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Texas gubernatorial election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)
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← 2022
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| Governor of Texas |
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| 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. |
| Race ratings |
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican Inside Elections: Solid Republican |
| 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 |
A Democratic Party primary takes place on March 3, 2026, in Texas to determine which candidate will earn the right to run as the party's nominee in the state's gubernatorial election on November 3, 2026.
This page focuses on Texas' Democratic Party gubernatorial primary. For more in-depth information on Texas' Republican gubernatorial primary and the general election, see the following pages:
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
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Texas
Bobby Cole, Nick Pappas, and Meagan Tehseldar are running in the Democratic primary for Governor of Texas on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Bobby Cole | |
 | Nick Pappas  | |
 | Meagan Tehseldar | |
| ||||
| = 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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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.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am Nick Pappas, a proud Texan, father, and retired United States Marine. As a disabled, combat veteran, I know the value of service, accountability, and resilience. My life has been shaped by hard work and overcoming challenges, from raising a family on a tight budget to recovering from service-related injuries that required years of surgeries and rehabilitation. I am not a career politician or a millionaire. I’m not famous or related to anyone famous. That means the only people I can rely on for my campaign are my fellow Texans. I am a working Texan who believes public service is about listening, problem solving, and ensuring that no one is left behind. Texas families, seniors, and veterans deserve leaders who put people first. My vision is a Texas where every person has access to quality healthcare, strong public schools, affordable housing, reliable and cheap water and electricity, and safe communities for their families and private businesses. I will invest in local communities, support small businesses, and work to modernize our outdated infrastructure so we can prevent failures like the 2022 blackout or the 2025 flood. I believe Texans share common values of fairness, hard work, and respect for one another. As governor, I will fight to ensure opportunity and security for all, not just the well-connected few. My goal is simple: to build a Texas that is equal, affordable, and forward-looking, where every Texan can thrive not just survive."
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I’m Meagan Tehseldar — a Texas educator, disability rights advocate, and mom of an autistic child. I’ve spent over a decade inside the classroom and another outside it, fighting for kids and families who are constantly failed by the system. I founded Love Over Labels Advocacy, a nonprofit that helps families navigate special education, IEPs, and the legal red tape that keeps disabled kids from getting the services they deserve. I’m running for Governor because I’ve seen firsthand how public services in Texas are being gutted and sold off to the highest bidder — and I’m not okay with that. I’m not a career politician. I’m a working mom who knows what it’s like to make medical decisions based on what insurance will cover, and I’m here to fight for people like us — because nobody else will."
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Texas
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Election analysis
This section will contain facts and figures related to this state's elections when those are available.
State profile
| Demographic data for Texas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Texas | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 27,429,639 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 261,232 | 3,531,905 |
| 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. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Texas
Texas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Texas, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.[1]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Texas had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Texas coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Texas
- United States congressional delegations from Texas
- Public policy in Texas
- Endorsers in Texas
- Texas fact checks
- More...
See also
| Texas | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
