March 2026 Primary Election Endorsements for the Austin Area

The Chronicle Editorial Board provides the following endorsements to Democrats in advance of early voting (Feb. 17 through Feb. 27) and election day, Tuesday, March 3. We urge readers to be thorough with their ballots and cast a vote in every contest. (Click here for a shorter, poll-friendly version of these endorsements, or pick up a copy of next week’s print issue.) You may vote at any Vote Center in Travis County where the “Vote Here/Aqui” sign is displayed.

Note: We only issue endorsements in contested races, so if you don’t see an endorsement for a given position, that’s because a candidate is running uncontested. Our endorsements are based on a mix of reporting, candidate meetings in person and over Zoom, and questionnaires. 

Early Voting: Tuesday, Feb.17 – Friday, Feb. 27
Election Day: Tuesday, March 3
Travis County: votetravis.gov or 512/238-VOTE (8683)
Williamson County: wilco.org/departments/elections or 512/943-1630
Hays County: hayscountytx.gov/elections or 512/393-7310  Federal  U.S. Senate: James Talarico

Texans would be lucky to have either candidate, state Rep. James Talarico or U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, represent us in D.C. Both candidates have strong progressive records and are rising stars in the party, but with distinct narratives. A civil rights attorney and former public defender, Crockett is seen as the quick-witted fighter, while Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian and former public school teacher, presents as more measured – and potentially more attractive to moderates and Christian conservatives looking for an alternative to Trump toadies Ken Paxton and John Cornyn.

In our separate endorsement meetings with the candidates, we saw even more depth. Crockett wowed us with a poise and charisma that was at once conversational and deeply informed. Talarico surprised us by naming the war on Gaza as the moral test of our time, a stance not every Democrat is willing to publicly take.

The race has grown heated. The pro-Talarico camp, via the unaffiliated Lone Star Rising PAC, launched the first attack ad in early February, and the candidate badly bobbled when an off-the-record remark characterizing his former primary opponent Colin Allred as mediocre opened him up to accusations of racism. (Talarico says his comment was mischaracterized and that he meant Allred’s campaign was mediocre, not the man himself.) We’re disappointed, if not surprised, this nationally watched contest is getting uglier: The stakes are high. The question that everybody – politicos, editorial boards, and voters desperate to send the first Texas Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 30 years – is weighing is which of these exceptionally qualified candidates will be the most competitive in the general election. Crockett told us she could bring back Black and Hispanic voters who drifted Republican in the last election. Talarico touted his own track record flipping a red district blue.

In the end, it was that proven record moving the needle that convinced us to go with Talarico, along with the front-row seat we’ve had to his time representing Central Texas at the Lege, where he defended public schools, decried Christian nationalism and a system rigged to benefit the most wealthy, and was a leader in the quorum break that galvanized Dems across the country. At a time when public education is in crisis and working-class families are underwater, we think Talarico’s message, and his track record, will resonate not just with Democrats in November but with Republicans and independents ready for a change, too.

U.S. House, District 10: Caitlin Rourk 

Army veteran and mother Caitlin Rourk was originally running for the District 31 seat, but swapped to District 10 due to the GOP gerrymandering. While we were not bowled over by any of the candidates, we think that Rourk has reasonable and executable ideas on approaching immigration enforcement and tackling education, health care, and other issues that have been exacerbated by the Big Beautiful Bill.

U.S. House, District 11: Pedro “Pete” Ruiz  

In our endorsement discussions this cycle, the Chronicle’s editorial staff often came back to the idea of electability. The notion is especially relevant in the insanely gerrymandered District 11, which includes a small corner of West Austin but is really one of the most conservative districts in the state, taking in San Angelo, Midland, Odessa, and the rural communities around them. In many ways, we feel more aligned with Claire Reynolds, the Austinite in the race. But Pete Ruiz actually lives in the heart of CD 11, has built a solid reputation there, and seems to have strong progressive values. We think he’ll be better at making his case to Republicans. 

U.S. House, District 17: No Endorsement

A good chunk of purple Williamson County was redistricted into this 11-county district currently represented by MAGA conservative Pete Sessions, who is running unopposed in the Republican primary. The Dem field numbers three. We liked the clear policy ideas laid out by Casey Shepard, a Waco-based attorney specializing in indigent criminal defense. Air Force veteran and first responder J. Gordon Mitchell stood out for his crisis response experience, and has earned endorsements from East Wilco Democrats, Hill County Democrats, and TMK-Indivisible Waco. Milah Flores, a community advocate and financial support coordinator for veterans, did not respond to our questionnaire, but has received the Texas AFL-CIO endorsement, among others. In the end, we simply did not feel like we had enough information to issue a full-throated endorsement in this race. 

