Headed into the 2026 midterm election, Texans are living under near single-party control. Republicans have been in charge of every statewide leadership position for nearly three decades, and two years ago, they got President Donald Trump in the White House and majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, too.

After one of their best elections in recent memory in 2024, however, this year Trump isn’t on the ballot to fire up his party, and Democrats hope to make big gains off of his tumultuous return to office.

Their most feasible target to flip is the U.S. House, where every member is up for reelection, and Republicans are so nervous they redrew Texas’ maps to shore up their razor-thin majority.

The battle for the House runs straight through swingy South Texas, and two San Antonio-area districts alone are projected to see as much as $30 million spent leading up to November.

Flipping the U.S. Senate is a much taller order, but if Democrats have any chance, they must also win Texas’ marquee race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico — something that relies heavily on Talarico’s ability to win back voters in this part of the state.

State legislative races are getting some unusual attention this year too, since they hold power in a redistricting process that could solidify Republicans’ dominance in Texas for years to come. Democrats are targeting 12 GOP-held seats across the state, of which two of their best prospects are in San Antonio.

Meanwhile in Bexar County, Republicans are the ones grasping for purchase. Democrats haven’t lost a countywide office in more than a decade, and now hope to continue that record with a new generation in top leadership positions.

This year put up former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg as their nominee for Bexar County Judge, and selected former Fourth Court of Appeals Justice Luz Elena Chapa as their candidate to replace a retiring district attorney.

In all of these races, Republicans and Democrats chose their nominees in primary elections earlier this year. Now the field is largely set for the general election, with independent and third-party contenders on the ballot as well.

Get to know all of the candidates using the San Antonio Report’s 2026 Voter Guide.

Voter guide profiles are compiled by San Antonio Report senior government and politics reporter Andrea Drusch using candidates’ filing paperwork, campaign materials and past news coverage. To read our Q&As with the candidates, click the links below their bios.

Key dates in the 2026 midterm election

• Oct. 5 — Voter registration deadline
• Oct. 19-30 — Early voting
• Nov. 3 — Election Day

U.S. Senate

This year one of Texas’ two U.S. Senate seats is on the ballot, currently held by longtime U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who tried to run for a sixth term, but was knocked out by his conservative primary challenger in a stunning 28-point defeat.

National Republicans broke spending records trying to protect the more moderate Cornyn as their nominee, but President Donald Trump backed Attorney General Ken Paxton, who now faces Democrat James Talarico in a race with tremendous national interest.

Republicans control 53 out of 100 U.S. Senate seats, and Democrats would need to flip four of the 35 that are up for reelection this year to take the majority.

Though Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat to any statewide office in more than three decades, it’s still considered one of the most competitive races on a U.S. Senate map that includes almost entirely red states this election cycle.

Candidates for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat

Congress

Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the 435-member U.S. House in a year where the party out of power in the White House typically picks up seats.

A Democrat-controlled House could put the brakes on President Donald Trump’s agenda for the next two years, which is why Trump got Texas to redraw its congressional maps outside of the Census cycle last year — in hopes of electing more Republicans to offset loses elsewhere.

Under the new maps, blue Bexar County is divided between four congressional districts instead of five. Only one of them, represented by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio), is still considered safely blue. The other three don’t have an incumbent seeking reelection this year, but were drawn to favor Republicans.

After redistricting, 43% of Bexar County residents are in a new congressional district

Republicans are counting on picking up the new 35th Congressional District, which currently has a Democratic incumbent, but was reshaped to add Republican voters and cut the current congressman out of his district.

Democrats still plan to fight them for that now tougher seat, and target the deeply red 23rd Congressional District, where they hope U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales’ (R-San Antonio) resignation has opened up an opportunity.

Texas’ 20th Congressional District

Democratic U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) is seeking an eighth term in a district that changed dramatically under the new maps, but now appears even bluer than it was before.

It went from a mostly Westside district to one than encompasses most of the urban core, leaving San Antonio with one reliably blue district instead of two.

This year Castro is up against Republican Edgardo Baez, a first-time candidate hoping to make inroads with some of the reshaped district’s many new voters.

Candidates for Texas’ 20th Congressional District

Texas’ 21st Congressional District

Longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Dripping Springs) chose not to seek reelection to his reliably red district this year, waging an unsuccessful Attorney General bid instead.

Republicans chose former MLB player Mark Teixeira from a crowded field of conservatives running to replace Roy. He’ll face Democrat Kristin Hook in a district that remains deeply red.

