
745

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 40,983
Candidate Connection = 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

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 23

Beto Villela defeated Tim Martinez in the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 23 on March 21, 2020.

Candidate
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Tim Martinez (L)
✔
Image of Beto Villela
Beto Villela (L)

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Candidate Connection = 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.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[6] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.


Gina Ortiz Jones

Image of Gina Ortiz Jones

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Ortiz Jones received bachelor’s degrees in economics and East Asian studies and a master’s degree in economics from Boston University. She also received a graduate degree from the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies. Her professional experience included working as the director for investment at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and as the senior advisor for trade enforcement. Ortiz Jones is a U.S. Air Force veteran where she served as an intelligence officer in Iraq.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Ortiz Jones said creating jobs would be her main priority. She said she would invest in small businesses, work to help them through the coronavirus, and oppose outsourcing jobs overseas.

Ortiz Jones said she would invest in public education and expand access to vocational training.

Ortiz Jones said her professional and military experience left her well-equipped to address foreign policy by strengthening the United States’ relationships with allies and protecting the interests of the United States.

Show sources

Sources: Gina Ortiz Jones' 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 30, 2020; YouTube, "Protecting," September 30, 2020; YouTube, "Issues," August 26, 2020; Gina Ortiz Jones' 2020 campaign website, "Meet Gina," accessed September 30, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 23 in 2020.

Tony Gonzales

Image of Tony Gonzales

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Retired Navy Master Chief Tony Gonzales was raised between San Antonio, Devine, and Camp Wood Hills, Texas. As a careeer Cryptologist, Tony deployed multiple times in support of combat operations to Iraq and Afghanistan, and throughout Asia. He previously served on Capitol Hill as a Department of Defense Legislative Fellow in Senator Rubio's office where he contributed to the defense, foreign policy, and intelligence portfolios. As an active member in his community, he founded the Tony Gonzales Foundation, a non-profit focused on empowering and encourage growth and development in impoverished areas of San Antonio by uniting local businesses, schools, and families. In 2018, Tony was selected as a National Security Fellow for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a non-profit, non-partisan Washington D.C. institute focused on foreign policy and national security. Tony also serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland system where he instructs counterterrorism, U.S. Government, and political science courses. Tony holds a Graduate Certificate in Legislative Studies from Georgetown University, a Master's degree in International Relations from American Public University and is a Ph.D. candidate in International Development with an emphasis on Security Studies and International Politics at the University of Southern Mississippi. Tony is married to Angel Gonzales and has five wonderful children: Christina, Jesus, Emmanuel, Daniel, and Gabriel."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Tony is 100% pro-life and believes all life is sacred, starting at conception. Human rights are fundamental to the core of American principles and our laws must protect it. He believes the family is the most important component in American society and advocates for pro-family legislative policies such as school choice, expanding the child tax credit, and supporting advanced skills to adult learners. The family unit is at the heart of American society and thus must be supported with opportunities, not hand-outs. The U.S. government should focus on its future generation of citizens by improving access for adult learners to earn a livable wage through reduction of unnecessary regulations and streamlining the trade skill certification process.

Tony supports a strong national defense and foreign policy based on the principles of American military strength, active protection of our economy, and constant advocacy for our core values around the globe. Tony unequivocally supports the right to keep and bear arms. He will always support our 2nd Amendment rights and advocate in any forum when they are infringed upon. Tony supports the construction of a border wall where appropriate, enhanced use of technology to cover vast rural areas, increasing manpower along the border, and a modern entry/exit program. Ultimately, we MUST adopt an 'all-of-the-above' approach to secure the border and keep our families safe.  

Economic opportunities and free Enterprise are at the center of a thriving community. Tony is focused on reducing regulations to support the dignity of work for blue collar Americans who are fighting to better the lives of themselves and their families. The individual knows how to best spend their money, not government, and Tony supports cutting taxes along with unnecessary regulations which increases the cost of doing business for small business owners. The American dream is what makes our nation special and part of that dream is having employment which can provide a livable wage. Attending higher learning institutions is important when obtaining new skills but equally as important are earning these skills through trade programs. 

