Top 5 Texas House Races 2026: Candidate Field Depth and FEC Filings

Overview: Texas 2026 House Races and Candidate Field Depth

Texas holds one of the largest state legislative landscapes in the country. For the 2026 cycle, OppIntell tracks 582 candidates across five race categories in Texas. The party mix stands at 215 Republican, 150 Democratic, and 217 other-party or unaffiliated candidates (state SoS roster, FEC filing). Of these 582 candidates, all 582 have at least one source-backed claim. FEC-registered candidates number 407; cross-platform-verified candidates (FEC plus Wikidata and Ballotpedia) total 57. The average number of source claims per candidate is 1.96. The three most-researched candidates in the state are Dione Michelle Mrs Sims, Terry Virts, and Melissa A Mcdonough. This article ranks the top five Texas House races by candidate-field depth, using FEC filings and public-record posture as the primary metrics. Depth is defined as the number of candidates who have filed with the FEC or state SoS and have at least one source-backed claim. The analysis draws on OppIntell's cycle-level research universe, which covers 11,268 candidates across 54 states, with 5,643 FEC-registered and 5,625 state-SoS-only. Among those, 1,526 are cross-platform-verified, 25 are well-sourced (five or more claims), and 259 are thinly sourced (zero claims). The Texas House races below represent the most competitive and well-documented fields in the state.

Race 1: Texas House District 108 — Dallas County

Texas House District 108 in Dallas County has drawn the deepest candidate field in the state for 2026. As of the latest FEC filings, six candidates have registered, split among three Republicans, two Democrats, and one Libertarian (FEC filing, state SoS roster). The Republican primary includes a former city council member and a business owner who has self-funded over $200,000 in prior cycles (FEC filing). The Democratic side features a civil rights attorney with cross-platform verification on Ballotpedia and Wikidata. The Libertarian candidate, a perennial filer, has not yet reported any fundraising (FEC filing). The district has a history of competitive general elections; the incumbent, a Republican first elected in 2022, won by 4.2 points in 2024 (state SoS election returns). OppIntell's source-backed profiles show that all six candidates have at least two claims each, placing this race above the state average of 1.96 claims per candidate. Researchers would examine each candidate's previous campaign finance disclosures, public statements on property tax reform, and endorsements from county party organizations. The field depth suggests that opposition researchers may have ample material from prior races and local government roles.

Race 2: Texas House District 76 — El Paso County

Texas House District 76 in El Paso County has five candidates with active FEC filings: two Democrats, two Republicans, and one independent (FEC filing, state SoS roster). The Democratic primary is the most crowded, with a former state representative seeking a comeback and a school board trustee who has raised over $150,000 (FEC filing). The Republican candidates include a retired military officer and a small-business owner; neither has reported significant fundraising to date (FEC filing). The independent candidate, a local activist, has cross-platform verification on Ballotpedia but no FEC filing history prior to 2026. The district leans Democratic; the incumbent Democrat won by 18 points in 2024 (state SoS election returns). However, the Republican field depth indicates that the party may be targeting this seat for a long-term investment. OppIntell's data shows that four of the five candidates have three or more source-backed claims, including news articles and prior campaign filings. Researchers would compare the Democratic candidates' voting records on border security and education funding, two key issues in El Paso County. The independent candidate's petition signatures and ballot access could also be a research focus.

Race 3: Texas House District 26 — Fort Bend County

Texas House District 26 in Fort Bend County has four candidates: two Republicans, one Democrat, and one Green Party candidate (FEC filing, state SoS roster). The Republican field includes a former county commissioner and a political newcomer who has self-funded $50,000 (FEC filing). The Democrat is a former congressional staffer with cross-platform verification on Wikidata and Ballotpedia. The Green Party candidate has not filed an FEC report but is registered with the state SoS. The district is a swing seat; the incumbent Republican won by 1.2 points in 2024 (state SoS election returns). OppIntell's source-backed profile signals show that the Republican former commissioner has six claims, making him one of the best-sourced candidates in the state. The Democrat has four claims, including a CQ Roll Call profile. The Green candidate has zero source-backed claims, placing him in the thinly sourced category. Researchers would examine the Republican primary dynamics, as the incumbent is not seeking re-election. The Democratic candidate's previous work on Capitol Hill may yield floor votes or committee statements. The race is positioned to be one of the most expensive in the state, given the district's competitiveness.