Redistricting made it a more San Antonio-centric seat, expanding its reach into Bexar County. But it also lost a portion that stretched up into Austin — surprising a number of Republicans who live in that part of the district, and who were already campaigning to succeed Roy when the new maps were unveiled.

Candidates for Texas’ 21st Congressional District

Texas’ 23rd Congressional District

This seat has been vacant since April, when Republican Tony Gonzales resigned after admitting to an affair with a staffer.

The damaged incumbent finished second in his GOP primary, and would have gone to runoff for a second time with challenger Brandon Herrera. Instead Herrera automatically became the Republican nominee when Gonzales ended his reelection bid.

Gov. Greg Abbott could call a special election to fill it before November — open to all candidates, including Herrera and Democratic nominee Katy Padilla Stout. But Abbott has said little about his plans.

The massive San Antonio-to-El Paso district remains deeply red, but national Democrats reserved ads here anyway, hoping to capitalizing on the GOP turmoil.

Candidates for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District

Texas’ 35th Congressional District

This is an entirely new district that Republicans created for themselves when they redrew the congressional maps last year.

They broke up progressive U.S. Rep. Greg Casar’s (D-Austin) seat, which looped downtown San Antonio and Austin into a single deep-blue district. In its place, Republicans created a district that starts in San Antonio but stretches east to include more rural territory in Karnes, Wilson and Guadalupe counties.

Though the district would have supported President Donald Trump by more than 10 percentage points under its new boundaries, both parties consider it one of the top battlegrounds on this year’s U.S. House map.

There’s no incumbent on the ballot because Casar, who lives in Austin, moved over to run in a different district that’s closer to his home.

Instead Republicans and Democrats are both leaning on political newcomers, who aren’t well-known to voters but have received big help from national PACs trying to influence who controls the U.S. House in 2026.

Candidates for Texas’ 35th Congressional District

Texas statewide races

Nearly all of Texas’ statewide positions are on the ballot this year, including the governor’s office, where incumbent Republican Greg Abbott has been in charge for almost 12 years.

Statewide positions that rarely see turnover in Texas, where Republicans have controlled every statewide position for almost three decades.

But this year many positions will have new leaders regardless of who wins in November, because the incumbent either moved on to a new role or lost their primary.

Texas Governor

Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth four-year term in 2026, which would make him the state’s longest-serving governor if he wins and completes his term. He faces Democrat Gina Hinojosa and Libertarian Pat Dixon in November.

Candidates for Texas Governor

Lieutenant Governor

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth, four-year term in a powerful role that oversees the Texas Senate. He faces three challengers this November.

Candidates for Texas Lieutenant Governor

Texas Attorney General

Attorney General Ken Paxton opened up one of the most powerful positions in the state by running for U.S. Senate instead of reelection this year.

The Attorney General is the state’s top prosecutor, and it’s responsible for consumer protection and enforcing child support orders as well. Republican Mayes Middleton won his party’s nomination in an expensive primary that went to a runoff with U.S. Rep. Chip Roy. (R-Dripping Springs).

He now faces fellow Texas state Sen. Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas) and trial attorney Tom Oxford in the race to replace Paxton.

Candidates for Texas Attorney General

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

The comptroller oversees many financial responsibilities for the state, and ambitious Texas leaders saw a rare statewide opening when former Comptroller Glenn Hegar left it to accept a position overseeing the Texas A&M University system last year.

Gov. Greg Abbott tried to install a successor in state Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills), but Republican Don Huffines stunned political watchers by defeating Hancock and two other candidates with an outright victory in the GOP primary.

Afterwards, Hancock resigned from his temporary comptroller appointment and Abbott tapped Huffines to take over. Huffines now faces three opponents, including Democrat Sarah Eckhart, in his bid for a full, four-year term this November.

Candidates for Texas Comptroller

Commissioner of the General Land Office

Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham faces two opponents as she seeks a second four-year term overseeing the state’s General Land Office. The position manages state-owned lands, including the Alamo, where a major redevelopment project has put Buckingham at the center of a many fights with local leaders.

Candidates for Land Commissioner

Commissioner of Agriculture

Incumbent Ag Commissioner Sid Miller lost his primary to fellow Republican Nate Sheets — a businessman who had the backing of Gov. Greg Abbott. Now the race is down to mostly political newcomers.

The role is responsible for an array of agricultural issues, such as regulating pesticides and grocery scales, as well as overseeing school nutrition programs.

