Texas 35th District
This is a newly drawn district, so nobody holds the seat. 2 candidates were on the ballot on November 3, 2026.
Who should win this race, and why?Say what you think. Other readers can answer you.DiscussCarlos De La Cruz
Republican · retired Air Force veteran, gym owner
ALiberty Score A100 out of 100 across 4 principles. Graded on what Cruz has said and done, because I have no votes in Congress to count for Cruz.
Raised $2,021,118 since January 2025: 61% from people, 21% from PACs and other committees, 15% transfers and other income. The filing at FEC.gov
Johnny Garcia
Democrat · Bexar County sheriff's deputy
No gradeNo grade yetI have no votes in Congress to count for Garcia, and what Garcia has said and done settles only 3 of my principles. I went through it on October 30. A grade needs 4.
Raised $2,201,579 since January 2025: 80% from people, 18% from PACs and other committees, 2% transfers and other income. The filing at FEC.gov
Voting in Texas: how to register, vote early or vote by mail. Election Day was November 3.
Side by side
A solid letter is a grade from recorded votes on that principle. An outlined letter is on the same scale, for a candidate with no votes: it comes from what that candidate has said and done, and every source is listed below.
Carlos De La Cruz, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Cruz, so the grade above comes from this list: what Cruz has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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His campaign site says America cannot afford to lose the artificial intelligence race to communist China and that he would protect America's most advanced technology.
“we cannot afford to lose the AI race to communist China.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Naming the Chinese Communist Party's government as the rival to beat and pledging to guard advanced technology from it is the with side of confronting regimes on tyranny.
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Asked whether it was time to wind down US military engagement around Iran, he said no one wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon, that troops are doing important work, that nobody wants a forever war and that it should be resolved peacefully and responsibly.
“No one wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and our troops are doing some very important work to protect our country. And nobody wants a forever war in the Middle East.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
He names Iran and a nuclear weapon but names no policy and balances the troops' work against a peaceful resolution, so the words do not settle a side.
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In a newspaper questionnaire he said Congress should reduce regulatory burdens on small businesses.
“we should be reducing regulatory burdens on small businesses.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Less regulation is with liberty on free markets.
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His campaign site says he will roll back green regulations.
“I'll roll back radical green regulations”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Less regulation is the with side of this measure.
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In a newspaper questionnaire he said health care needs more competition and not more government control.
“We need more competition, not more government control.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Preferring competition to government control of health care is the with side of this measure.
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At a forum he described the president's tariffs as too broad and said more strategic tariffs were needed; the quoted words do not themselves name tariffs.
“a little too broad — way too broad,”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
The quoted words do not name the subject, so the line settles nothing.
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His campaign site says he will fight to keep biological men out of girls' sports.
“I'll fight to keep biological men out of our daughters' sports.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Keeping women's sport female is the with side of this measure.
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In a newspaper questionnaire he called for finishing border security with infrastructure, personnel, technology and legal authority for border officials.
“That means finishing the job on border security: the infrastructure, personnel, technology, and legal authority for border officials to do their work without Washington tying their hands.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Securing the border and enforcing the law is with liberty on borders.
Johnny Garcia, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Garcia, so the grade above comes from this list: what Garcia has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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Says he believes Hamas is a terrorist organization.
“I firmly believe the actors of Hamas are a terrorist organization”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Naming Hamas a terrorist organization is the with side of being against supporters of Hamas.
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Calls the current war in Iran careless and reckless.
“This war is careless and it's reckless”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
The quote does not itself name Iran or a policy to stop, so it does not settle the measure.
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His campaign site says the war in Iran must end to lower gas prices, without naming a policy, bill or vote.
“We must end the war in Iran so that we lower gas prices.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
'End the war' with no policy, bill or vote named is unclear for anyone under the site's precedent.
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Says the United States must make sure its closest ally in the Middle East stays safe and can protect itself.
“We need to make sure our closest ally in the Middle East remains safe and has the ability to protect itself.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
The quote does not itself name Israel, so it does not settle the measure.
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Says he supports security grants for synagogues and Jewish schools with the ability to monitor hateful rhetoric online.
“I support security grants for synagogues and Jewish schools, with the ability to also monitor hateful rhetoric and antisemitism online”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
Monitoring is not stated as a demand to remove lawful speech, so it does not settle the measure.
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His campaign site calls for ending the tariffs that he says raised prices.
“We need to end reckless tariffs that have driven up the price of everything from coffee to tomatoes to appliances.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing broad tariffs is the opposite of against liberty on free markets, which counts praise for them as against.
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Says his priority is lower costs and not tax breaks for big corporations and billionaires.
“My priority will be lower costs, not tax breaks for big corporations and billionaires.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Opposing tax breaks for corporations is the against side of lower taxes.
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His campaign site backs comprehensive immigration reform with border security and pathways to citizenship, and says ICE should focus on criminals.
“We need comprehensive immigration reform that includes border security, pathways to citizenship, and work visas that meet our economy’s needs.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
It pairs border security with pathways to citizenship and does not say whether those pathways cover people here illegally, so the words do not settle the measure.
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Says Border Patrol should have what it needs to keep the border secure and ICE should focus on criminals.
“We should make sure that Border Patrol has what they need to keep our border secure and ICE should be focused on criminals and held to the same standard as police.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Funding Border Patrol to secure the border is the with side of the measure.
Who is on the ballot: the state election offices, as listed on Wikipedia on November 3, 2026, checked against the candidate file of the Federal Election Commission. See a name that is wrong or missing? Say so in the discussion.
Who should win this race, and why?
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Discussion
Texas 35th District
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