U.S. House, District 21: Kristin Hook

We were impressed by both Hook and one of her opponents, Regina Vanburg. They’re both intelligent, well-rounded candidates with a passion for helping the diverse constituents of this district. Ultimately, we think Hook’s prior experience running a campaign in a red-leaning district (there’s a dozen Republicans in this primary) gives her an edge.

U.S. House, District 27: Tanya Lloyd

Lockhart public school teacher Tanya Lloyd is a former Republican who, as a Dem, lost to Republican incumbent Michael Cloud to represent the district in 2024 – and we think that experience is an asset here. Lloyd’s already knocked on a lot of doors, boosting her profile, and her own conversion from R to D makes her the better candidate to court independents and even conservatives disgusted with MAGA politics.

U.S. House, District 31: Stuart Whitlow

We’re sticking with Stuart Whitlow, a candidate with deep roots in District 31, in this race to represent Round Rock, Georgetown, Leander, and Cedar Park. Whitlow has spent decades working for progressive values in the area and made a respectable run for this same seat in 2024. The editorial board was also impressed with the energy of Whitlow’s challenger, Justin Early, a veteran and IT professional campaigning on improving affordability and protecting privacy in the face of AI surveillance. However, we feel Whitlow is the better-known quantity and will make the Republican in the race, incumbent Rep. John Carter, work hard and spend money. 

U.S. House, District 35: John Lira  

Republicans gerrymandered TX-35 to make Democrats lose, and that’s why Democrats need a nominee here who isn’t just right on the issues, but ready for a real fight. We think that nominee is John Lira. He’s a Marine veteran who’s worked inside the federal government and ran a congressional campaign before, and it shows. Lira talks about rent, groceries, and health care in concrete terms, and he talks about winning in this district in practical ones: turnout, coalition-building, and meeting voters where they are. In a seat warped by bad-faith line drawing, we’re backing the Democrat who looks most capable of punching through it.

U.S. House, District 37: Greg Casar

We’ve been lucky to watch Casar’s star rise from Austin City Council to the U.S. House. He has become one of the nation’s leading progressive voices and a forceful and eloquent voice at that. We are sad to see Lloyd Doggett retire from this district – he’s been a stalwart and unflappable representative for Central Texas for decades – but we’re glad to see his position filled by a worthy candidate.

State Governor: Gina Hinojosa 

The Chronicle loves everything about Gina Hinojosa. We love her fearlessness. We love her empathy. We love her sharp tactical mind. We love that she’s a hometown girl who started her public service on the Austin school board. We love that she led the fight against school vouchers in the House. We love that she’s shining a bright light on that disastrous policy in her race for governor, and connecting it to Greg Abbott’s corruption. We are all-in, rock solid, 100% behind Gina Hinojosa. And who knows? She’s such a good messenger, she might even win. 

Lieutenant Governor: Vikki Goodwin 

Political newbie Marcos Vélez, a labor union leader, has impressed a lot of folks on the campaign trail, and we’d love to see more working-class representation in higher office. But we’re sticking with four-time Austin representative Vikki Goodwin, who has a strong progressive track record. If she does the impossible and slays the dragon that is Dan Patrick in the general, then she’ll serve as president of the Senate, and her legislative savvy would be invaluable there.

Attorney General: Nathan Johnson 

All three candidates – former FBI special agent and assistant U.S. attorney Tony Box, former Galveston mayor Joe Jaworski (who previously ran in 2022 but lost in the primary runoff), and state Sen. Nathan Johnson – would represent a breath of fresh air after the corruption-riddled reign of Ken Paxton, and they all pledge to bring ethics and transparency to the Office of the Attorney General. But Johnson successfully flipped a red seat in 2018, proved at the Republican-led Lege that he could still advance the ball as a Dem, and has an impressive war chest – all advantages in a certain-to-be-tough general contest in November.

Comptroller: Sarah Eckhardt 

It’s not the first time we’ve endorsed Sarah Eckhardt, and we’re happy to give the government accountability and social justice champion another endorsement – this time for the state’s comptroller position. The comptroller acts as the state’s chief financial officer, tax collector, and more, ultimately responsible for managing billions of dollars in the Texas government. With the position currently filled by Republican Kelly Hancock – who has launched a pro-ICE grant program and eliminated women- and minority-owned businesses from the Historically Underutilized Business program – we think that Eckhardt’s extensive background of putting people first makes her the best suited to be the watchdog of Texas’ finances.