Candidates for Texas Ag Commissioner

Railroad Commission of Texas

The Railroad Commission of Texas oversees the state’s oil and gas industry, and its three members serve staggered six-year terms. Just one of them, Republican Jim Wright, was up for reelection this year.

Wright lost his primary to Bo French, an oilman and conservative activist who chaired the Tarrant County Republican Party. Now it’s an open, three-way race between French, state Rep. Jon Rosenthal (D-Houston) and Libertarian Arthur DiBianca.

Candidates for Railroad Commissioner

Texas Senate

Republicans controlled 18 out of 31 seats in the Texas Senate last legislative session — a majority that will be difficult for Democrats to overcome anytime soon. Its members serve staggered four-year terms, and 16 seats are up for reelection in 2026.

Bexar County is divided between four Texas Senate districts, three of which are on the ballot this year: Democratic incumbents Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio), Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) and José Menéndez (D-San Antonio).

The lone Republican representing part of Bexar County, state Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), isn’t up until 2028.

Senate District 19

Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) was first elected to the Texas Senate in 2020, and ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in Texas’ 2024 U.S. Senate race.

He’s been an outspoken critic of state GOP leaders, and this year faces a Republican opponent, Marcus Cardenas, who has Gov. Greg Abbott’s backing.

Candidates for Texas Senate District 19

Senate District 21

Democrat Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) is one of the longest-serving members of the Texas Senate, first elected in 1986.

She fended off a Democratic primary challenger this year and drew one Republican opponent, Julie Dahlberg.

Candidate for Texas Senate District 21

Senate District 26

Democratic state Sen. José Menéndez (D-San Antonio) served on the San Antonio City Council and in the Texas House before winning the seat in a 2015 special election.

He didn’t draw a Republican opponent this year, but faces a Green Party challenger, Julián Villarreal, who also ran for the seat in 2020.

Candidates for Texas Senate District 26

Texas House races

Republicans control 88 out of 150 Texas House seats, giving them so much power that the biggest fights are often between factions of the Republican Party rather than with Democrats.

After the Texas Legislature green-lit changes to the state’s congressional maps last year, however, national Democrats declared it mission-critical to start chipping away at that Republican majority.

Most state House districts are drawn solidly in favor of one party or the other, but Democrats have laid out 12 GOP-held targets they think they have a chance of flipping, including two of the 10 districts representing Bexar County. Even if they won all of them this year, it wouldn’t be enough to take the majority.

House District 116

Longtime incumbent state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) is seeking a fifth consecutive term.

Martinez Fischer was once the leader of House Democrats’ strategy, but lost that role last session.

This year he faces Republican Rhett Rosenquest Smith, who works in security.

House District 117

State Rep. Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio) has held the seat on and off since 2012. He was one of the only Democrats who didn’t leave the state to break quorum and stall Republicans’ redistricting effort last year, and drew a Democratic primary challenger over that issue in 2026.

The district has been reliably blue for some time, but Republican Ben Mostyn, who ran for the seat in 2024, is challenging Cortez again this year.

Candidates for Texas House District 117

House District 118

This swingy Southside seat is considered one of the most competitive Texas House districts in the state, and it’s one of Democrats’ two targets in the San Antonio area this year.

Incumbent Republican John Lujan (R-San Antonio) flipped the district for Republicans several years ago, but ran unsuccessfully for Congress instead of reelection this year.

Republicans nominated a conservative, Jorge Borrego to replace the more moderate Lujan. Democrats renominated their 2024 candidate, Kristian Carranza, who raised big money last election cycle.

Candidates for Texas House District 118

House District 119

Incumbent Democratic state Rep. Liz Campos (D-San Antonio), a former legislative staffer, is running for a fourth term.

She faces Republican Melva Rivera Perez, a retired operational planner, in a district that’s been reliably blue but overlaps with a fiercely contested race in Congressional District 35 this year.

Candidates for Texas House District 119

House District 120

State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio) is seeking a sixth term in her East Side district.

She defeated two Democratic primary challengers this year, but is unopposed in the general election.

Candidates for Texas House District 120

House District 121

Republican state Rep. Marc LaHood (R-San Antonio) won the seat by defeating an incumbent from his own party, Steve Allison, in 2024.

Democrats have long hoped they could flip this seat if enough moderate Republicans soured on the GOP’s rightward march, but LaHood beat a well-funded opponent by a wide margin that November.

Democrats once again consider this district one of their two San Antonio-area targets.

LaHood will face Democrat Zack Dunn, a prosecutor and first-time candidate.

