Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026

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.

← 2024
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

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 was 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:

• Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)
• Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)

Candidates and election results

General election

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 38

Alex McMenemy and William Taggart are running in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 38 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Alex McMenemy (G)
		William Taggart (Independent)

---

	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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 38

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
		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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Curtis Cook II (D)

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
		Craig Goralski
		Barrett McNabb
		Carmen Montiel
		Michael Pratt
		Larry Rubin
		Jennifer Sundt
		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)
• Damien Mockus (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 seven other candidates are running in the Republican primary for Texas' 38th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. The filing deadline was December 8, 2025. As of January 2026, Bonck, McNabb, and deZevallos led in fundraising and local media attention.

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." 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."

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." McNabb says he will "always put Texas first, streamline politics, and enact swift action on conservative policies."

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." 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."

Also running in the primary are Avery Ayers (R), Craig Goralski (R), Carmen Montiel (R), Michael Pratt (R), Larry Rubin (R), Jennifer Sundt (R), and Jeff Yuna (R).

As of January 2026, 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.

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.

Avery Ayers

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I’m a conservative who believes in the strength of America’s founding principles—faith, family, hard work, and personal responsibility. I was raised right here in Northwest Houston, attending Post Elementary, Dean Middle School, and Jersey Village High School. This district shaped me, and now I’m stepping forward to fight for it. I proudly served seven years in the United States Air Force, both stateside and overseas. Service taught me discipline, accountability, and what it means to put something greater than yourself first. Those lessons have stayed with me my entire life. I’ve faced challenges, including mistakes earlier in life. I don’t hide from that. I owned it, rebuilt, and turned my life into something that inspires others to rise after a fall. That experience gives me a level of grit most politicians don’t have—you can’t teach resilience; you earn it. Through years of hard work, I completed my Associate Degree in Paralegal Technology, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, and a Master of Business Administration. I didn’t stop there—I trained in artificial intelligence and became a Certified AI Consultant, because the world is moving fast and leaders must know how to prepare their communities for the next era of opportunity. Professionally, I’ve spent years as a paralegal and the early stage of AI consultant, helping families, veterans, small businesses, and young adults navigate complex challenges. I’m here to serve with integrity, strength, and a steady hand"

---

Key Messages

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

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Strong Conservative Leadership With Real-Life Grit I stand on the traditional values that built this country—faith, family, hard work, and personal responsibility. I’ve lived through challenges, rebuilt my life, and came back stronger. Voters can count on a leader who doesn’t fold under pressure and doesn’t make excuses.

---

A Practical Plan for Affordability, Jobs, and Economic Stability Families in District 38 need relief and opportunity. My focus is simple: bringing down the cost of living, creating 21st-century jobs, and driving economic growth through small business development and responsible innovation. I will fight for policies that protect your wallet, your work, and your future.

---

A Champion for Veterans, Youth, and Second Chances I’ve served my country, and I know the sacrifices veterans make. I’ll fight for them, and I’ll stand up for young adults who deserve real pathways to purpose—not empty promises. I believe in redemption, responsibility, and giving people the tools to rise. A stronger district includes everyone who’s willing to work for it.

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

Carmen Montiel

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

---

Key Messages

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

---

Faith, Family and Freedom

---

We are loosing America to a socialist Agenda

---

Take back the American Dream

Michael Pratt

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Candidate for U.S. Congress (Texas Congressional District 38) - Husband, Father, United States Marine Corps Veteran, President of Tomball ISD School Board."

---

Key Messages

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

---

Michael Pratt' s identity is rooted in service, sacrifice, and duty, both in the military and in public office.

---

Michael Pratt is focused on securing the border, restoring law and order, strengthening the military, protecting parental rights, and eliminating diverse ideologies from schools. Texas families first and defending American freedoms!

---

Michael Pratt's Faith, Family, and Service—underscores his credibility and connection to the community! Values-driven leader ready to represent Texas in Congress.

Larry Rubin

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

---

Key Messages

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

---

Secure our border. Protect our families. Texas is being failed by Washington. As a father who faced a kidnapping extortion attempt, I know the cost of a weak border and soft-on-crime policies. I’ll fight to finish the wall, stop illegal immigration, back the Blue without apology, and put Texans’ safety above D.C. politics. Our families deserve real security—not excuses.

---

Defend Texas jobs, Texas energy, and Texas freedom. Texas powers America, and I’ll push back hard on federal overreach that threatens our economy. I’ll stand with our oil & gas workers, cut red tape, and stop D.C. bureaucrats from killing jobs with endless regulations. As someone who has served Texas businesses for decades, I’ll fight to keep Texas the strongest economy in the nation.

---

A proven conservative who will shake up Washington. Texans don’t want another politician—they want someone who’ll stand up to the D.C. establishment. I’ve spent decades serving Texas, defending conservative values, and building strong ties between our state and America’s allies. As a Houston homeowner and proud Texan, I’ll bring accountability, common sense, and backbone to Congress.