Land Commissioner: Jose Loya

Panhandle refinery worker Jose Loya is a union leader and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and he’s centered both experiences in his campaign, pushing to expand resources for veterans and for stronger worker safety protections on the 13 million acres of state-owned land managed by the Texas General Land Office. He also vows to grow the Permanent School Fund, revenue derived from GLO’s management of state lands and mineral leases, and to prioritize disaster mitigation and better management of disaster recovery funds.  

State Board of Education, District 5: Allison Bush

As outgoing rep Rebecca Bell-Metereau told the Chronicle, it’s not easy to choose between these five candidates sharing similar educational philosophies. We were impressed by UT-Austin professor Victor Sampson’s deep expertise on curriculum development, Neto Longoria’s commitment to multilingual education, and former educator Abigail Gray’s dedication to making the SBOE’s relatively unknown activity public knowledge. But we think Allison Bush’s 25 years of experience in specifically Texas ISDs and progressive advocacy in conservative communities prepares her well for this seat.

Texas Supreme Court, Place 1: Maggie Ellis 

Prepped to become the first female chief justice in the Texas Supreme Court, Maggie Ellis, Texas’ first openly LGBTQ+ woman appellate justice, wants to put the power back into the people’s hands. Leaning on her background as a public school teacher and advocate for basic human rights, we believe that she will bring equity and much needed perspective to the Texas Supreme Court. Ellis also has experience beating out a Republican in a close 2024 race for Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals, which helps her case for November’s general election.

Texas Supreme Court, Place 7: Kristen Hawkins

Kristen Hawkins became the first woman elected to the state’s 11th District Court after winning a close general election in 2016. During her time as a trial court judge, Hawkins has presided over hundreds of trials and has served on different committees for the Harris County Board of District Judges, including leading the court’s COVID Response Task Force. Her experience serving as a district judge in one of the state’s busiest civil trial courts could bring a fresh outlook to the Texas Supreme Court. She has also proven that she can beat out Republican candidates in November, having done so twice now.

Texas Senate, District 5: Paul Thomasson

We think a tree stump would be preferable to Republican Charles Schwertner, co-author of the 2025 bill that forces local law enforcement to collaborate with ICE, and we long for a more competitive candidate to go up against him in November. Voters might find retired United Methodist pastor Paul Thomasson a welcome contrast to the incumbent state senator, who was embroiled in a sexting scandal in 2018 and garnered headlines again for a DWI arrest in 2023.

Texas Senate, District 21: Judith Zaffirini

There’s no arguing with the work ethic or extraordinary career of the incumbent senator, who’ll be 80 years young by the time she swears in for her next term. The first Mexican American woman elected to the Texas Senate and the first woman dean of the Senate, Zaffirini has a 100% voting record, has passed the highest number of bills in the history of the Legislature, and is popular in a district that is half Republican, half Democratic. Challenger Cortney Jones, a social worker and nonprofit leader advocating for foster care youth, has much to recommend her, but not enough for us to pull our support for Zaffirini.   

Texas House, District 47: Pooja Sethi 

Pooja Sethi has served as chief of staff for District 47 Rep. Vikki Goodwin for over four years and served a short stint as Travis County Democratic Party chair. With her experience working under the Pink Dome, along with her progressive outlooks on public education, health care, immigration, and climate, we think that Sethi is fit to fill her predecessor’s shoes. However, we do think that the only other Dem candidate, Joseph Kopser, makes some valid points about changing the messaging that the Democratic Party has relied on over the last several years.

Texas House, District 49: Dual Endorsement: Montserrat Garibay & Kathie Tovo 

Several of the eight Democrats running for Hinojosa’s seat would make great reps, but alas, there can only be one (though we’re endorsing two). Robin Lerner, Daniel Wang, and Gigs Hodges impressed us with their unique policy solutions, expertise, and energy. But we suspect a runoff election is inevitable, and we’d want to see Garibay and Tovo in that runoff. Garibay has been a longtime advocate for public education in Austin, and brought that same fight to the U.S. Department of Education. Tovo is confident that her decade-plus of elected-servant experience as an Austin City Council member, enacting tangible changes through diligent attention to details, will translate well to the less Dem-friendly Texas House. We think either candidate would do the job well.