Candidates for Texas House District 121

House District 122

Republican state Rep. Mark Dorazio (R-San Antonio), a leader in the party’s conservative wing, won the seat after moderate Republican Lyle Larson retired in 2022. Dorazio is a former Republican Party of Bexar County chair known for pushing the party to the right.

This year he faces Democrat Shelly Nickels, a hospital medical director, in a district that’s been reliably red.

Candidates for Texas House District 122

House District 123

Democratic state Rep. Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio), an attorney and former San Antonio City Council member, won the seat in a 2015 special election.

Bernal is once again running unopposed in both the Democratic primary and general election in 2026.

Candidates for Texas House District 123

House District 124

Democratic state Rep. Josey Garcia (D-San Antonio), a U.S. Air Force veteran, is seeking a third term representing the Southwest side.

The district has been reliably blue, but Garcia faces a rematch in November with Republican Sylvia Soto, a teacher who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2024.

Candidates for Texas House District 124

House District 125

Longtime Democratic state Rep. Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio) is retiring this year, creating an opening in his reliably blue Westside seat.

Democrats nominated SAISD union leader Adrian Reyna, whose dad once represented this district.

Reyna is up against Republican Ricardo Martinez this November.

Candidates for Texas House District 125

Bexar County races

Nearly all of Bexar County’s elected officials are up for reelection this year, including the DA, county judge and two out of four commissioners court seats. The sheriff and the other two commissioners were just reelected to four-year terms in 2024.

Republicans currently control just one seat on the Bexar County Commissioners Court, Precinct 3, which isn’t up this year. They haven’t won a countywide office in more than a decade.

Bexar County District Attorney

District Attorney Joe Gonzales, a progressive Democrat who first won the seat in 2018, isn’t seeking reelection this year.

Democrats chose their nominee, former Fourth Court of Appeals Justice Luz Elena Chapa, from a field of eight candidates with more prosecutorial experience.

Republicans just had one candidate sign up for the job, Ashley Foster, plus a former Republican judge who is running as an independent, Jason Wolff.

Candidates for Bexar County DA

Bexar County Judge

Incumbent Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai, a Democrat who was first elected in 2022, lost his primary to former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Nirenberg now faces Republican Patrick Von Dohlen in November, while Sakai is serving out the remainder of his term, which ends in December.

Candidates for Bexar County Judge

Bexar County District Clerk

District Clerk Gloria Martinez, a Democrat, lost her primary to Christine “Chris” Castillo, who is unopposed in the November election.

Candidates for District Clerk

Bexar County Clerk

Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark, a Democrat, fended off a primary challenger in a runoff this year but did not draw a Republican opponent.

Candidates for Bexar County Clerk

Bexar County Precinct 2 Commissioner

Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, a Democrat who previously served in the Texas House, has held the Precinct 2 seat since 2019, when then-Judge Nelson Wolff appointed him to replace the late Commissioner Paul Elizondo. Rodriguez will face Republican challenger David Sherwood Hill in November.

Candidates for Bexar County Pct. 2 Commissioner

Bexar County Precinct 4 Commissioner

Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert (Pct. 4), a Democrat who has held the seat since 2014, did not draw a Republican opponent this year. Instead he faces a challenge from an independent candidate, Roy Anthony II.

Candidates for Bexar County Pct. 4 Commissioner

Justice of the Peace for Bexar County’s Pct. 1

Justice of the Peace Sylvia Ruiz isn’t seeking reelection in 2026. Democrats nominated Armando Cruz Jr. to fill her seat, and no Republicans filed for this race.

Candidates for Bexar County Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace

Justice of the Peace for Bexar County’s Pct. 3

Incumbent Julie Bray Patterson, a Republican who was first elected in 2022, is unopposed in her bid for a second term.

Candidates for Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace

Justice of the Peace for Bexar County’s Pct. 4

Justice of the Peace Michele Garcia, a Democrat elected in 2022, declined to seek reelection while battling cancer. She died in December, and Anna Campos was appointed to the seat after winning the Democratic primary in March. Campos is unopposed in her bid for a full four-year term this November.

Candidates for Bexar County Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace

Judicial races

Texas Supreme Court

The Texas Supreme Court is comprised of nine members who serve staggered, six-year terms. All positions are elected on a statewide basis, and are currently held by Republicans. Four seats are on the ballot in 2026.

Texas Supreme Court — Chief Justice

Republican Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock was appointed to the chief justice position by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2025, after the previous chief justice, Nathan Hecht, reached the state’s judicial age cap. He faces Democrat Maggie Ellis in November.

