Texas Legislature Faces Wave of Departures, Campaign Shifts
A wave of retirements and campaign announcements is reshaping the 2026 election season for Texas lawmakers.
In the House, Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin, is seeking Senate District 3, while Rep. Steve Toth, R-Conroe, is running for Congressional District 2. Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, is campaigning for lieutenant governor, and Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, has entered the U.S. Senate race. Other members pursuing higher office include Reps. David Cook, R-Mansfield, for Senate District 22; John Lujan, R-San Antonio, for Congressional District 35; Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, for Congressional District 9; Dennis Paul, R-Houston, for Senate District 11; and Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, for railroad commissioner.
Several veteran representatives are stepping aside, including Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, and Stan Lambert, R-Abilene, who chairs the Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee. Others not seeking reelection are Reps. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington; Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake; Ray Lopez, D-San Antonio; Sam Harless, R-Spring; and Alma Allen, D-Houston.
The Senate will also see major turnover. Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, chair of the Transportation Committee, is retiring. Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, is leaving to become Texas Tech University System chancellor. Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, is serving as acting state comptroller, while Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, is running for attorney general. Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, who chairs both Border Security and Natural Resources, will also depart.
On the federal level, Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Magnolia, has announced he will not seek reelection. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, a former chair of the Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, is also stepping aside. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, is running for attorney general, while Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, has said he will not run in 2026 if the state’s new congressional map remains in place.
All of these changes will be decided in the 2026 election cycle. Primaries are scheduled for March 3, 2026, with runoffs on May 26, 2026, and the general election on Nov. 3, 2026.
About the Author: Allen Jones is the director of communications and event marketing for TEXPERS. He joined the Association in 2017. Before TEXPERS, he worked in the news media industry, producing content for newspapers, magazines, and online publications and leading newsrooms as an editor and publications manager. [email protected]
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Editor’s Note: This article was prepared with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to support research, fact-checking, and formatting. Final content decisions, including writing, editing, and publication, were completed by TEXPERS staff.