U.S. Representative, Texas District 16

Veronica Escobar has represented El Paso in Congress since winning election in 2018 and serves on the House Appropriations Committee²⁷. Before Congress she was an El Paso County commissioner and then county judge, and earlier taught English at UTEP and El Paso Community College². She was unopposed in the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary⁶.

Where they stand

• Healthcare: Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All) Said · high confidence
  • Voted against the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, a private-market bill on association health plans and PBM transparency. (2025-12-17) source
  • Voted for restoring the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for three years. (2026-01-08) source
  • Her campaign platform says healthcare is a human right and that she supports Medicare for All. (2026) source
• Income taxes: Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programs Said · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which set a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a tax on stock buybacks to help pay for energy and health programs. (2022-08-12) source
  • Voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made the 2017 individual tax cuts permanent at every income level. (2025-07-03) source
  • Her campaign platform says she has backed efforts to make corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share and supports expanding the Child Tax Credit. (2026) source
• Social Security: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Said · medium confidence
  • Her campaign platform says she will protect Social Security without cuts or privatization and supports expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing care. (2026) source
• Paid leave: Create a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick days Said · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Build Back Better Act, which created a national paid family and medical leave program. (2021-11-19) source
  • Her campaign platform says she supports guaranteeing paid family leave. (2026) source
• Minimum wage: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Said · medium confidence
  • Her campaign platform says she supports raising the minimum wage. (2026) source
• Immigration: Tighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residents Said · high confidence
  • Voted for the American Dream and Promise Act, which offered a path to citizenship for Dreamers and some long-time TPS holders. (2021-03-18) source
  • Voted for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which offered legal status to long-time farmworkers and required E-Verify in agriculture. (2021-03-18) source
  • Voted against the Secure the Border Act, which funded border wall construction and tightened asylum rules. (2023-05-11) source
  • Voted against the Secure America Act, which provides about $70 billion for immigration enforcement and border security. (2026-06-09) source
  • Led the introduction of the bipartisan Dignity Act, which would create a pathway to legal status for long-term undocumented immigrants, protect Dreamers, expand legal pathways and change asylum processing. (2023) source
  • Her campaign platform describes her plan as strengthening border management and modernizing legal immigration while restoring dignity to people in the system. (2026) source
• Guns: All of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines Said · high confidence
  • Voted for the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022, which would ban the sale of many semi-automatic assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. (2022-07-29) source
  • Her campaign platform says she has written and supported gun safety bills including an assault weapons ban, required safe storage and background checks for firearm sales. (2026) source
• Abortion: Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks) Voted · high confidence
  • Voted for the Women's Health Protection Act, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability and later when a patient's life or health is at risk. (2021-09-24) source
  • Voted for the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability and later when a patient's life or health is at risk. (2022-07-15) source
  • Her campaign platform lists support for a woman's right to choose her healthcare. (2026) source
  • Her House biography notes she is a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus. (2026) source
• Redistricting: Independent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymandering Said · medium confidence
  • Voted for the For the People Act, which would require independent commissions to draw congressional maps and ban partisan gerrymandering. (2021-03-03) source
  • Her campaign platform says Congress should pass voting rights legislation that ends gerrymandering nationwide. (2026) source
• Campaign finance: Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaigns Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the For the People Act, which created small-donor public matching funds, required disclosure of big donors and called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. (2021-03-03) source
  • Her campaign platform says federal voting rights legislation should limit dark money in elections. (2026) source
• Energy and climate: A gradual shift to cleaner energy, driven by incentives Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which used tax credits and incentives to speed a shift to cleaner energy. (2022-08-12) source
  • Voted against the Lower Energy Costs Act, which expanded oil, gas and mineral production. (2023-03-30) source
  • Her campaign platform says she treats climate change as urgent, helped pass the largest clean energy investment in U.S. history, and is focused on expanding clean energy. (2026) source
• Trade and tariffs: Free trade with strong labor and environmental standards Said · medium confidence
  • In her first campaign she pledged to defeat border tariffs, defend gains from trade, and seek stronger protections for workers, businesses and the environment in any renegotiated NAFTA. (2018) source
• Politicians trading stocks: No, ban it for members and their spouses Said · high confidence
  • Voted against the Stop Insider Trading Act, a stock purchase ban for members that also carried voter ID provisions. (2026-07-22) source
  • Said it is long past time to ban congressional stock trading, announced she cosponsors H.R. 396, and signed a discharge petition to force a vote on banning stock trading and ownership by members and their families. (2025-12-15) source
• Aid to Israel: Keep it, but with conditions on how weapons are used and aid to Gaza Said · high confidence
  • Voted for the $26 billion Israel security supplemental with no new conditions on weapons use. (2024-04-20) source
  • Voted against the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which would require delivery of paused weapons to Israel. (2024-05-16) source
  • Said she supports defensive weapons for Israel but that offensive weapons should be withheld until Israel allows sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza and protects civilians. (2024-04-03) source
• Qualified immunity: No, end it for police so officers or departments can be sued for rights violations Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would end qualified immunity for police officers in civil rights lawsuits. (2021-03-03) source
• Safety net programs: Expand help for childcare, housing and paid family leave Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Build Back Better Act, which expanded aid for childcare, housing and paid family leave. (2021-11-19) source
  • Voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which added Medicaid work requirements and expanded SNAP work requirements. (2025-07-03) source
• Childcare and pre-K: Offer free pre-K to every 4-year-old, and expand childcare aid Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Build Back Better Act, which funded free universal pre-K and expanded childcare aid. (2021-11-19) source
• Drug prices: Negotiate more drugs and extend the insulin and yearly cost caps to private insurance Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap insulin costs at $35 a month for people with Medicare and private insurance. (2022-03-31) source
• Marijuana: Legalize it and clear past convictions Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted for the MORE Act, which would remove marijuana from federal drug schedules and clear past federal marijuana convictions. (2022-04-01) source
• Aid to Ukraine: Restore strong U.S. aid and add tougher sanctions on Russia Voted · high 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 for the Ukraine Support Act, which provides military aid and loans to Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia. (2026-06-04) source
• Transgender athletes: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2023-04-20) source
  • Voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2025-01-14) source
• E-Verify mandate: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the Secure the Border Act, which would require all employers to use E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
• Mandatory minimums: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against the HALT Fentanyl Act, which applies mandatory minimum sentences to fentanyl-related trafficking. (2023-05-25) source
  • Voted against the HALT Fentanyl Act, which applies mandatory minimum sentences to fentanyl-related trafficking. (2025-06-12) source
• Student loans: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
  • Voted against overturning the Biden administration's broad student loan debt cancellation. (2023-06-21) source

No public position found on: National debt, Business regulation, Foreign policy, 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.