top of page

Current Endorsements

Wherever decisions are made about us, they cannot be made without us.

Our members have told us that one of their biggest concerns is the lack of educator input into state-level policies like testing, school funding, licensure, and evaluation. And we have seen the results.


Teachers and school staff must participate in every level of the democratic process so they can have a voice at every table — at the school board, at the state Capitol, in the halls of Congress, and at the ballot box.

Upcoming Election Dates


May Primary Runoff Election

Apr. 27

Voter registrationdeadline


May 18-22

Early voting period


May 26

Election Day



Our Endorsement Process

For a candidate or incumbent to earn Texas AFT’s Committee on Political Education (COPE) endorsement, they must demonstrate a solid understanding of and commitment to our members’ priorities, including:  

  • Fully funded public schools

  • Safe, sustainable working conditions

  • Wages that reflect the worth of their work

  • Rejection of privatization efforts, whether through vouchers or charters

  • An end to excessive standardized testing


 In deciding on our union’s endorsements, Texas AFT COPE weighs several factors:   

  • Incumbent voting records on public education issues from the most recent legislative session and previous sessions  

  • Answers to our candidate questionnaire 

  • Perspectives from our labor siblings at the Texas AFL-CIO and regional labor councils  

  • Campaign contributions from individuals and PACs aligned with anti-public education or privatizer viewpoints 


Texas AFT COPE does not endorse in all races. Our primary focus is on the Texas Legislature, the State Board of Education, and other statewide offices. Sometimes we also endorse congressional candidates.


Texas AFT COPE Endorsements

As of April 3, 2026

All endorsements have been recommended by our Texas AFT Committee on Political Education (COPE) and approved by our state federation’s executive council. The following represent Texas AFT COPE’s first round of endorsements for the March 3 primary election. You can expect this page to update with subsequent endorsements as we get closer to the November general election.


Endorsements for U.S. Congress

  •  CD 10 Caitlin Rourk

  •  CD 15 Bobby Pulido

  •  CD 18 Christian Menefee

  •  CD 19 Kyle Rable

  • CD 20 Joaquin Castro

  •  CD 21 Dr. Kristin Hook

  •  CD 23 Katy Padilla Stout

  •  CD 27 Tanya Lloyd

  •  CD 29 Sylvia Garcia 

  •  CD 30 Rev. Frederick Haynes  

  •  CD 31 Justin Early

  •  CD 33 Colin Allred

  •  CD 34 Vicente Gonzalez

  •  CD 35 Johnny Garcia

  •  CD 37 Greg Casar


Endorsement for U.S. Senate

  • James Talarico


Watch James Talarico's endorsement video here!

Check out Gina Hinojosa's speech here!



Texas AFT's Committee on Political Education (COPE) allows public school employees to build political power and elect pro-public school candidates. By donating to the Texas AFT COPE, you put more support behind endorsed candidates who will stand with us and with our public schools. It’s an investment in the future of our schools and communities, and every dollar counts when you’re up against billionaire-backed anti-pub ed cronies. 



Endorsements for Statewide Office

Governor: Gina Hinojosa


Lieutenant Governor: Vikki Goodwin 


Attorney General: Nathan Johnson


Land Commissioner: Jose Loya 


Agriculture Commissioner: Clayton Tucker


Railroad Commissioner: Jon Rosenthal


State Board of Education:

District 13: Tiffany Clark


Endorsements for Texas Legislature

Texas State House:

  • HD 1 Sean Huffman

  • HD 26 Elizabeth Markowitz

  • HD 27 Ron Reynolds 

  • HD 28 Sandy Ibanez

  • HD 38 Erin Gamez 

  • HD 40 Terry Canales 

  • HD 45 Erin Zwiener 

  • HD 46 Sheryl Cole 

  • HD 47 Pooja Sethi  

  • HD 48 Donna Howard 

  • HD 49 Montserrat Garibay  

  • HD 50 Jeremy Hendricks  

  • HD 51 Lulu Flores 

  • HD 54 Dawn Richardson

  • HD 56 Ashley Bean Thornton

  • HD 70 Mihaela Plesa 

  • HD 75 Mary Gonzalez 

  • HD 76 Suleman Lalani 

  • HD 77 Vince Perez 

  • HD 78 Joe Moody 

  • HD 79 Claudia Ordaz 

  • HD 86 Cullin Knutson

  • HD 87 Diana Loya

  • HD 90 Ramon Romero Jr. 

  • HD 92 Salman Bhojani 

  • HD 94 Katie O’Brien Duzan

  • HD 95 Nicole Collier 

  • HD 100 Venton Jones 

  • HD 101 Chris Turner 

  • HD 102 Ana-Maria Ramos 

  • HD 103 Rafael Anchia 

  • HD 104 Jessica Gonzalez 

  • HD 105 Terry Meza 

  • HD 107 Linda Garcia 

  • HD 108 Allison Mitchell 

  • HD 109 Aicha Davis 

  • HD 110 Toni Rose 

  • HD 111 Yvonne Davis

  • HD 112 Zach Herbert 

  • HD 113 Rhetta Andrews Bowers 

  • HD 114 John Bryant 

  • HD 115 Cassandra Hernandez 

  • HD 116 Trey Martinez Fischer 

  • HD 118 Kristian Carranza 

  • HD 121 Zack Dunn

  • HD 124 Josey Garcia 

  • HD 125 Adrian Reyna

  • HD 131 Lawrence Allen Jr.

  • HD 134 Ann Johnson 

  • HD 135 Odus E. Evbagharu 

  • HD 136 John Bucy III 

  • HD 137 Gene Wu 

  • HD 139 Charlene Ward Johnson 

  • HD 140 Armando Walle 

  • HD 141 Senfronia Thompson 

  • HD 143 Ana Hernandez 

  • HD 144 Mary Ann Perez 

  • HD 145 Christina Morales 

  • HD 146 Lauren Simmons 

  • HD 148 Penny Morales Shaw 

  • HD 149 Hubert Vo


bottom of page