The Brief
- Republicans are defending three critical Texas House seats in the Corpus Christi area, the Rio Grande Valley, and San Antonio against Democratic challengers.
- Campaign debates center on private school vouchers, state funding for public education, water infrastructure, and healthcare costs.
- Election results remain pending, testing whether the GOP can preserve recent South and Central Texas gains or if Democrats will flip the seats back.
AUSTIN, Texas – Republicans are defending three Texas House seats that Democrats hope to reclaim on Nov. 3. Races in the Corpus Christi area, the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio are testing whether the GOP can hold on to recent gains in Texas.
Texas House races to watch
Local perspective:
The following races feature two incumbents seeking reelection and an open-seat contest with a sharp divide over Texas’ private school vouchers. These candidates’ campaign websites also highlight issues such as water supplies, property taxes and health care costs as other areas of concern for Texans.
- In District 34, Republican Rep. Denise Villalobos faces Democrat Stephanie Saenz.
- In District 37, Republican Rep. Janie Lopez faces Democrat Oziel Ochoa Jr.
- In District 118, Republican Jorge Borrego and Democrat Kristian Carranza are competing to succeed Republican Rep. John Lujan.
Texas House District 34: Corpus Christi area
Republican candidate Denise Villalobos is seeking a second term in a Corpus Christi-area district she flipped to Republican control in 2024. She won that race with more than 10 percent of the vote. The oil and gas engineer emphasizes water infrastructure, public safety and local jobs on her campaign website. Villalobos’ campaign credits her with helping secure $46 million in state support for the region’s water system and another $4 million for drainage projects in Robstown and Petronila.
State Representative Denise Villalobos, a Republican from Texas, speaks during a “Get Out The Vote” event with Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, at the Corpus Christi Police Officers Association Hall in Corpus Christi, Texas, US, on Frida
Stephanie Saenz, a former public-school teacher with nearly 30 years of experience in education, is trying to return the seat to Democrats. She supports increased classroom funding, higher teacher pay, universal prekindergarten and expanded access to affordable health care.…