Candidates for Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice

Texas Supreme Court — Place 2

Justice James P. Sullivan was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to fill this position when Justice Jimmy Blacklock was promoted to chief justice in January of 2025. Sullivan is now running to hold it for the rest of Blacklock’s unexpired term. He faces Democrat Chari Kelly in November.

Candidates for Texas Supreme Court — Place 2

Texas Supreme Court — Place 7

Incumbent Republican Justice Kyle Hawkins was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in October 2025 to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd. He’s now running for a full term and faces Democrat Kristen Hawkins.

Candidates for Texas Supreme Court — Place 7

Texas Supreme Court — Place 8

Incumbent Republican Brett Busby was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court in 2019 when Justice Phil Johnson retired. He won a full term in 2020,  and now faces a rematch with Gisela Triana in his bid for a second. 

Candidates for Texas Supreme Court — Place 8

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest appellate court for criminal cases in Texas. It’s comprised of nine members who are elected on a statewide basis, and serve staggered six-year terms.

All seats are currently held by Republicans, but the court experienced big turnover in last cycle’s primary last election after Attorney General Ken Paxton campaigned against long-serving Republican judges who said he didn’t have broad authority to prosecute election fraud.

Two remaining GOP judges who signed onto that ruling, Bert Richardson and David Newell, are retiring instead of seeking reelection this year. A third Republican Justice, Kevin Patrick Yeary, is seeking a third term.

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 3

Incumbent Republican Justice Bert Richardson is running for a lower court instead of seeking reelection. Thomas Smith won a four-way GOP primary to take his place, and faces Democrat Okey Anyiam and Libertarian Mark Ash in November.

Candidates for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 3

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 4

Republican Justice Kevin Patrick Yeary was first elected in 2014, and is the only incumbent seeking reelection this year. He faces Democrat Audra Riley in November.

Candidates for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 4

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 9

Incumbent Justice David Newell is retiring and Republicans nominated John Messinger to take his place. He faces Democrat Holly Taylor in November.

Candidates for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 9

Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals

The 15th Court of Appeals was created during the 2023 legislative session and has jurisdiction over cases involving the state, state leaders, challenges to state law, and cases from the state’s new business court.

Its three inaugural justices, all Republicans, were appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott. They’re on the ballot for the first time in 2026 and each face Democratic challengers in November. The positions are elected on a statewide basis.

Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice

Incumbent Republican Justice Scott Brister will face Democrat Jerry Zimmerer in November.

Candidates for 15th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice

Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 2

Incumbent Republican Justice Scott Field will face Democrat Tom Baker in November.

Candidates for Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 2

Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 3

Incumbent Republican Justice April Farris will face Democrat Marc Meyer in November.

Candidates for Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 3

4th Court of Appeals

The 4th Court of Appeals is a regional appellate court based in San Antonio. It hears appeals to cases from a 32-county region that includes parts of the Hill Country and South Texas — which has made for a politically swingy voter base in recent years.

The court’s seven members serve staggered six-year terms, and they’re elected by the voters in its 32 counties.

Democrats held the majority of the seats going into the last election, but Republicans spent big money flipping nearly Democrat-held appellate court seat in the state in 2024 — including electing three new Republicans on the 4th Court of Appeals.

This year the GOP could expand that majority, as the court’s chief justice steps down.

4th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice

Incumbent Democratic Chief Justice Rebecca Martinez is not seeking reelection, and Democrats nominated district court Judge Antonia Arteaga to fill her seat. She faces Republican Bert Richardson, who is retiring from a position on the statewide Court of Criminal Appeals, in November.

Candidates for 4th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice

District Courts

Each Texas county is served by at least one district court, which hears felony criminal cases, divorce cases, cases involving title to land, election contest cases and civil matters.

Large counties like Bexar County have many of them, specializing in criminal, civil and juvenile cases. These judges are elected on a countywide basis, and serve four-year terms, with roughly half of the courts up for reelection in midterm years. 

Bexar County’s district courts used to swing back and forth between Democrats and Republicans, but that stopped as the county trended bluer in recent years.

Democrats flipped the last remaining Republican-held district court judgeships in 2022, leading to more competitive Democratic primaries and fewer general election fights, as Republicans struggled to recruit candidates.

Six San Antonio-area judges fall in Democratic primary upsets

This year there’s just one Republican incumbent, Judge Ben Robertson, who was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to fill a vacancy in the 226th Criminal District Court. Robertson is now running for a civil bench seat in 2026, since his background is in energy law.

