Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026

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Texas' 38th Congressional District
	Democratic primary; Republican primary; General election
Election details
	Filing deadline: December 8, 2025
	Primary: March 3, 2026; Primary runoff: May 26, 2026; General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
	Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Voting in Texas
Race ratings
	Cook Political Report: Solid Republican; DDHQ and The Hill: Pending; Inside Elections: Solid Republican; Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
	U.S. Senate battlegrounds; U.S. House battlegrounds; Federal and state primary competitiveness; Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
	Texas' 38th Congressional District; U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th • 18th • 19th • 20th • 21st • 22nd • 23rd • 24th • 25th • 26th • 27th • 28th • 29th • 30th • 31st • 32nd • 33rd • 34th • 35th • 36th • 37th • 38th; Texas elections, 2026; U.S. Congress elections, 2026; U.S. Senate elections, 2026; U.S. House elections, 2026; Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House raceArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House raceFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House raceOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House raceTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House raceVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House raceSubmit

Texas redrew its congressional district boundaries in August 2025. Voters will elect representatives under the new map in 2026. Click here to read more about mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections.

Texas 2026 elections

U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Appellate courts • All local elections by county • How to run for office

All U.S. House districts, including the 38th Congressional District of Texas, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. The primary is March 3, 2026, and a primary runoff is May 26, 2026. The filing deadline is December 8, 2025. Ballotpedia identified the March 3 Republican primary as a battleground primary. For more on the Republican primary, click here.

For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

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 election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 38

Curtis Cook II, Theresa Courts, Marvalette Hunter, and Melissa McDonough are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 38 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Curtis Cook II
		Theresa Courts
		Marvalette Hunter
		Melissa McDonough

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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 38

The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 38 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Avery Ayers
		Jon Bonck
		Barrett McNabb
		Damien Mockus
		Carmen Montiel
		Jeff Yuna
		Shelly deZevallos

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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

Wesley Hunt (R)

March 3 Republican primary

See also: Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)

Ballotpedia identified the March 3 Republican primary as a battleground primary. For more on the Republican primary, click here. For more on the Democratic primary, click here.

Jon Bonck (R), Barrett McNabb (R), Shelly deZevallos (R), and two other candidates are running in the Republican primary for Texas' 38th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. The filing deadline is December 8, 2025. As of October 2025, Bonck, McNabb, and deZevallos led in fundraising and local media attention.^[1]

Incumbent Wesley Hunt (R) is running for U.S. Senate rather than seeking re-election, leaving the seat open. Hunt won re-election in 2024 63%–37%.

Bonck is a manager at a mortgage brokerage firm. Bonck describes himself as "a Christian, husband, father, and mortgage leader from Greater Houston — not a political celebrity, but a servant leader ready to fight for Texas families."^[2] Bonck's campaign website says his real estate experience "has shown him firsthand how outdated policies and red tape can frustrate families...Jon will work to reform these outdated policies and eliminate red tape to help Americans thrive and achieve the American dream."^[2]

McNabb is a 16-year veteran of the U.S. Army and the founder of a healthcare management group. McNabb's campaign website says he is "not a career politician—he’s a battle-tested leader, a successful businessman, and a servant of the people. He’s running for Congress to advocate for families, Veterans, small businesses, and all Texans who feel overlooked by Washington."^[3] McNabb says he will "always put Texas first, streamline politics, and enact swift action on conservative policies."^[4]

DeZevallos is the president of the West Houston Airport. DeZevallos' campaign website describes her as "a business leader, pilot, and lifelong Houstonian who has dedicated her life to service, innovation, and advancing our shared America First values."^[5] DeZevallos says she is running "because President Trump needs trusted conservative leaders in Congress who will end Democrat obstruction and keep the results coming for the American people."^[6]

Also running in the primary are Jeff Yuna (R) and Damien Mockus (R).

As of October 2025, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, and Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball each rated the general election Solid/Safe Republican. An Inside Elections analysis of the redistricting in Texas ahead of the 2026 elections found that President Donald Trump (R) won the 2024 presidential election in both the old and the new versions of the 38th district by 21 percentage points.^[7]

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, then the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on May 26, 2026.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Jon Bonck

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography: Bonck obtained a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Louisiana State University. He worked for four years in quality control positions in the chemical industry before entering a management position in 2015. As of the 2026 primary, Bonck had worked as a manager at a mortgage group for more than six years.

Key Messages

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

Bonck described himself as a "Christian conservative, husband, and father committed to faith, family, and securing a future worth fighting for." Bonck said he was running "because public service isn’t about spotlight — it’s about stewardship."

Bonck said his experience as a mortgage lender "has shown him firsthand how outdated policies and red tape can frustrate families and delay their path to stability and wealth-building through homeownership." Bonck said he would "eliminate red tape to help Americans thrive and achieve the American dream."

