Who's running in Texas's 35th 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.
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.
Economic fairness: he argues hard work should be rewarded and the playing field kept level.
Affordable health care for working families.
Public safety, drawing on his law enforcement career.
Advocating for working families and making sure everyone follows the same rules.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Nearly two decades with the Bexar County sheriff's office as a deputy and SWAT hostage negotiator.
Currently public information officer for Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar.
Born and raised on the west side of San Antonio.
Won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
He came from second place in the March primary to win the runoff against an opponent whom national and state Democratic leaders had condemned for antisemitic remarks — a result the party treated as a repudiation of that rhetoric.
— Runoff result reported by NBC News and CNN
He is a Bexar County Sheriff's deputy running in a district redrawn around San Antonio, offering a law enforcement background rather than an activist one.
— Johnny Garcia's campaign, reported by Texas Public Radio
Arguments against
He should "possibly be tried for treason" over his support for Israel, and his campaign is funded by AIPAC.
— Maureen Galindo, his Democratic runoff opponent, whose own remarks about Jews and Israel were condemned by state and national Democratic leaders
What we couldn’t verify
Garcia's response to the AIPAC funding claim was not established from the sources found; the accusation came from a candidate the party had publicly rebuked.
He has held no elected office, so there is no voting record to set against his campaign's positions.
No criticism of him by name from Carlos De La Cruz's campaign or from the National Republican Congressional Committee was found.
Fighting corruption and holding Washington accountable.
Conservative fiscal and social positions.
Applying military and small business experience to federal government.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Twenty years in the U.S. Air Force, including service at Lackland Air Force Base, a Middle East deployment and work on the southern border.
Small business owner.
Won the March 3, 2026 Republican primary.
Has not held elected office.
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 De La Cruz by name could be found: not from Johnny Garcia or his campaign, not from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, not from his Republican runoff opponent, and not from San Antonio news coverage, which centred on the Democratic runoff. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either, rather than showing his own campaign's case unanswered.
His positions and record were not stated in material available beyond his campaign site.
His fundraising totals were not reported in material available.
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.
This district has no incumbent. Texas's 2025 mid-decade redistricting moved the 35th, which had connected east San Antonio to southeast Austin along Interstate 35, south and east; it now covers south and northeast San Antonio and the suburbs of Live Oak, Converse and Elmendorf along with Guadalupe, Wilson and Karnes counties. Democrat Johnny Garcia and Republican Carlos De La Cruz won their March 3, 2026 primaries. 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.