45th Civil District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Mary Lou Alvarez is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 45th Civil District Court

144th Criminal District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Michael Mery lost his primary to Michael De Leon, who is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 144th Criminal District Court

150th Civil District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Monique Diaz is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 150th Civil District Court

186th Criminal District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Kristina Escalona is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 186th Criminal District Court

187th Criminal District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Stephanie R. Boyd lost her primary to Stephanie Franco, who is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 187th Criminal District Court

224th Civil District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Marisa Flores is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 224th Civil District Court

225th Civil District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Christine Vasquez-Hortick faces a challenge from Republican Benjamin Robertson, who is currently a judge in the 226th District Court.

Candidates for the 225th Civil District Court

226th Criminal District Court

Incumbent Republican Judge Benjamin Robertson is running for a civil bench seat in a different court. Democrats nominated Ana Ochoa Nelson to fill the seat, and she is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 226th Criminal District Court

227th Criminal District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Christine Del Prado is unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 227th Criminal District Court

285th Civil District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Nadine Melissa Nieto is unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 285th Civil District Court

288th Civil District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Cynthia Marie Chapa is unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 288th Civil District Court

289th Juvenile District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Rose Sosa is unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 289th Juvenile District Court

290th Criminal District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Jennifer Peña is unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 209th Criminal District Court

436th Juvenile District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge William “Cruz” Shaw lost his primary to Raymond Villareal, who is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 436th Juvenile District Court

437th Criminal District Court

Incumbent Democratic Judge Joel Perez is unopposed in November.

Candidates for the 437th Juvenile District Court

Bexar County Courts-at-Law

Judges in the 15 Bexar County Courts-at-Law serve four-year terms, and all of them are up for reelection in 2026. In a blue county, Democrats control every county bench seat, and few Republicans signed up to run against them.

This year there were two retirements, in County Court at Law No. 8 and No. 9.

County Court at Law No. 1

Incumbent Democrat Helen Petry Stowe faces Republican Bob Behrens, a former judge, in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 1

County Court at Law No. 2

Incumbent Democrat Melissa Saenz is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 2

County Court at Law No. 3

Incumbent David Rodriguez is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 3

County Court at Law No. 4

Incumbent Democrat Alfredo Ximenez faces a rematch with former Republican Judge Jason Roland Garrahan in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 4

County Court at Law No. 5

Incumbent Democrat Andrea Arevalos is unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 5

County Court at Law No. 6

Incumbent Democrat Erica Dominguez is unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 6

County Court at Law No. 7

Incumbent Democrat Melanie Lira is unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 7

County Court at Law No. 8

Democrats nominated Victoria Cruz to replace retiring Judge Mary Roman. She will face Republican Celeste Brown in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 8

County Court at Law No. 9

Democrats nominated Jessica A. Gonzalez to replace retiring Judge Gloria Saldaña. She will face Republican Daphne Previti Austin in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 9

County Court at Law No. 10

Incumbent Democrat Cesar Garcia is running unopposed in November, after fending off a Democratic challenger in a primary runoff.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 10

County Court at Law No. 11

Incumbent Democrat Erica Peña is unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 11

County Court at Law No. 12

Incumbent Democrat Yolanda Huff lost her primary to Lauren Zamora, who is up against Republican Deborah Dietzmann in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 12

County Court at Law No. 13

Incumbent Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez lost her primary to Alicia Perez, who is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 13

County Court at Law No. 14

Incumbent Democrat Carlo Rodriguez Key lost his primary to Audrey Martinez, who is running unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 13

County Court at Law No. 15

Incumbent Democrat Melissa Vara is unopposed in November.

Candidates for County Court at Law No. 15

Probate Courts

Bexar County has three probate courts that handle wills and the distribution of assets after a person’s death. They serve four-year terms, and two of them are on the ballot in 2026. Neither drew an opponent.

Probate Court No. 1

Incumbent Oscar J. Kazen is unopposed in November.

Candidates for Probate Court No. 1

Probate Court No. 2

Incumbent Democrat Veronica Vasquez is unopposed in November.

Candidates for Probate Court No. 2

Note: The Nov. 4 ballot will also include races for three seats on the Bexar Central Appraisal District’s board of directors, as well as some local school board races. These are nonpartisan positions that don’t require a primary, and the candidate filing period is still open until August 17. The candidates will be included in our voter guide when we update it closer to the election.

San Antonio Report government and politics reporter Andrea Drusch built our 2026 voter guides. Questions? Email andrea@sareport.org.