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 23 in 2020.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Texas' 23rd Congressional District election, 2020: General election polls
Poll Date Democratic Party Ortiz Jones Republican Party Gonzales Other Margin of error Sample size Sponsor
Remington Research Group May 19-20, 2020 45% 43% 12% ±3.8 669 Tony Gonzales campaign


Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Gina Ortiz Jones Democratic Party $6,918,062 $7,005,280 $4,301 As of December 31, 2020
Tony Gonzales Republican Party $2,882,972 $2,851,613 $31,359 As of December 31, 2020
Beto Villela Libertarian Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+1, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 1 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Texas' 23rd Congressional District the 227th most Republican nationally.[7]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.93. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.93 points toward that party.[8]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[9]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[10][11][12]

Race ratings: Texas' 23rd Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesTilt DemocraticTilt DemocraticTilt DemocraticLean Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Noteworthy endorsements

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Ortiz Jones (D) Gonzales (R)
Newspapers and editorials
Eagle Pass News Leader[13] ✔
El Paso Times[14] ✔
San Antonio Express-News[15] ✔
Elected officials
Governor Greg Abbott (R)[16] ✔
Senator Kamala Harris (D)[17] ✔
Rep. Will Hurd (R)[18] ✔
President Donald Trump (R)[19] ✔
Individuals
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D)[20] ✔
Former President Barack Obama (D)[21] ✔

Timeline

2020

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Bluedot.png Gina Ortiz Jones

Supporting Ortiz Jones

"Mi Historia" - Ortiz Jones campaign ad, released September 30, 2020
"Protecting" - Ortiz Jones campaign ad, released September 21, 2020
"Oath" - Ortiz Jones campaign ad, released September 16, 2020
"Issues" - Ortiz Jones campaign ad, released August 26, 2020
"My Story" - Ortiz Jones campaign ad, released August 12, 2020


Opposing Gonzales

Republican Party Tony Gonzales

Supporting Gonzales

"Texas: Reloaded" - Gonzales campaign ad, released September 24, 2020
"Tony Gonzales Is Fighting for Quality Healthcare" - Gonzales campaign ad, released September 22, 2020
"Tony Gonzales Is Fighting for Quality Healthcare" - Gonzales campaign ad, released September 9, 2020


Opposing Ortiz Jones

"TX-23 Deserves More Than a Virtual Representative" - Gonzales campaign ad, released October 12, 2020
"Texas Values vs. DC Politics" - Gonzales campaign ad, released October 1, 2020
"The Disappearance of Gina Jones" - Gonzales campaign ad, released September 18, 2020

Satellite group ads

Supporting Ortiz Jones

"She Knows" - WomenVOTEProject ad, released October 6, 2020

Opposing Ortiz Jones

"Turned" - National Republican Congressional Committee ad, released September 29, 2020

Opposing Gonzales

"Tumbleweed" - Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad, released September 28, 2020
"Desprotegido" - Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad, released September 28, 2020

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Democratic Party Gina Ortiz Jones

Ortiz Jones' campaign website stated the following:

“

CREATING JOBS AND GROWING THE ECONOMY
Every family in this country deserves the opportunity to make a decent living, to earn enough to pay the bills every month and have a real chance to get ahead, to see their children get a first-class education that gives them more opportunities than those before them. That is the American Dream. Gina’s mother came to this country to work for that dream, and Gina has defended that dream in uniform as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force.

In Congress, Gina will make creating good-paying jobs in Texas her number one priority — focusing on investing in small businesses to put Texas at the forefront of job creation and innovation. Gina will protect and create the economic opportunities needed to ensure we have a strong and growing middle class.

NATIONAL SECURITY
A former military intelligence officer and Iraq War veteran with an extensive career as a national security expert, Gina has spent over 14 years serving and protecting our country. She has the knowledge and experience to be a leader on national security and foreign policy decisions that strengthen our relationships with our allies and protect the long-term interests of the United States. More than ever, we need leaders in Congress who are capable of getting ahead of challenges our country is facing – both foreign and domestic.

RESPONSIBLE IMMIGRATION REFORM
As a first-generation American, Gina will never forget that our country was built by immigrants and that immigration strengthens our economy and contributes to our national security. Gina knows we need smart, responsible immigration policy reform that protects the security of Americans while also creating an inclusive and welcoming community for those who come to this country for a better life. Gina will work to ensure our immigration policies focus on tapping into our country’s potential – not forcing vulnerable communities into the shadows.

In Congress, Gina will advocate for justly-administered, orderly, and welcoming immigration policies. Our nation’s border security cannot be compromised, but our safety does not require us to abandon the principles on which this country was founded.

ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
Texas continues to have the highest rate of people without health insurance of any state in the country -- about one in every six residents. Texas’ 23rd Congressional District is one of the most medically-underserved districts in the country. Out of 29 counties, there are 18 with three or less doctors and three with no doctors at all. We need to increase access to quality health care and lower the cost of prescription drugs while maintaining Texans’ ability to keep their private health insurance plans if they choose to.

Gina watched as her mother faced a diagnosis of colon cancer and understands that her mother’s survival was possible because of the health care coverage she had as a public school teacher. Gina also realizes that too many families are just one medical emergency away from years of financial hardship or bankruptcy. Finally, Gina is ready to lead the fight to ensure having a child in Texas is no longer a matter of life and death for the mother because Texas should do better than leading the developed world in maternal mortality.

In Congress, Gina will make lower-cost, accessible, quality health care for every American -- regardless of sex, age, income, or employment status -- a top priority. Gina supports universal health care and believes a public option is the best way to help achieve that.

QUALITY EDUCATION
Texas’ educational system continues to be ranked among the bottom in the country – 41st in Education Week’s 2019 Quality Counts Report – yet enrollment in Texas schools continues to rise, with one in every 10 school-age child in America residing in Texas.

As the daughter of a lifelong educator, Gina understands that a quality education is the key to a better future. Gina knows she wouldn’t be where she is today without the educators who helped guide her and the opportunities her education provided. Unfortunately, as pivotal as quality education is to future economic security and success, Texas ranks 41st nationwide in classroom spending.

In Congress, Gina will fight to ensure every Texas student has access to a first-class public school education and the resources they need. Gina’s high school had a graduation rate of less than 60 percent. This is too common in Texas, and we must do better.

PROTECTING OUR CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Throughout her career, Gina has seen first-hand the dangers associated with the hollowing out of government institutions, attacks on the free press, policies deliberately aimed at weakening the voice of women and other marginalized groups, and the threats posed by leaders who use their position as an opportunity to enrich themselves rather than invest in their people. She has seen those who are supposed to be leading this country threaten the freedoms and ideals she spent her lifetime protecting, and Gina once again feels called to serve her country and community and defend those who need it most.

As an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force, Gina served under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and saw first-hand how discrimination affects good order and discipline, as well as military readiness.

In Congress, Gina will be a champion for equal rights for all and protections from discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, and religion.

HIGHER EDUCATION AND SKILLED JOB TRAINING
Gina was able to attend college because of a four-year Air Force R.O.T.C. scholarship she earned in high school. She believes that every Texas student deserves the opportunity to pursue a higher education if they choose without having to take on a lifetime of debt. Too many talented students give up on getting a college degree because of the burden of student loan debt, while many others are struggling to get out from under it.

Gina also knows that not every student’s path to success is through a college classroom and believes leaders should value and support their work, as well. Many who fought alongside her in the military gained high-level skill training that put them on the path to a successful future. We need to value skilled workers and ensure that we have an economy that rewards their hard work. Gina will work to increase the accessibility of specialized job training and vocational programs that give students the skills they need to get good-paying jobs in today’s economy.

FIGHTING FOR OUR VETERANS
As an Iraq War veteran, Gina knows the importance of caring for our veterans and their families. Gina gets her own care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and understands we need a VA with the focus and resources to provide the best possible care for our veterans.

We must serve those who have served us. Gina will stand up for our veterans and their families to ensure our country lives up to the promises we made to them in exchange for their service and their lives. When it comes to our veterans, the quality of their care — not profits — should be the only motivating factor. ​

PROTECTING OUR SENIORS
Texas seniors are men and women who worked their whole lives to support their families, and Gina believes strongly that we owe them the dignity of a secure retirement. That means we must protect the safety nets seniors were promised would be there for them — programs to which they spent their entire lives contributing. She will fight to protect and expand critical programs that many Texas seniors rely on like Social Security and Medicare. [23]

”
—Gina Ortiz Jones’ campaign website (2020)[24]


Republican Party Tony Gonzales

Gonzales' campaign website stated the following:

“

COMMUNITY
Tony is focused on reducing regulations to support the dignity of work for blue collar Americans who are fighting to better the lives of themselves and their families.

Economic opportunities and free enterprise are at the center of a thriving community. The individual knows how to best spend their money, not government, and Tony supports cutting taxes along with unnecessary regulations which increases the cost of doing business for small business owners.

The American dream is what makes our nation special and part of that dream is having employment which can provide a livable wage. Attending higher learning institutions is important when obtaining new skills but equally as important are earning these skills through trade programs.

Tony will fight for hard working men and women who have been long forgotten in the 21st economy by improving access to high wage-earning skill sets.

Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) play an ever-increasing role with improving stability in our nation and across the world. Advocating for NGOs who fill the voids left by government and free enterprise is an important measure when creating a strong foundation for the next generation of leaders in America.

Tony is an active neighbor in his community. Recently, he founded the Tony Gonzales Foundation, a non-profit focused on empowering and encouraging growth and development in impoverished areas of San Antonio by uniting local businesses, schools, and families.

COUNTRY
Tony supports a strong national defense and foreign policy based on the principles of American military strength, active protection of our economy, and constant advocacy for our core values around the globe.

The world looks to America for leadership and guidance as we fight a rise in terrorism, intellectual theft, human rights violations, and dictatorship. America has the most formidable military in the world, and we must maintain constant support to our warriors in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Intelligence community to ensure they successfully combat our adversaries. Improving military strength stems from increasing troop levels, increasing the size of the Navy (to 350 ships), and providing state of the art technology to our support elements.

Protecting the global economic environment is imperative to travel and trade as Americans depend on the ability to transit freely in the international marketplace. Chaos across the globe weakens American economic power by making it unsafe for Americans who live and work abroad. Tony believes the American dream is our greatest asset as a nation and must be supported through policies based on democratic principles, defense of human rights, and protection of the sovereignty of our allies. As the leader of the free world, we must advocate for peace and prosperity for all those seeking a better life.

Tony unequivocally supports the right to keep and bear arms. He will always support our 2nd Amendment rights and advocate in any forum when they are infringed upon.

Our immigration system is broken. There’s no doubt in my mind that immigration reform starts with southern border security. Tony supports the construction of a border wall where appropriate, enhanced use of technology to cover vast rural areas, increasing manpower along the border, and a modern entry/exit program. Ultimately, we MUST adopt an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach to secure the border and keep our families safe.

Washington has been talking about it for years, but Congress failed to make it a reality. As your Congressman, Tony will fight for increased border security and make our national security a top priority.

GOD & FAMILY
Tony is 100% pro-life and believes all life is sacred, starting at conception.

Human rights are fundamental to the core of American principles and our laws must protect its citizens as such. The U.S. government should not play an active role in funding abortions but instead focus on reforming the adoption process. For over 45 years, the Supreme Court’s flawed decision in Roe v. Wade has resulted in the death of over 60 million innocent babies. Tony strongly supports the nuclear family and prays for the day when unborn babies are protected.

Tony believes the family is the most important component in American society and advocates for pro-family legislative policies such as school choice, expanding the child tax credit, and supporting advanced skills to adult learners.

The family unit is at the heart of American society and thus must be supported with opportunities, not hand-outs. The U.S. government should focus on its future generation of citizens by improving access for adult learners to earn a livable wage through reduction of unnecessary regulations and streamlining the trade skill certification process.

Tony supports all forms of educational opportunities to include, but not limited to, charter schools, public schools, private schools, religious schools, and home schooling. He understands that education is primarily a state and local issue but encourages federal involvement when appropriate.

Tony’s five children, Christina, Jesus, Emmanuel, Daniel, and Gabriel have attended all different types of schools during his 20 years in military service, and he believes “choice” should be left up to the parents. Education is the ultimate equalizer and we all benefit when a child reaches their full potential in life.

PRO LIFE
I am 100% pro life and I believe all life is sacred, with life beginning at conception.

PRO FAMILY
I will advocate for pro-family policies including school choice, expanding the child tax credit and supporting advanced skills to adult learners.

PRO 2ND AMENDMENT
I am a strong 2nd amendment supporter and received a perfect grade on my NRA questionnaire.

STRONG AMERICA
After 20 years in the Navy, I understand what it takes to protect our country. I believe in ‘peace through strength’ and will always support our military and veterans.

SECURE BORDER
I will support significant increases in border security, with new border wall in high traffic areas, and work to shut down sanctuary cities, and modernize our entry/exit system to limit fraud.

PRO GROWTH
I will support supply side policies which reduce taxes and regulation to help grow the economy, raise wages, and increase private sector hiring.[23]

”
—Tony Gonzales[25]


District represented by a Republican in 2020 and won by Hillary Clinton in 2016

See also: U.S. House districts represented by a Republican in 2020 and won by Hillary Clinton in 2016

This district was one of five Republican-held U.S. House districts up in 2020 that Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election. Most were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2020.