Bonck said he was "stepping up to restore conservative values in Washington," saying he supported building a wall on the border with Mexico, prohibiting abortion, and opposing restrictions on firearms.

Show sources

Sources: Jon Bonck campaign website, "Home page," accessed October 24, 2025; Jon Bonck campaign website, "Home page," accessed October 24, 2025; LinkedIn, "Jonathan Bonck," accessed October 24, 2025

Barrett McNabb

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography: McNabb obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. He served 16 years in the U.S. Army, deploying to South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Morocco. After retiring from the Army, McNabb became a franchisee of The Joint Chiropractic and later founded Consolidated Wellness Management Group, Inc.

Key Messages

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

McNabb said he was running because "our Lone Star State needs a leader who embodies the heart and soul of Texas—not a politician who has lost the reason he went to DC." McNabb said he "knows the true meaning of service and sacrifice...[and has] a keen sense of the challenges we face on the world stage, ensuring he'll lead with strength and wisdom."

McNabb said he had always had to work hard for success and that he would bring that work ethic to Washington: "Whether I've been fighting for our country or creating new jobs, there's never been room for excuses."

McNabb said his policy priorities included to "stand firmly with President Donald J. Trump to codify all executive orders and actions into law," to "prioritize American sovereignty, manufacturing, energy, and labor," and to "end globalist entanglements that undermine American strength and independence."

Show sources

Sources: Barrett McNabb campaign website, "Home page," accessed October 24, 2025; YouTube, "Barrett McNabb: Conservative Republican for Congress," October 14, 2025; Barrett McNabb campaign website, "About," accessed October 24, 2025; LinkedIn, "Barrett McNabb," accessed October 24, 2025

Damien Mockus

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "Small Business Owner"

Key Messages

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

Uphold Needs, Wants and fight for those who Voted for me!

End Political Waste and Corruption at the Federal Level

Address and adherence to common needs, laws and ethics for Texans & America

Shelly deZevallos

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography: DeZevallos obtained a bachelor's degree in political science and Chinese from the University of Texas at Austin, a master's degree in business administration from Texas A&M University, and a doctorate in education from Oklahoma State University. As of the 2026 election, deZevallos was the president of the West Houston Airport.

Key Messages

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

DeZevallos said she was running "because President Trump needs trusted conservative leaders in Congress who will end Democrat obstruction and keep the results coming for the American people."

DeZevallos' campaign website said she had served under "both President Trump — who named her to the U.S. Department of Transportation Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Committee to advise his administration on aviation safety and certification — and Governor Greg Abbott, who appointed her to the Small Business Freedom Council (Texas DOGE) and the Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee." DeZevallos said she had experience finding ways to cut spending and enacting policies that help businesses.

DeZevallos said her "principles are rooted in her faith, her family, and her commitment to freedom," and that she would "preserve the America First conservative values that make Texas strong — because our freedoms are under assault from the radical Left, and we need fighters who won't back down."

Show sources

Sources: Shelly deZevalos campaign website, "Home page," accessed October 24, 2025; Shelly deZevallos campaign website, "Issues," accessed October 24, 2025; Shelly deZevallos campaign website, "About," accessed October 24, 2025; Shelly deZevalos campaign website, "About," accessed October 24, 2025; LinkedIn, "Shelly Lesikar deZevallos," accessed October 24, 2025

See more

See more here: Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)

Candidate profiles

There are currently no candidate profiles created for this race. Candidate profiles will appear here as they are created. Encourage the candidates in this race to complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey so that their profile will appear here.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Texas

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race has completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Curtis Cook II	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	As of October 1, 2025
Theresa Courts	Democratic Party	$370	$106	$264	As of September 30, 2025
Marvalette Hunter	Democratic Party	$73,174	$18,530	$54,644	As of September 30, 2025
Melissa McDonough	Democratic Party	$19,966	$10,111	$32,555	As of September 30, 2025
Avery Ayers	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Jon Bonck	Republican Party	$492,041	$111,162	$380,879	As of September 30, 2025
Barrett McNabb	Republican Party	$228,122	$120,475	$107,647	As of September 30, 2025
Damien Mockus	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Carmen Montiel	Republican Party	$5,206	$3,135	$2,514	As of June 30, 2025
Jeff Yuna	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Shelly deZevallos	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. 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.

General election 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.^[8]
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.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Race ratings: Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026
Race tracker	Race ratings
	11/4/2025	10/28/2025	10/21/2025	10/14/2025
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill	Pending	Pending	Pending	Pending
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe Republican	Safe Republican	Safe Republican	Safe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Texas in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Texas, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Texas	U.S. House	Democratic or Republican	2% of votes cast for governor in the district in the last election, or 500, whichever is less	$3,125	12/8/2025	Source
Texas	U.S. House	Unaffiliated	5% of all votes cast for governor in the district in the last election, or 500, whichever is less	N/A	2/13/2026	Source

District history

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.