Jeff Yuna

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

---

Key Messages

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

---

My top priority is immigration and securing America's borders and putting Americans first,. I strongly support completing the border wall, deporting all illegal aliens, and immediately eliminating any federal entitlements, benefits, or grants provided to those who entered our country illegally. This commonsense approach will protect American jobs, reduce strain on schools and hospitals, enhance public safety, and ensure taxpayer dollars serve legal residents and citizens. No amnesty, no rewards for breaking our laws: only enforcement and fairness. As your representative, I'll fight every day to restore sovereignty, stop illegal immigration, and defend the rule of law.

---

I will fight to eliminate property taxes on primary homesteads—the homes where Texas families live and raise their children. Homeownership should not mean renting your property from the government through endless taxes. As this issue gains momentum nationwide, now is the time for bold action: I support amending the U.S. Constitution to permanently ban property taxes on homesteads, giving true ownership and financial security back to citizens. This relief will keep more money in your pocket, protect seniors on fixed incomes, and make housing more affordable. No more fear of losing your home because taxes keep rising. I'll champion this in Congress to deliver real taxpayer freedom.

---

Third key message: The economy and runaway inflation are crushing American families. President Trump's policies have already started taming inflation and driving recovery, but our $38 trillion national debt remains a ticking time bomb that will fuel future inflation if left unchecked. I'll fight to eliminate billions in fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government, slash unnecessary spending, and champion commonsense legislation to strengthen the shrinking middle class. It's time to turn this elite-focused "K-shaped" recovery into a true American recovery where hardworking families thrive again. Secure borders, no property taxes on homesteads, and real economic relief—that's my pledge.

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)

• Polls
• Campaign finance
• Satellite spending
• Endorsements
• Campaign ads

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.

Alex McMenemy

Party: Green Party

Incumbent: No

---

Key Messages

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

---

We must demand for a future that cares about the average American! As wages stagnate, healthcare and other costs are skyrocketing and our climate is past it's breaking point. Many Americans can no longer see a vision for the future that meets their needs. My campaign calls for free universal healthcare, stronger environmental protections to combat climate change, and a $20 minimum wage as well as stronger unions!

---

We must demand for peace both at home and abroad! ICE are terrorizing and abducting innocent people as well as breaking both families and communities. At the same time, our government is starting new wars every day or contributing to war crimes like Israel's genocide of the Palestinians. My campaign calls for the end of ICE, the end to foreign wars, and an end to supplying weapons for war criminals!

---

We must demand for a stronger democracy! For too long, our politicians have been able to embezzle funds from the American people, all while failing to protect our most basic human rights, like food, water, and shelter. Our political system has been sold to the highest bidder and the corporations hold both Republicans and Democrats in their pockets. My campaign calls for the end to ALL political corruption, and that our government must protect human rights and also reign in corporations from destroying our country!

William Taggart

Party: Independent

Incumbent: No

---

Key Messages

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

---

National Debt - We are bogged down in culture war issues when we have much more important items that need to be addressed. The national debt has risen from $5.7 trillion in 2000 to $38.4 trillion and is continuing to rise. These are levels of debt like we had after World War II compared to the economy. At the same time, people making less than $200,000 per year are paying more in taxes than their grandparents, while people making more than $500,000 per year are paying a lot less. Spending cuts are required, but won’t balance the budget, we need to raise taxes on the wealthy and large corporations to stop this increasing debt before it breaks our economy.

---

Healthcare – Americans spend more on healthcare and get worse outcomes than other first world countries. US health insurance companies have 20% overhead when Medicare and foreign health systems are less than 5%. Private Equity is buying up providers, reducing the number of hospitals and clinics in regions limiting competition. While the US drug market is the Wild Wild West for pharmaceuticals to charge as much as they want. We need to establish Health Savings Accounts that leverage Medicare negotiated rates with pharmacies, doctors, and hospitals. A public option to provide simple low-cost insurance to people and provide competition to private insurance.

---

Energy – US oil fields are beginning to plateau in their production. At the same time, natural gas power plants are in construction while we ship more US natural gas overseas from LNG export terminals. Data centers are being built at a rapid pace, demanding more electricity. We are creating an energy crisis due to bad policy. Republicans block wind farms and solar, while Democrats give away tax credits when we have massive national debt. We need an all of the above approach that does not involve increasing the national debt. We need to tax hydrocarbons, wind, and solar to fund building transmission lines and energy storage to increase the reliability of our electrical grid.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Texas

Election information in Texas: March 3, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Feb. 2, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by Feb. 2, 2026
• Online: N/A

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

No

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: Feb. 20, 2026
• By mail: Received by Feb. 20, 2026
• Online: N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: March 3, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by March 3, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Feb. 17, 2026 to Feb. 27, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (CT/MT)

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. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Alex McMenemy (G)

We must demand for a future that cares about the average American! As wages stagnate, healthcare and other costs are skyrocketing and our climate is past it's breaking point. Many Americans can no longer see a vision for the future that meets their needs. My campaign calls for free universal healthcare, stronger environmental protections to combat climate change, and a $20 minimum wage as well as stronger unions!