Republican-held U.S. House districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016
District Incumbent Ran in 2020? 2018 congressional margin 2016 presidential margin 2012 presidential margin
New York's 24th Republican Party John Katko Yes Republicans+5.3 Clinton+3.6 Obama+15.9
North Carolina's 2nd Republican Party George Holding Retired Republicans+5.6 Clinton+24.4 Obama+15.3
North Carolina's 6th Republican Party Mark Walker Retired Republicans+13.2 Clinton+21.5 Obama+17.7
Pennsylvania's 1st Republican Party Brian Fitzpatrick Yes Republicans+2.5 Clinton+2.0 Obama+2.6
Texas' 23rd Republican Party Will Hurd Retired Republicans+0.4 Clinton+3.4 Romney+2.6
Source: Sabato's Crystal Ball and Daily Kos


Click here to see the 30 U.S. House districts represented by a Democrat in 2020 and won by Donald Trump (R) in 2016.


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 254 Texas counties—0.4 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Jefferson County, Texas 0.48% 1.61% 2.25%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Texas with 52.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 43.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Texas cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 66.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Texas supported Democratic candidates slightly more often than Republicans, 53.3 to 46.7 percent. The state, however, favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Texas. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[26][27]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 54 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 37.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 65 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won 10 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 96 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 36.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 85 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 34.5 points.


Candidate ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for 23rd Congressional District candidates in Texas in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Texas, click here.

Filing requirements, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Texas 23rd Congressional District Democratic or Republican N/A N/A $3,125.00 Fixed number 12/9/2019 Source
Texas 23rd Congressional District Unaffiliated 500 5% of all votes cast for governor in the district in the last election; not to exceed 500 N/A N/A 12/9/2019 (declaration of intent); 8/13/2020 (final filing deadline) Source

District election history

2018

See also: Texas' 23rd Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 23

Incumbent William Hurd defeated Gina Ortiz Jones and Ruben Corvalan in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 23 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of William Hurd
William Hurd (R)
 
49.2
 
103,285
Image of Gina Ortiz Jones
Gina Ortiz Jones (D)
 
48.7
 
102,359
Image of Ruben Corvalan
Ruben Corvalan (L)
 
2.1
 
4,425

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 210,069
Candidate Connection = 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 U.S. House Texas District 23

Gina Ortiz Jones defeated Ricardo Jose Treviño Jr. in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 23 on May 22, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Gina Ortiz Jones
Gina Ortiz Jones
 
66.8
 
16,696
Image of Ricardo Jose Treviño Jr.
Ricardo Jose Treviño Jr.
 
33.2
 
8,296

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 24,992
Candidate Connection = 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 23

Gina Ortiz Jones and Ricardo Jose Treviño Jr. advanced to a runoff. They defeated Judith Ann Canales, Jay Hulings, and Angela Villescaz in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 23 on March 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Gina Ortiz Jones
Gina Ortiz Jones
 
41.6
 
18,443
✔
Image of Ricardo Jose Treviño Jr.
Ricardo Jose Treviño Jr.
 
17.4
 
7,710
Image of Judith Ann Canales
Judith Ann Canales
 
17.0
 
7,538
Image of Jay Hulings
Jay Hulings
 
15.0
 
6,649
Image of Angela Villescaz
Angela Villescaz
 
9.1
 
4,032

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 44,372
Candidate Connection = 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 U.S. House Texas District 23

Incumbent William Hurd defeated Alma Arredondo-Lynch in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 23 on March 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of William Hurd
William Hurd
 
80.4
 
24,569
Image of Alma Arredondo-Lynch
Alma Arredondo-Lynch
 
19.6
 
5,986

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 30,555
Candidate Connection = 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.

2016

Texas' 23rd Congressional District was a battleground district in 2016. Incumbent Will Hurd (R) won re-election to his second term, and defeated former Rep. Pete Gallego (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Hurd ousted Gallego in the 2014 general election to win the seat. Hurd defeated William Peterson in the Republican primary on March 1, 2016, while Gallego defeated Lee Keenen to win the Democratic nomination. Ruben Corvalan (L) is also seeking election to the seat.[28][29]

U.S. House, Texas District 23 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngWill Hurd Incumbent 48.3% 110,577
     Democratic Pete Gallego 47% 107,526
     Libertarian Ruben Corvalan 4.7% 10,862
Total Votes 228,965
Source: Texas Secretary of State

Primary election

U.S. House, Texas District 23 Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngWill Hurd Incumbent 82.2% 39,870
William Peterson 17.8% 8,628
Total Votes 48,498
Source: Texas Secretary of State
U.S. House, Texas District 23 Democratic Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngPete Gallego 88.4% 43,223
Lee Keenen 11.6% 5,688
Total Votes 48,911
Source: Texas Secretary of State

2014

BattlegroundRace.jpg

The 23rd Congressional District of Texas held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014.

