Texas will hold its 2026 primary elections on March 3. Here are all of the candidates who have filed for the Democratic and Republican primary elections, according to the Secretary of State. Voters in each primary will choose which candidates they want to represent their party in the November general election.
On the ballot are many statewide seats, including governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, comptroller and more. Republicans and Democrats will also choose candidates for congressional and legislative offices, the State Board of Education and judicial seats.
Early voting begins Feb. 17. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, the top two vote-getters will compete in a runoff on May 26. Texas is an open-primary state, meaning voters can decide every two years whether to pick Republican or Democratic nominees (or hold out and instead go to third-party conventions for the Green or Libertarian parties).
Of note: whichever primary you decide to vote in, you can vote only in that same party’s runoff. You can, however, vote for either party’s candidates in the general election.
Candidates are listed in alphabetical order in this ballot guide. Elections in Texas are run by the 254 counties, and each county determines the order of candidates on the ballots printed there. To see each county’s ballot order, visit the Texas Secretary of State’s site.
You’ll also see county and local elections on your ballot. Sample ballots for specific counties can be found through this list of county websites maintained by the Texas Secretary of State.
Governor
Four-year term
The governor is the chief executive of Texas. In addition to leading the state and its military forces during emergencies, the governor holds power through influence and makes roughly 1,500 state appointments during a four-year term. The governor’s legislative powers include signing or vetoing bills and laying out emergency items for state lawmakers. The seat has not been held by a Democrat since 1995. Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth term and faces many Republican primary challengers. There are also many candidates in the Democratic primary, including state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
Attorney General
Four-year term
The attorney general is the top lawyer in Texas, representing or defending the state in mostly civil litigation. The attorney general can bring forward or participate in lawsuits against the federal government, corporations or others on behalf of the public, as Paxton has done over immigration and abortion policies. The attorney general can also make legal interpretations and issue opinions on legal questions. Paxton has to step down from the office because he is running for U.S. Senate. Several Republicans are running to succeed Paxton: U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, state Senators Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman and Aaron Reitz, a former top DOJ official. In the Democratic primary, state Sen. Nathan Johnson is among the candidates.
Lieutenant Governor
Four-year term
The lieutenant governor is the second-highest executive in the state, presides over the state Senate and can heavily influence the state budget. The lieutenant governor is in charge of the Senate’s agenda and has final say when there’s a tie vote on a piece of legislation. This gives the office a lot of influence over which bills make it to the governor’s desk. Republican Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth term and faces three challengers in the primary. In the Democratic primary, there are three candidates, including state Rep. Vikki Goodwin.
Comptroller
Four-year term
The comptroller is responsible for managing the state’s money, collecting taxes, awarding state contracts, and forecasting the amount of money that’s available for the state’s budget. The comptroller’s office also holds tremendous authority over Texas’ new school voucher program, which will allow families to receive taxpayer money to cover their children’s private school or home-schooling costs. Republican Kelly Hancock, a former state senator, became the acting comptroller in 2025 and is running to keep the position. He faces Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former state Sen. Don Huffines in the Republican primary. In the Democratic primary, current state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt is among the candidates vying for the party’s nomination.
Land Commissioner
Four-year term
The commissioner of the General Land Office manages 13 million acres of state land, including land used to help fund public education through the Permanent School Fund. The office also administers federal aid after natural disasters and manages the historic Alamo site. Under current Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, the office has acquired land for state-funded border wall construction. Buckingham, a former state senator, faces no Republican challengers.
Agriculture Commissioner
Four-year term
The agriculture department supports farmers and regulates the agriculture industry, which includes overseeing pesticide use, certifying organic produce and ensuring the accuracy of measuring devices found in grocery and retail stores. The agriculture commissioner also administers school lunch and other nutrition programs. Republican Sid Miller is seeking a fourth term and faces one primary challenger.
Disclosure: The Texas secretary of state, Julie Johnson, Katherine Culbert, Merrie Fox, Stan Lambert, Donna Howard, Senfronia Thompson, Brooks Landgraf, Vikki Goodwin, Joe Jaworski, Janet Dudding and Denise Wooten have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
Illustrations by Jacob Villanueva
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