We must demand for peace both at home and abroad! ICE are terrorizing and abducting innocent people as well as breaking both families and communities. At the same time, our government is starting new wars every day or contributing to war crimes like Israel's genocide of the Palestinians. My campaign calls for the end of ICE, the end to foreign wars, and an end to supplying weapons for war criminals!

We must demand for a stronger democracy! For too long, our politicians have been able to embezzle funds from the American people, all while failing to protect our most basic human rights, like food, water, and shelter. Our political system has been sold to the highest bidder and the corporations hold both Republicans and Democrats in their pockets. My campaign calls for the end to ALL political corruption, and that our government must protect human rights and also reign in corporations from destroying our country!

William Taggart (Independent)

National Debt - We are bogged down in culture war issues when we have much more important items that need to be addressed. The national debt has risen from $5.7 trillion in 2000 to $38.4 trillion and is continuing to rise. These are levels of debt like we had after World War II compared to the economy. At the same time, people making less than $200,000 per year are paying more in taxes than their grandparents, while people making more than $500,000 per year are paying a lot less. Spending cuts are required, but won’t balance the budget, we need to raise taxes on the wealthy and large corporations to stop this increasing debt before it breaks our economy.

Healthcare – Americans spend more on healthcare and get worse outcomes than other first world countries. US health insurance companies have 20% overhead when Medicare and foreign health systems are less than 5%. Private Equity is buying up providers, reducing the number of hospitals and clinics in regions limiting competition. While the US drug market is the Wild Wild West for pharmaceuticals to charge as much as they want.

We need to establish Health Savings Accounts that leverage Medicare negotiated rates with pharmacies, doctors, and hospitals. A public option to provide simple low-cost insurance to people and provide competition to private insurance.

Energy – US oil fields are beginning to plateau in their production. At the same time, natural gas power plants are in construction while we ship more US natural gas overseas from LNG export terminals. Data centers are being built at a rapid pace, demanding more electricity. We are creating an energy crisis due to bad policy. Republicans block wind farms and solar, while Democrats give away tax credits when we have massive national debt.

We need an all of the above approach that does not involve increasing the national debt. We need to tax hydrocarbons, wind, and solar to fund building transmission lines and energy storage to increase the reliability of our electrical grid.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Alex McMenemy (G)

I care very much for the plight of the homeless. The fact that homelessness exists today while billionaires are amassing the most wealth in history should disgust anyone with any amount of good in their heart. It is one of the largest indication of the failures of our current economic system.

William Taggart (Independent)

Hidden at the heart of our culture war issues, is the changing demographics of America. Over the last seventy years America has changed, and we are struggling with those changes. The loss of wealth in America’s middle class, the increasing diverse racial profile, the decline in social institutions, and rise of social media have revealed the age and limitations of a Constitution that has not evolved to keep up. The Constitution defines the system of American government and that system has not adapted to the changing demographics. We need a re-engineering of our governmental systems that both the far right and far left have stressed and cracked.

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
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	$210	As of October 31, 2025
Jon Bonck	Republican Party	$492,041	$111,162	$380,879	As of September 30, 2025
Craig Goralski	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Barrett McNabb	Republican Party	$228,122	$120,475	$107,647	As of September 30, 2025
Carmen Montiel	Republican Party	$61,174	$41,508	$20,109	As of November 23, 2025
Michael Pratt	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Larry Rubin	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Jennifer Sundt	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Jeff Yuna	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Shelly deZevallos	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Alex McMenemy	Green Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
William Taggart	Independent	$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.
• 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.

Race ratings: Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026
Race tracker	Race ratings
	1/13/2026	1/6/2026	12/23/2025	12/16/2025
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	12/8/2025	Source

District history

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

• 2024
• 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 38

Incumbent Wesley Hunt (R) defeated Melissa McDonough (D) and Avery Ayers (Independent) in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 38 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wesley Hunt (R)	62.7	215,030
		Melissa McDonough (D)	37.2	127,640
		Avery Ayers (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	94

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 342,764
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Chad Abbey (L)

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 38

Melissa McDonough (D) defeated Gion Thomas (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 38 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Melissa McDonough	82.5	18,486
		Gion Thomas	17.5	3,910

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 22,396
= 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

• Cameron Campbell (D)

Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 38

Incumbent Wesley Hunt (R) advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 38 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wesley Hunt	100.0	62,340

