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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


November general election

Oct. 5

Voter registration deadline


Oct. 19-30

Early voting period


Nov. 3

Election Day



Check your voter registration and find your polling place below.




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 August 1, 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 endorsements for the November 3 general election.

Endorsement for U.S. Senate

  • James Talarico


Endorsements for U.S. Congress

  • CD 2 Shaun Finnie

  • CD 7 Lizzie Pannill Fletcher

  • CD 9 Leticia Gutierrez

  • CD 10 Caitlin Rourk

  • CD 15 Bobby Pulido

  • CD 16 Veronica Escobar

  • CD 18 Christian Menefee

  • CD 19 Kyle Rable

  • CD 20 Joaquin Castro

  • CD 21 Dr. Kristin Hook

  • CD 22 Marquette Greene-Scott

  • 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

  • CD 38 Melissa McDonough


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

Agriculture Commissioner: Clayton Tucker

Comptroller: Sarah Eckhardt

Land Commissioner: Benjamin Flores

Railroad Commissioner: Jon Rosenthal

State Board of Education:

  • District 2: Thomas Ray Garcia

  • District 4: Dr. Coretta Mallet-Fontenot

  • District 5: Allison Bush

  • District 6: Michelle Palmer

  • District 7: Tiffany Perkinz

  • District 8: Dana Van De Walker

  • District 9: Ericka Ledferd

  • District 13: Tiffany Clark

  • District 14: Amy Taylor


Endorsements for Texas Legislature

Texas State Senate:

  • SD 9 Taylor Rehmet 

  • SD 19 Roland Guitierrez 

  • SD 13 Borris Miles

  • SD 26 Jose Menendez


Texas State House:

  • HD 1 Sean Huffman

  • HD 22 Christian Manuel

  • HD 26 Elizabeth Markowitz

  • HD 27 Ron Reynolds 

  • HD 28 Sandy Ibanez

  • HD 31 Jennifer Dominguez

  • HD 37 Oziel Ochoa Jr.

  • HD 38 Erin Gamez 

  • HD 40 Terry Canales

  • HD 41 Julio Salinas

  • 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 52 Chris Jimenez

  • HD 54 Dawn Richardson

  • HD 55 Amelia Rabroker

  • HD 56 Ashley Bean Thornton

  • HD 61 Brittany Black

  • HD 65 Detrick Deburr

  • HD 70 Mihaela Plesa 

  • HD 74 Eddie Moreles Jr.

  • 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 89 Angie Carraway

  • 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 Junior Ezeonu

  • 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 130 Brett Robinson

  • HD 133 Josh Wallenstien

  • HD 134 Ann Johnson 

  • HD 135 Odus E. Evbagharu 

  • HD 136 John Bucy III 

  • HD 137 Gene Wu 

  • HD 138 Tyler Smith

  • 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 Darlene Breaux


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