Texas Agriculture Commissioner election, 2026

	← 2022
Texas Commissioner of Agriculture
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
Ballotpedia analysis
	Federal and state primary competitiveness; State executive elections in 2026; Impact of term limits in 2026; State government trifectas; State government triplexes; Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
Texas; executive elections
	Governor; Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General; Agriculture Commissioner; Comptroller; Land Commissioner; Railroad Commissioner; State Board of Education (8 seats);

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 • School boards • Municipal • All local elections by county • How to run for office

Texas is holding an election for agriculture commissioner on 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. This page focuses on the general election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. For more in-depth information on the Republican primary, see the following page:

Texas Agriculture Commissioner 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. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture

Clayton Tucker is running in the Democratic primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Clayton Tucker

	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 Texas Commissioner of Agriculture

Incumbent Sid Miller and Nate Sheets are running in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Sid Miller
		Nate Sheets

	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.

Green convention

Green convention for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture

Alfred Molison is running in the Green convention for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on April 11, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Alfred Molison (G)

	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.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture

Austin Kelly is running in the Libertarian convention for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on April 12, 2026.

		Candidate
		Austin Kelly (L)

	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.

March 3 Republican primary

See also: Texas Agriculture Commissioner 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.

Incumbent Sid Miller (R) and Nate Sheets (R) are running in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 3, 2026.

Gov. Greg Abbott (R) endorsed Sheets in January 2026. The Texas Tribune's Kate McGee said the endorsement was "an exceptionally rare rebuke of a fellow Republican official and Trump ally by Abbott, who has mostly stayed out of statewide elected races."^[1] Writing in the Austin American-Statesman, John Moritz said Miller was "among conservatives who sued Abbott for extending early voting periods during the COVID crisis in 2020, and he briefly considered challenging the governor in the 2022 GOP primary."^[2]

In his endorsement, Abbott said, "Texans deserve an Agriculture Commissioner who is focused on promoting Texas Agriculture, with zero tolerance for criminality," referencing Miller's hiring of Todd Smith as chief of staff in 2025.^[3] In 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to one charge of commercial bribery stemming from allegations he had solicited bribes from individuals in exchange for priority consideration of applications for hemp licenses.^[4] In an interview with CBS News Texas, Miller said, "What happened to Todd Smith has happened to numerous Republicans. Keep in mind, this is Travis County, the most liberal DA's office probably in the nation...they came after Todd Smith for this very purpose to get headlines for the election, so they could defeat me."^[5] As of February 20, 2026, President Donald Trump (R) had not endorsed either Miller or Sheets. Trump endorsed Miller in 2018 and 2022.

Miller was first elected agriculture commissioner in 2014 and earlier served 12 years in the Texas House of Representatives. Miller is a rancher who breeds quarter horses.^[6] Miller is running on his record, saying he had "turned deficits into surpluses, crises into comebacks, and opened doors worldwide. But there’s more to do, like fighting federal overreach on endangered species, promoting vocational ag education, and ensuring our water and land stay in Texas hands."^[7] As of February 2026, Texas Right to Life and 10 members of the U.S. House had endorsed Miller.^[8]

Sheets is a businessman and the founder of Nature Nate's honey.^[9] Sheets says he is "a producer, a businessman, and a father who believes Texas needs new leadership rooted in real-world experience and eternal values." Sheets says he is running because he "knows firsthand the challenges that Texas ranchers face — from water access and soil health to labor shortages and government overreach."^[10] Gun Owners of America and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.) endorsed Sheets.^[11]

In 2022, Miller defeated Susan Hays (D) 56%–44%. The last Democrat to win an agriculture commissioner election in Texas was Jim Hightower (D) in 1986.

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.

Sid Miller

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office:

Texas Commissioner of Agriculture (Assumed office: 2015)
Texas House of Representatives District 59 (2001–2013)

Biography: Miller obtained a bachelor's degree in vocational ag education from Tarleton State University. As of the 2026 elections, Miller was a farmer and rancher raising quarter horses.

Key Messages

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

Miller said he had delivered results as agriculture commissioner, with his campaign website saying he "reshaped field operations to maximize efficiency for Texas taxpayers...[and] created TDA’s Office of Water and drafted The Great Texas Water Plan to ensure all Texans have access to clean water for today and future generations."

Miller said he stood for what he described as conservative values, with his campaign website saying he had "earned a reputation as a staunch defender of Texas agriculture, constitutional freedoms and individual liberties for all Texans."

Miller's campaign website said he was "the state’s leading advocate around the world for Texas agriculture, Texas-grown products and Texas-owned businesses...[his] passion to increase market exposure for Texas agriculture has led him and his staff to mount trade missions to dozens of countries and every populated continent on the globe."

Show sources

Sources: Sid Miller campaign website, "About Sid," accessed February 3, 2026; Sid Miller campaign website, "Home page," accessed February 3, 2026; Sid Miller campaign website, "About Sid," accessed February 3, 2026

Nate Sheets

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Key Messages

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

My first action will be to DOGE the agency. My opponent has run it into the ground. He raisied fees on farmers and ranchers. According to the State Auditor, those hikes brought in $27.3 million when the programs cost only $20.8 million. Miller hired his former political advisor as Chief of Staff of the agency AFTER he pled guilty to felony bribery tied to hemp licenses at TDA.. Key duties, like regulating fuel pumps, were stripped from the agency, and Miller was fined by the Texas Ethics Commission for misusing state and campaign funds. As Agriculture Commissioner, my first act will be to audit the agency, cut waste, end cronyism, and make sure every dollar serves Texas farmers, ranchers, and consumers, not political insiders.

The GO TEXAN program was meant to help small family farms reach customers, but it has turned into a taxpayer-funded PR tool. My opponent used it to host a music festival. I would strip out the self-promotion and refocus it on real market access. In its place, I would launch a cost-neutral Texas Agriculture Marketplace that connects farmers and ranchers directly to consumers, retailers, and institutional buyers. Producers would opt in voluntarily and pay a small transaction fee.

We face 2 connected challenges. 1) Agriculture is in serious trouble family farms are disappearing, costs are rising, and producers are earning less. 2) This is happening alongside a major health crisis where 75% of spending is on chronic disease caused by the food we eat and more than 77% of young Americans are disqualified from military service. Texas already spends billions on food for schools, hospitals, and state agencies, much of it flowing to multinational corporations for ultra-processed foods. I will work to redirect existing food dollars toward Texas-grown meat, fruits, & vegetables through smarter procurement. That predictable demand helps family operations stay on the land, creates rural jobs, & keeps food dollars in Texas.

See more

See more here: Texas Agriculture Commissioner 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.

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.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Texas

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

What was 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 was 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)

Past elections

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.