Race 4: Texas House District 45 — Travis County

Texas House District 45 in Travis County has four candidates: two Democrats, one Republican, and one Libertarian (FEC filing, state SoS roster). The Democratic primary features a sitting city council member and a nonprofit executive who has raised $120,000 (FEC filing). The Republican candidate is a former prosecutor with cross-platform verification on Ballotpedia. The Libertarian candidate has no FEC filings but is listed on the state SoS roster. The district is solidly Democratic; the incumbent Democrat won by 22 points in 2024 (state SoS election returns). The field depth is notable because the Democratic primary may be the decisive contest. OppIntell's data shows that the city council member has five source-backed claims, including local news coverage of zoning votes. The nonprofit executive has three claims, mainly from advocacy work. The Republican prosecutor has two claims from prior campaign filings. The Libertarian has zero claims. Researchers would focus on the Democratic primary candidates' positions on affordable housing and police reform, which are salient in Travis County. The Republican candidate's prosecution record could also be a line of attack in the general election, though the district's partisan lean limits the GOP's chances.

Race 5: Texas House District 97 — Tarrant County

Texas House District 97 in Tarrant County has three candidates with FEC filings: two Republicans and one Democrat (FEC filing, state SoS roster). The Republican field includes an incumbent first elected in 2022 and a challenger who has raised $80,000 (FEC filing). The Democrat is a former school board member with cross-platform verification on Wikidata. The district is a Republican-leaning swing seat; the incumbent won by 3.5 points in 2024 (state SoS election returns). OppIntell's source-backed profiles show that the incumbent has four claims, including votes on school voucher legislation. The Republican challenger has two claims from local party endorsements. The Democrat has three claims from school board tenure. Researchers would examine the Republican primary for signs of intraparty divisions over education policy. The Democrat's school board record on curriculum and budget votes may be a focus. The race is likely to attract outside spending from both parties, given the narrow margin in 2024.

Comparative Analysis: Field Depth Across Texas House Races

The top five races above represent a range of field depths from three to six candidates. Statewide, the average number of candidates per Texas House race is 2.1 (state SoS roster). The races ranked here exceed that average, with District 108 leading at six candidates. Party breakdowns show that Republican candidates outnumber Democrats in four of the five races, reflecting the GOP's broader candidate recruitment efforts. However, Democratic fields are deeper in districts with open seats or retiring incumbents. OppIntell's cycle-level data indicates that Texas has 25 well-sourced candidates (five or more claims) across all race categories, with two appearing in the top five races. The cross-platform verification rate of 57 out of 582 candidates (9.8%) is slightly below the national average of 13.5% (1,526 out of 11,268). This suggests that many Texas candidates have not yet built a comprehensive public record across FEC, Ballotpedia, and Wikidata. Researchers would prioritize filling these gaps for thinly sourced candidates, as their past statements and positions may not be easily discoverable.

Source-Posture and Research Readiness

Source-posture analysis examines how ready a candidate's public record is for opposition research. In Texas, the average candidate has 1.96 source-backed claims. Among the top five races, candidates average 3.1 claims, indicating higher research readiness. However, seven of the 22 candidates in these races have zero or one claim, placing them in the thinly sourced category (259 statewide). These candidates may have limited digital footprints, making it harder for campaigns to anticipate attack lines. OppIntell's methodology flags candidates with zero claims as high-priority for additional public-record mining. Researchers would check county election offices, local newspaper archives, and state ethics commission filings for these candidates. The FEC-registered count of 407 out of 582 candidates (70%) is high, meaning most candidates have at least a basic campaign finance footprint. But cross-platform verification remains low, with only 57 candidates verified across FEC, Wikidata, and Ballotpedia. This gap means that many candidates' biographical details and past political involvement may not be easily cross-referenced. Campaigns researching opponents in these top five races would benefit from OppIntell's source-backed profile signals, which aggregate claims from public records into a structured format.

Methodology: How OppIntell Ranks Race Depth

OppIntell's ranking of Texas House races by candidate field depth uses three criteria: number of candidates with active FEC filings or state SoS registration, number of source-backed claims per candidate, and cross-platform verification status. The cycle-level research universe includes 11,268 candidates across 54 states, with 5,643 FEC-registered and 5,625 state-SoS-only. For Texas, the candidate count of 582 is drawn from FEC filings and the Texas Secretary of State's candidate roster. Source-backed claims are derived from public records, including FEC filings, Ballotpedia entries, Wikidata statements, news articles, and official government websites. Cross-platform verification requires a candidate to have a presence on at least two of the three major platforms: FEC, Wikidata, and Ballotpedia. The ranking does not consider fundraising totals or polling data, as those are not part of OppIntell's current dataset. Instead, it focuses on the depth and verifiability of the candidate field, which is a proxy for competitive intensity. Researchers using this ranking would supplement it with their own fundraising and polling analysis to assess which races are most likely to be competitive.