US House · TX-28
FederalTano Tijerina (R) faces Henry Cuellar (D) for TX-28's U.S. House seat on November 3, 2026.
Democratic incumbent Henry Cuellar defends a district that leans Republican under the 2025 map, yet Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball both rate it Lean Democratic after Trump's December 2025 pardon ended the federal bribery case against him. His challenger is Tano Tijerina, a Democrat-turned-Republican Webb County judge who won the GOP primary decisively.
Incumbent: Henry Cuellar(D)
Represents Laredo and South Texas in Congress, one of the most competitive House seats in Texas and a national bellwether for Latino voter alignment.
November General Election
Nov 3, 2026Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball both rate this Lean Democratic after Trump's December 2025 pardon of Henry Cuellar removed the bribery prosecution hanging over his reelection. Inside Elections rates it Tilt Democratic, seeing Cuellar as only narrowly favored in a district Trump won by 10 points under the new map.
The November ballot, explained
Texas race coverage by email, only when something changes before Nov 3.
Primary Results
Winner.Tano Tijerina
Eileen Day
Winner.Henry Cuellar(i)
Ricardo Villarreal
Andrew VantineRepublican nominee
Webb County Judge; fmr. Democrat
Democratic nominee
Also on the ballot
- Marlón DuránGreen
Certified for the November 3 ballot by the Texas Secretary of State, August 28, 2026.
Campaign Finance
Dataset updated Sep 19, 2026FEC · Coverage through Jun 30, 2026
Incumbent (D, TX-28). Candidate ID retains the TX-23 prefix from his original 2002 filing.
FEC · Coverage through Jun 30, 2026
Republican nominee, TX-28.
| Candidate | Party | Total Raised | Total Spent | Cash on Hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Cuellar | Democratic | $2,231,952 | $1,150,307 | $1,129,604 |
| Tano Tijerina | Republican | $1,399,881 | $631,693 | $768,188 |
Frequently Asked
Who is running for Congress in Texas' 28th District in 2026?
Tano Tijerina (R) faces Henry Cuellar (D, incumbent) in the November 3, 2026 general election.
When is the 2026 TX-28 election?
The general election is November 3, 2026. The voter registration deadline is October 5, early voting runs October 19 to 30, and mail-ballot applications are due October 23.
Is the 2026 TX-28 race competitive?
Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball rate the race Lean Democratic. The rating is the handicapper's assessment, not a TexPolls forecast.
What area does TX-28 cover?
Represents Laredo and South Texas in Congress, one of the most competitive House seats in Texas and a national bellwether for Latino voter alignment.
How were the 2026 TX-28 nominees decided?
Democratic incumbent Henry Cuellar defends a district that leans Republican under the 2025 map, yet Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball both rate it Lean Democratic after Trump's December 2025 pardon ended the federal bribery case against him. His challenger is Tano Tijerina, a Democrat-turned-Republican Webb County judge who won the GOP primary decisively.
Who else is on the ballot in Texas' 28th District in 2026?
Beyond the Republican and Democratic nominees, Marlón Durán is the Green candidate. The full November 3 ballot was certified by the Texas Secretary of State on August 28, 2026.
Key Dates
Other federal races
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