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Ballot Explained

U.S. House · November 3, 2026

Who's running in Texas's 12th congressional district

2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.

Candidates
2
Incumbent
Craig Goldman
Parties
Republican · Democratic
State primary
Mar 3

Candidates appear in ballot order. We do not rank them, score them, or recommend one — here is how this is put together, and here is what the office actually does.

2 candidates · ballot order · Craig Goldman currently holds this seat

Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Border security, including funding and use of the National Guard against human trafficking.
  • Property tax reduction; he points to the largest property tax cut in Texas history.
  • Conservative fiscal policy and advocacy for taxpayers.
  • Criminal justice measures targeting repeat violent sexual offenders.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • U.S. Representative for the 12th District since January 2025; elected in 2024 with 63.5%.
  • Member of the Texas House of Representatives before Congress, where he served in Republican leadership.
  • Authored Molly Jane's Law in Texas, which identifies patterns of violent sexual predators to allow earlier apprehension.
  • Endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott and former Governor Rick Perry.
  • Advanced from the March 3, 2026 Republican primary.

Arguments in favor

  • He voted to impeach a member of his own party and defended it on the process rather than the politics: "not one time did I ever say Ken Paxton was innocent or guilty" — the vote was about whether there was enough evidence for a Senate trial. He then beat Paxton's endorsed candidate in the runoff.

    — Craig Goldman, quoted by The Dallas Morning News

  • He chaired the Texas House Republican Caucus before Congress and now sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the chamber's most consequential panels.

    — Craig Goldman's office

Arguments against

  • He is not a true conservative: his vote to impeach Ken Paxton was a betrayal, and Paxton and his allies targeted him over it.

    — John O'Shea, his Republican runoff opponent, endorsed by Ken Paxton, reported by The Texas Tribune and The Dallas Morning News

What we couldn’t verify

  • That criticism dates from the 2024 Republican runoff rather than this cycle; no criticism of him by name from his 2026 general election opponent or from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was found.
  • This district was redrawn in Texas's 2025 mid-decade redistricting; how the new boundaries change his position was not established from the sources found.
  • His legislative record in his first term was not established from the sources found.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:craiggoldman.orgsos.state.tx.uspolitics1.comen.wikipedia.orgtexastribune.orgdallasnews.comcraiggoldman.house.gov

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Universal health care access, in a state with the country's highest uninsured rate.
  • Universal child care.
  • Fully funding public schools.
  • Removing billionaire money from politics and protecting voting rights.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Entrepreneur and educator with over a decade of experience in the technology sector.
  • Texas A&M graduate; raised in Stephenville, now based in Fort Worth.
  • Granddaughter of civil rights activist Pauline Gasca Valenciano.
  • Has not held elected office.
  • Won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No published criticism of Rodriguez Prilliman by name could be found: not from Craig Goldman or his campaign, not from the National Republican Congressional Committee, not from her Democratic primary opponent, and not from Fort Worth news coverage. Because no case against her exists on the record, none is presented for her either, rather than showing her own campaign's case unanswered.
  • She is reported in some coverage as Heli Rodriguez Prilliman; the certified ballot name should be checked against the Texas Secretary of State's list before publication.
  • Her fundraising totals were not reported in material available.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:helifortexas.comsos.state.tx.uspolitics1.com

Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.

Texas held its primary on March 3, 2026. Republican incumbent Craig Goldman and Democrat Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman are the two candidates on the November ballot. The district was redrawn in Texas's 2025 mid-decade redistricting and covers western Tarrant County — including the western half of Fort Worth, Benbrook, Saginaw and Haltom City — plus most of Parker County. Roster confirmed against the Texas Secretary of State's certified ballot. Neither candidate is listed with arguments for or against here: no published criticism of either candidate by name from someone opposing them could be found, and setting out a case against one and not the other would tilt the page.

This is one contest on a longer ballot

A Texas ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.

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