Texans will decide who their state elected officials will be during the 2026 primaries. (Photo by Katie Serrano)
Early voting for the March 3 primaries begins Feb. 17.
After the GOP’s redistricting plans were upheld by the Supreme Court, Democratic candidates across North Texas were forced to reconsider where to run for the March 3 primaries. Some saw their districts, which were once Democratic strongholds, stretched into rural, Republican-dominated areas. Others’ hometowns were drawn out of their districts entirely.
Here’s what to know.
Dates:
- Feb. 2 is the last day to register to vote in the March 3 primaries.
- Early voting runs from Feb. 17-27.
- The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Feb. 20.
- March 3 is Election Day.
- If one candidate doesn’t receive more than 50% of the total vote, a runoff election will be held on May 26.
- Winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will face off in the midterm election on Nov. 3.
District 30
US Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) represented District 30, which now covers parts of South Dallas, Duncanville, Cedar Hill, De Soto, Lancaster, and Tarrant County, since 2023. She was drawn out of her district under the GOP’s new voting maps. Instead of seeking re-election, she recently announced her run for US Senate.
Rev. Frederick Haynes III, who has served as the senior pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Oak Cliff for over 40 years, is running to replace her. He will face pastor Rodney LaBruce and former state Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway in the Democratic primary.
The district remains a Democratic stronghold, but four candidates will face off in the Republican primary: Sholdon Daniels, Gregor Heis, Everett Jackson, and Nils Walker.
District 32 & 33
US Rep. Julie Johnson, the first LGBTQ+ member of Congress elected from a state in the South, is running for District 33 after the district she currently represents, 32, was also redrawn this summer.
She’ll face former US Rep. Colin Allred—whose seat she filled in 2024 when he entered the US Senate race—Zeeshan Hafeez, and Carlos Quintanilla in the Democratic primary on March 3.
Allred, who lost to Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz last year and initially planned to run for US Senate again in 2026, announced that he would instead be running for District 33.
US Rep. Marc Veasey has represented the district since 2012. But after his hometown of Fort Worth was drawn out under the new maps, he announced plans to run for Tarrant County Judge instead of seeking reelection. However, a week later he announced he would be suspending his campaign to focus on his last term in Congress, where he said he believes he is needed most.
Patrick Gillespie, Monte Mitchell, Kurt L. Schwab, and John Sims are running in the Republican primary.
District 32, which once represented parts of Dallas, Farmer Branch, Richardson, and Plano, now covers parts of Rockwall, Upshur, Hunt, Rains, Wood, and Camp.
Nine Republicans—Ryan Binkley, Paul Bondar, Aimee Carrasco, Darrell Day, Gordon Heslop, Monty Montanez, James Ussery, Abteen Vaziri, and Jace Yarbrough—will face off in the party’s primary.
Only two Democrats, Dan Barrios and Anthony Bridges, are running in the District 32 Democratic primary.
Tarrant County Judge
Voters will also decide the next Tarrant County Judge this year.
Republican incumbent Tim O’Hare, who is backed by President Donald Trump, is seeking reelection. He will face Robert Trevor Buker in the Republican primary, while Tarrant County Precinct 2 Commissioner Alisa Simmons and Millennium Anton C. Woods—who unsuccessfully ran for Fort Worth mayor in 2025—will face off in the Democratic primary.
DFW candidates running statewide
Three Democrats and four Republicans are vying to become the next Texas Attorney General after Ken Paxton announced he would not seek reelection and instead run for US Senate.
State Sen. Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas) will face Tony Box and Joe Jaworski in the Democratic primary.
State Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston), former Assistant Attorney General Aaron Reitz, and US Rep. Chip Roy (R-Austin) will face off in the Republican primary.
Helpful Links
For a full list of Dallas County candidates click here. For a full list of Tarrant County candidates click here.
Find your Dallas County sample ballot here or Tarrant County sample ballot here.
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