U.S. Representative, Texas District 31

John Carter has represented Texas's 31st Congressional District since it was created after the 2000 census and is Texas's third longest serving U.S. House member². Before Congress he was judge of the 277th District Court in Williamson County, and he chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs³. He won the March 3, 2026 Republican primary with about 60 percent of the vote².

Where they stand

• Energy and climate: All of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pick Said · high confidence
  • Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which used tax credits and incentives to speed a shift to cleaner energy. (2022-08-12) source
  • Voted for the Lower Energy Costs Act, which expanded oil, gas and mineral production and sped up permits for energy projects. (2023-03-30) source
  • His official House website (undated page, accessed Sept 2026) says he believes in an all of the above energy strategy that uses wind, solar, geothermal and ethanol while maximizing production and use of oil, coal and natural gas. (2026-09) source
• National debt: Cut most spending but protect Social Security and Medicare Said · high confidence
  • His official House website (undated page, accessed Sept 2026) says federal spending must be reduced, but not at the expense of programs like Social Security and Medicare. (2026-09) source
  • His campaign site describes him as a fiscal conservative who believes in balanced budgets and limited government. (2026-09) source
• Immigration: Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steady Said · high confidence
  • Voted against the American Dream and Promise Act, which offered a path to citizenship for Dreamers. (2021-03-18) source
  • Voted against the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which offered legal status to long-time farmworkers. (2021-03-18) source
  • Voted for the Secure the Border Act, which funded border wall construction, tightened asylum rules and required E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
  • Voted for the Secure America Act, which provides about $70 billion for immigration enforcement and border security through 2029. (2026-06-09) source
  • His campaign site says he fully supports President Trump's actions to close the border to illegal immigration and deport criminal aliens. (2026-09) source
  • His official House website (undated page, accessed Sept 2026) says immigration policy begins with securing the border, that people who break immigration laws should not be granted citizenship ahead of legal applicants, and that the U.S. needs an accountable temporary worker program. (2026-09) source
• Guns: Keep current laws and enforce what is already on the books Said · medium confidence
  • Voted against the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022. (2022-07-29) source
  • His official House website (undated page, accessed Sept 2026) says he supports protecting lawful gun owners' right to purchase firearms while also supporting fixes to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System so prohibited buyers cannot get guns. (2026-09) source
  • His campaign site says the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed and that he has voted against every attempt to restrict gun ownership or create backdoor registries. (2026-09) source
• Healthcare: Private insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditions Said · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which expanded association health plans and required drug middleman (PBM) price transparency. (2025-12-17) source
  • Voted against restoring the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for three years. (2026-01-08) source
  • His official House website (undated page, accessed Sept 2026) says people with preexisting conditions should be covered and patients should choose their own physician, pharmacy and services; it also says he supported the 2017 bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and calls for tort reform. (2026-09) source
• Abortion: Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incest Said · low confidence
  • Voted against the Women's Health Protection Act, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability. (2021-09-24) source
  • Voted against the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability. (2022-07-15) source
  • His official House website describes him as a strong supporter of the pro-life movement who opposes using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions. (2026-09) source
• Income taxes: Cut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporations Said · medium confidence
  • Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which set a 15% minimum tax on large corporations to help pay for energy and health programs. (2022-08-12) source
  • Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made the 2017 individual tax cuts permanent, including the 37% top rate, and extended business tax breaks. (2025-07-03) source
  • His campaign site says he proudly supported President Trump's Working Families Tax Cut. (2026-09) source
  • His official House website (undated page, accessed Sept 2026) says he proudly supported the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which reduced tax rates for most Americans. (2026-09) source
• Social Security: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Said · medium confidence
  • His official House website (undated page, accessed Sept 2026) says Social Security and Medicare must remain strong and intact, supports eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, and supports preserving the current Medicare program for those 55 and older. (2026-09) source
• Trade and tariffs: Mostly free trade with a few protections Said · low confidence
  • His official House website (undated page, accessed Sept 2026) says he strongly supported the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and notes that many district jobs rely on trade with North American partners. (2026-09) source
• Foreign policy: A strong military; help allies only when it clearly serves U.S. interests Said · medium confidence
  • His campaign site says he believes in peace through strength, supports rebuilding the military, and will put America's security above the global interests of bureaucrats and foreign governments. (2026-09) source
• Aid to Israel: Keep full aid without new conditions Said · high confidence
  • Voted for the $26 billion Israel security supplemental with no new conditions on weapons use. (2024-04-20) source
  • Voted for the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which would require delivery of weapons to Israel that the administration had paused. (2024-05-16) source
  • After his Georgetown office was vandalized over his support for an Israel aid bill, said he stands unequivocally with Israel. (2024-04-22) source
• Transgender athletes: No, and Congress should set a biological sex rule nationwide Said · high confidence
  • Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing girls' and women's school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2023-04-20) source
  • Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing girls' and women's school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2025-01-14) source
  • His campaign site says he supports legislation that prevents biological males from competing in girls' and women's athletics. (2026-09) source
• Redistricting: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the For the People Act, which would require independent redistricting commissions. (2021-03-03) source
• Campaign finance: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the For the People Act, which created public matching funds for campaigns and stricter donor disclosure. (2021-03-03) source
• Qualified immunity: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would end qualified immunity for police officers. (2021-03-03) source
• Safety net programs: Keep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adults Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted against the Build Back Better Act, which expanded aid for childcare, housing and paid family leave. (2021-11-19) source
  • Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which added work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid and expanded SNAP work requirements. (2025-07-03) source
• Childcare and pre-K: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the Build Back Better Act, which funded free universal pre-K and expanded childcare aid. (2021-11-19) source
• Paid leave: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the Build Back Better Act, which created a national paid family and medical leave program. (2021-11-19) source
• Drug prices: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap insulin costs at $35 a month. (2022-03-31) source
• Marijuana: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the MORE Act, which would legalize marijuana federally and clear past convictions. (2022-04-01) source
• Aid to Ukraine: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted for the $40 billion Ukraine aid package in May 2022. (2022-05-10) source
  • Voted for the $61 billion Ukraine security supplemental in April 2024. (2024-04-20) source
  • Voted against the Ukraine Support Act, which provides military aid to Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia. (2026-06-04) source
• E-Verify mandate: Require it for all employers Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Secure the Border Act, which would require all employers to use E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
• Mandatory minimums: Add or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl trafficking Voted · high confidence
  • Voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I and applies mandatory minimum sentences to trafficking them. (2023-05-25) source
  • Voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I and applies mandatory minimum sentences to trafficking them. (2025-06-12) source
• Student loans: Cap borrowing, simplify repayment, and skip broad forgiveness Voted · high confidence
  • Voted to overturn the Biden administration's broad student loan debt cancellation. (2023-06-21) source
  • Voted to overturn the SAVE income-driven repayment plan, which lowered payments and sped up forgiveness. (2023-12-07) source
• Politicians trading stocks: No, ban it for members and their spouses Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Stop Insider Trading Act, which bars members of Congress, their spouses and dependents from buying new individual stocks. (2026-07-22) source

No public position found on: Minimum wage, Business regulation, Judges, Term limits, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.