Lone Star Left’s Final Legislative Endorsements

This race is about where the Texas Democratic Party goes next.

Note: It’s come to my attention that in a previous episode, I may have misspelled a word in my fancy not-Microsoft Paint pictures. And I would just like everyone to focus on the fact that they are not Microsoft Paint, that sometimes typos happen, and to clap for me. 😁

In some ways, this primary has been amazing because we’ve had candidates in every race, and in some races two, three, five, and even eight Democrats on the ballot. In other words, this primary has sucked, we’ve all become tribalistic against one another, and we’ve come to the point where we have to part ways with some friends.

You may not know this, but some PACs and organizations used to give out endorsements, but after one episode of drama or another, they threw their hands up and said, “I’d rather keep my hands clean.”

And honestly, I get it. Nobody gets mad at you for not choosing. Nobody screenshots you. Nobody writes the “You’ll regret this choice” message. You don’t lose acquaintances over a ballot line.

But that isn’t why Lone Star Left exists.

My job is to find the most progressive option available in each race, the candidate most likely to move policy toward working-class Texans and away from consultant-approved talking points. But that also means understanding each district’s demographics and local history. And just as important, what the grassroots is actually building on the ground matters. I take all of that into consideration.

The strongest progressive choice is the one who can both push policy forward and grow the organizing capacity already taking shape in that district.

Whether we ever formally agreed to it or not, that’s the collective direction Texas Democrats keep signaling. Every cycle, the base gets more focused on material conditions. Wages, health care, housing, public schools, and labor. Texas is going to shock a lot of people on March 3. (Bet on that!)

So yeah, it would be easier to stay out of it.

The point is to move the party toward a working-class, materially focused politics.

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If you missed my endorsement for Legislative Re-Elections, find it here.

I am not currently making endorsements in races that do not have a primary election (so little time). They’re going to win, so we can talk about how awesome they are in the general election.

We spent more of this season focused on congressional races, but here were some of my long-form endorsements:

• SD09 - Taylor Rehmet

• HD49 - Gigs Hodges

SD09 - Cameron Rollwitz

HD03 - Nicole King

HD14 - Janet Dudding

HD25 - J. Daggett

TX26 - Elza Markowitz

HD28 - Sandy Ibanez

HD37 - Ozzie Ochoa

HD41 - Julio Salinas

HD44 - Eric Norman

HD47 - Pooja Sethi

HD50 - Jeremy Hendricks

HD64 - Julie Evans

HD97 - Diane Symons

HD98 - Aaron Hendley

HD117 - Robert Mihara

HD120 - Jordan Brown

HD125 - Adrian Reyna

HD131 - Staci Childs

HD142 -Danny Norris

Primaries are messy. Maybe they’re supposed to be, and we’re just not used to it because we used to suck. But perhaps the biggest takeaway from this is Texas Democrats don’t suck anymore, and there are a lot of solid progressives across the ballot waiting to give you healthcare and make sure the power grid works.

This is the one moment voters get to decide what the party actually stands for. November is about contrast. March is about direction.

Some of these choices were easy. Some I went back and forth on more than once. In a few races, I genuinely like multiple candidates and wish the ballot were twice as long. But eventually, you have to choose the person most capable of advancing working Texans’ material conditions in that specific seat, in this specific moment.

The party’s direction is decided in primaries.

Now, the clock is ticking down.

• February 17, 2026: First Day to Early Vote

• March 3, 2026: Primary Election

• Who Will Be On The 2026 State Ballot?

• Who Will Be On The 2026 Federal Ballot?

• Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.

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