Texas House, District 50: Samantha Lopez-Resendez 

As James Talarico said at our endorsement interview, the candidates seeking to succeed him as District 50’s rep are an embarrassment of riches. Of the six people running in the race, Samantha Lopez-Resendez, Jeremy Hendricks, and Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch really stood out. We’re going with Lopez-Resendez, partly because of her institutional knowledge – she has worked on Rep. Donna Howard’s staff for the last six years – and because she wants to continue Talarico’s work in supporting public education. However, we were also impressed with labor leader Hendricks’ promise to defend working people if elected. And immigration attorney Lincoln-Goldfinch would surely become one of the Lege’s top defenders of the immigrant community, were she to prevail. 

Local Constable, Precinct 4: No Endorsement

We were unconvinced by the two very different candidates in this race. Gabe Padilla has been in law enforcement since 2002, garnered the vast majority of club endorsements, and has led the office since the fall, after he was hand-picked to replace longtime Constable George Morales. But we were unsatisfied with Padilla’s explanations for his short stint at APD, from which he voluntarily resigned in 2008 while under investigation. On the other hand, Al Saenz, currently a corporal in Precinct 5, offered us little evidence that he is ready for the job. Ultimately, we aren’t comfortable lending either candidate our support.

Travis County Commissioner, Precinct 2: Brigid Shea

In 2022, we urged Commissioner Shea to prioritize criminal justice issues in response to a strong challenge from Bob Libal, who criticized her support of a proposed jail expansion. Current challengers are still beating that drum, deservedly so – but Shea has changed her tune enough to be a reliable supporter of mental health diversion and counsel at first appearance, the county’s two main efforts to expand access to justice in the last four years. And, we value her institutional knowledge enough to trust her for another four. Her experience with floodplain management and climate resilience work will be important to strengthen the county’s emergency response to future disasters like last year’s devastating floods. However, we’d like to see her be more responsive to critiques from the community on her less popular votes; the best elected officials are those who are flexible and accountable to the constituents they serve. We hope Shea will listen to smart advocates like Amanda Marzullo and Rick Astray-Caneda to push county leadership further on its core functions – the justice system and the health care safety net.

Travis County Commissioner, Precinct 4: George Morales

With Margaret Gómez retiring from her long-held seat, Precinct 4 residents need two things: someone who can approximate the experience and institutional knowledge that the Commissioners Court will be losing, and someone with the urgency to act on improving quality of life for the county’s underserved neighborhoods. We think former Precinct 4 Constable George Morales is best positioned to use his already-strong relationships in the community and in government to push TxDOT on strengthening transportation in areas of Precinct 4 that sorely need it, lobby for better grocery stores and utilities in Del Valle and Dove Springs, and advocate for better health care options in Eastern Travis County. We know that his dedication to his community yields real results – as evidenced by his proactive leadership in setting up the county’s vaccine distribution program that reached a whopping 380,000 people in a convenient drive-through format that served working families well. It’s clear that all the candidates in this race care deeply for the communities in Precinct 4, but we believe Morales will be the most effective leader.

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1: Andrew Hairston 

Retiring Judge Yvonne M. Williams has two qualified candidates vying to succeed her: Ciara Parks, currently general counsel for the Travis County Juvenile Probation Department and an associate judge for the city of Manor, and Andrew Hairston, a civil rights attorney and Education Justice Project director at Texas Appleseed. Though we declined to endorse Hairston when he challenged Judge Williams in 2022, we publicly encouraged him to run again. This time around, we were persuaded by Hairston’s stated intention to center racial, economic, and social justice at the People’s Court. 

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2: Randall Slagle 

Judge Slagle has been JP in this precinct for 11 years and done nothing to make us think he shouldn’t stay in the position. Opponent Mariel Kelley, a former public school teacher who now works in the Williamson County Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division, claims Slagle has been derelict in his duties and relied too much on visiting judges to do his work. We were unswayed by her arguments, noting that in a court with roughly 20,000 cases a year and two courtrooms, it would be hard not to rely on help.

Travis County Democratic Party Chair: Doug Greco

Greco was voted into this position by his fellow precinct chairs after Pooja Sethi departed to run for the Texas House, and clearly they knew something about him that we didn’t. We weren’t impressed in the past when he sued to have more out-of-town money allowed in local elections, but he’s been a relentless fighter on behalf of local Dems despite this being an unpaid and largely thankless position. We see no reason to oust him from a job he seems well suited for.

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