See also: Texas' 23rd Congressional District elections, 2014


U.S. House, Texas District 23 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngWill Hurd 49.8% 57,459
     Democratic Pete Gallego Incumbent 47.7% 55,037
     Libertarian Ruben Corvalan 2.5% 2,933
Total Votes 115,429
Source: Texas Secretary of State

2012

See also: Texas' 23rd Congressional District elections, 2012

The 23rd Congressional District of Texas held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012, in which Pete Gallego (D) won election. He defeated incumbent Francisco Canseco (R), Jeffrey Blunt (L) and Ed Scharf (G) in the general election. This switched partisan control of the district.[30]

U.S. House, Texas District 23 General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngPete Gallego 50.3% 96,676
     Republican Francisco Canseco Incumbent 45.6% 87,547
     Libertarian Jeffrey C. Blunt 3% 5,841
     Green Ed Scharf 1.1% 2,105
Total Votes 192,169
Source: Texas Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

State profile

See also: Texas and Texas elections, 2019
USA Texas location map.svg

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of January 22, 2020

Presidential voting pattern

  • Texas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

Texas Party Control: 1992-2025
Three years of Democratic trifectas  •  Twenty-three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Texas quick stats
  • Became a state in 1845
  • 28th state admitted to the United States
  • Texas was an independent republic from 1836 to 1845
  • Members of the Texas State Senate: 31
  • Members of the Texas House of Representatives: 150
  • U.S. senators: 2
  • U.S. representatives: 36
More Texas coverage on Ballotpedia:


Demographic data for Texas
 TexasU.S.
Total population:27,429,639316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):261,2323,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:74.9%73.6%
Black/African American:11.9%12.6%
Asian:4.2%5.1%
Native American:0.5%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2.5%3%
Hispanic/Latino:38.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:81.9%86.7%
College graduation rate:27.6%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$53,207$53,889
Persons below poverty level:19.9%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Texas.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ DCCC, "MEMO: DCCC Expands Offensive Battlefield to 39 Districts," August 15, 2019
  2. ↑ DCCC, "Red to Blue," accessed September 30, 2020
  3. ↑ GOP Young Guns, "Young Guns," accessed September 30, 2020
  4. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2016, 2012, and 2008," accessed September 30, 2020
  5. ↑ Texas Redistricting Map, "Map," accessed July 24, 2012
  6. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  7. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  8. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  9. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  10. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  11. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  12. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Eagle Pass News Leader, "Editorial: Tony Gonzales is the best choice in nation’s most disputed race for congress," October 11, 2020
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 El Paso Times, "Opinion: Here are our recommendations in federal races," October 25, 2020
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 San Antonio Express-News, "Editorial: In key House races, Davis, Jones the best candidates," October 8, 2020
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 San Antonio Express-News, "Gov. Abbott endorses Republican Tony Gonzales in San Antonio-area swing district," September 23, 2020
  17. ↑ Twitter, "Gina Ortiz Jones on August 4, 2020," accessed September 30, 2020
  18. ↑ Twitter, "Tony Gonzles on November 13, 2019," accessed September 30, 2020
  19. ↑ Tony Gonzales' 2020 campaign website, "TONY GONZALES FOR TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 23," accessed September 30, 2020
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Twitter, "Gina Ortiz Jones on September 15, 2020," accessed September 30, 2020
  21. ↑ Twitter, "Gina Ortiz Jones on August 3, 2020," accessed September 30, 2020
  22. ↑ Twitter, "Tony Gonzales on August 24, 2020," accessed September 30, 2020
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  24. ↑ Gina Ortiz Jones' campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 30, 2020
  25. ↑ Tony Gonzales 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 15, 2020
  26. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  27. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  28. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2016 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County," accessed December 15, 2015
  29. ↑ The New York Times, "Texas Primary Results," March 1, 2016
  30. ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Texas," November 6, 2012


Texas' current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
John Cornyn (R)
Ted Cruz (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
Al Green (D)
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
Vacant
District 19
District 20
District 21
Chip Roy (R)
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
Republican Party (27)
Democratic Party (12)
Vacancies (1)


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