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 62,340
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian Party convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 38

Chad Abbey (L) advanced from the Libertarian Party convention for U.S. House Texas District 38 on March 16, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Chad Abbey

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

General election for U.S. House Texas District 38

Wesley Hunt (R) defeated Duncan Klussmann (D) and Joel Dejean (Independent) in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 38 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wesley Hunt (R)	63.0	163,597
		Duncan Klussmann (D)	35.5	92,302
		Joel Dejean (Independent)	1.5	3,970

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 259,869
= 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

• Scott Cubbler (Independent)

Democratic primary runoff

Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 38

Duncan Klussmann (D) defeated Diana Martinez Alexander (D) in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 38 on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Duncan Klussmann	61.1	6,449
		Diana Martinez Alexander	38.9	4,111

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,560
= 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

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 38

Diana Martinez Alexander (D) and Duncan Klussmann (D) advanced to a runoff. They defeated Centrell Reed (D) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 38 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Diana Martinez Alexander	44.6	9,861
✔		Duncan Klussmann	39.3	8,698
		Centrell Reed	16.1	3,550

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 22,109
= 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

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 38

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 38 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wesley Hunt	55.3	35,291
		Mark Ramsey	30.3	19,352
		David Hogan	4.9	3,125
		Roland Lopez	3.2	2,048
		Brett Guillory	2.2	1,416
		Jerry Ford Sr.	1.6	997
		Richard Welch	1.0	633
	Submit photo	Alex Cross	0.7	460
		Damien Mockus	0.4	249
		Philip Covarrubias	0.4	228

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 63,799
= 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.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

• District map - A map of the district before and after redistricting ahead of the 2026 election.
• Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
• State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below is the district map used in the 2024 election next to the map in place for the 2026 election. Click on a map below to enlarge it.

2024

2026

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026

Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

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

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+10. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 10 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Texas' 38th the 128th most Republican district nationally.

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in Texas' 38th Congressional District

Kamala Harris	Donald Trump
37.5%	60.5%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Texas, 2024

Texas presidential election results (1900-2024)

• 16 Democratic wins
• 15 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020	2024
Winning Party	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

See also: Party control of Texas state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Texas' congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Texas
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	12	12
Republican	2	25	27
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	1	1
Total	2	38	40

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Texas' top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Texas, October 2025

Office	Officeholder
Governor	Greg Abbott
Lieutenant Governor	Dan Patrick
Secretary of State	Jane Nelson
Attorney General	Ken Paxton

State legislature

Texas State Senate

Party		As of October 2025
	Democratic Party	11
	Republican Party	18
	Other	0
	Vacancies	2
Total		31

Texas House of Representatives

Party		As of October 2025
	Democratic Party	62
	Republican Party	88
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		150

Trifecta control

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

See also

Texas	2026 primaries	2026 U.S. Congress elections
Texas congressional delegation Voting in Texas Texas elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018	Democratic primary battlegrounds Republican primary battlegrounds U.S. Senate Democratic primaries U.S. Senate Republican primaries U.S. House Democratic primaries U.S. House Republican primaries	U.S. Congress elections U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

Texas' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

John Cornyn (R)

Ted Cruz (R)

Representatives

District 1

Nathaniel Moran (R)

District 2

Daniel Crenshaw (R)

District 3

Keith Self (R)

District 4

Pat Fallon (R)

District 5

Lance Gooden (R)

District 6

Jake Ellzey (R)

District 7

Lizzie Fletcher (D)

District 8

Morgan Luttrell (R)

District 9

Al Green (D)

District 10

Michael McCaul (R)

District 11

August Pfluger (R)

District 12

Craig Goldman (R)

District 13

Ronny Jackson (R)

District 14

Randy Weber (R)

District 15

Monica De La Cruz (R)

District 16

Veronica Escobar (D)

District 17

Pete Sessions (R)

District 18

Vacant

District 19

Jodey Arrington (R)

District 20

Joaquin Castro (D)

District 21

Chip Roy (R)

District 22

Troy Nehls (R)

District 23

Tony Gonzales (R)

District 24

Beth Van Duyne (R)

District 25

Roger Williams (R)

District 26

Brandon Gill (R)

District 27

Michael Cloud (R)

District 28

Henry Cuellar (D)

District 29

Sylvia Garcia (D)

District 30

Jasmine Crockett (D)

District 31

John Carter (R)

District 32

Julie Johnson (D)

District 33

Marc Veasey (D)

District 34

Vicente Gonzalez (D)

District 35

Greg Casar (D)

District 36

Brian Babin (R)

District 37

Lloyd Doggett (D)

District 38

Wesley Hunt (R)

Republican Party (27)

Democratic Party (12)

Vacancies (1)

2025-2026 Elections to the United States Congress

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Election information

Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Retiring senators • Retiring representatives

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