Who is running for State Representative District 23 in 2026?

Texas State Representative, District 23

Terri Leo Wilson is a Republican who has represented Texas House District 23 since the 88th Legislature in 2023²⁷. She is a former teacher and school case manager who served three terms on the State Board of Education before joining the House²⁷. In a 2026 candidate questionnaire she described herself as very conservative and wrote that she supports promoting school choice, using the state surplus to buy down school property taxes toward elimination, and all measures of election integrity¹.

Where they stand 20 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familyhigh

  Voted · high confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire said she supports promoting school choice and that education belongs first to parents. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 2 (2025), relating to the establishment of an education savings account program; it passed the House 86 to 61. (2025-04-17) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 2 (2025); it was enacted. (2025) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 62 (2023, third called session), relating to the establishment of a parental empowerment program administered by the comptroller of public accounts. (2023) source
• Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodshigh

  Questionnaire answer · high confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire said there is no provision for separation of church and state in the U.S. Constitution and that Americans should have religious freedom within government. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 10 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms; it passed the House 82 to 46. (2025-05-25) source
  • Voted yes on SB 11 (2025), relating to a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text in public schools; it passed the House 88 to 48. (2025-05-23) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 2116 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. (2025) source
• Gender care for minorsNo, ban these treatments for minorshigh

  Questionnaire answer · high confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire strongly agreed that attempts to physically or socially transition a child constitute child abuse and said she co-authored a bill to end gender transition surgeries and chemical procedures on minors. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 14 (2023), relating to prohibitions on the provision to certain children of procedures and treatments for gender transitioning, gender reassignment, or gender dysphoria; it passed the House 87 to 56. (2023-05-15) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 14 (2023); it was enacted. (2023) source
• Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionshigh

  Questionnaire answer · high confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire strongly agreed that biological males should not take part in women's sports, and said she co-authored the 2023 bill on sports and a 2025 bill on women's private spaces. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 15 (2023), relating to requiring public institution of higher education students who compete in intercollegiate athletic competitions to compete based on biological sex; it passed the House 95 to 50. (2023-05-18) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 1123 (2025), relating to interscholastic athletic competition based on biological sex. (2025) source
• China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app saleshigh

  Questionnaire answer · high confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire strongly agreed that the Chinese Communist Party poses serious threats and said she carried a bill to stop hostile foreign nations from buying Texas land. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in real property by certain aliens or foreign entities; it passed the House 86 to 59. (2025-05-09) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 518 (2025), relating to the ownership of agricultural land by nonresident aliens or foreign entities. (2025) source
• AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire said an elective abortion should be allowed only to save the life of the mother. (2026) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 1806 (2025), relating to certain prohibited transactions and logistical support between a governmental entity and an abortion assistance entity or abortion provider. (2025) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 65 (2025, first called session), relating to abortion, including civil liability for distribution of abortion-inducing drugs. (2025) source
  • Voted yes on HB 7 (2025, second called session), which set prohibitions on making and providing abortion-inducing drugs; it passed the House 82 to 48. (2025-08-28) source
• Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire strongly agreed that government should support the right of parents to direct their child's education, and said she co-authored a bill to put that right in the Texas Constitution. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 13 (2025), relating to school library materials, local school library advisory councils and parental rights regarding library catalogs; it passed the House 86 to 55, and she voted yes on the conference report, 81 to 48. (2025-05-28) source
• DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 12 (2025), relating to parental rights in public education and a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion in K-12; it passed the House 88 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
  • Voted yes on SB 17 (2023), relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at public institutions of higher education; it passed the House 83 to 62. (2023-05-22) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 436 (2025), relating to the requirement by certain governmental entities for diversity, equity, and inclusion statements and training from employees and applicants. (2025) source
• ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire strongly disagreed with supporting sanctuary cities and said she co-sponsored SB 4 (2023), which made illegal entry a state crime. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 4 (2023, fourth called session), relating to prohibitions on illegal entry into or illegal presence in this state by a person who is an alien; it passed the House 83 to 61. (2023-11-14) source
  • Voted yes on SB 8 (2025), relating to agreements between sheriffs and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law; it passed the House 86 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 2257 (2025), relating to required agreements between county sheriffs and the United States to enforce federal immigration law. (2025) source
• Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire strongly disagreed that people should be able to vote without photo ID, said she will not waver from the current law, and said she supports all measures of election integrity including proof of citizenship. (2026) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 4068 (2025), relating to requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to register to vote. (2025) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 2245 (2025), relating to the verification of the citizenship status of registered voters. (2025) source
• RedistrictingState legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantagemedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 4 (2025, second called session), relating to the composition of the districts for the election of members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas; it passed the House 88 to 52. (2025-08-20) source
• Property taxesEliminate school property taxes and replace them with sales tax or state moneymedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire said she supports using the state surplus to buy down school maintenance and operations property taxes, working toward property tax elimination. (2026) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 52 (2023, second called session), relating to the repeal of or limitations on certain state and local taxes, including school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes. (2023) source
• Energy and climateMaximize oil and gas; climate rules hurt the economymedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire said fossil fuels and nuclear energy are the most reliable sources of power and that she does not view man-made climate change as a global threat. (2026) source
• Nuclear powerBack new reactors with public funds, tax credits, and streamlined approvalsmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 14 (2025), relating to support for the development of the nuclear energy industry; it was enacted. (2025) source
  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire described nuclear energy as reliable and efficient and cited it as an example of technological innovation she supports. (2026) source
• Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 9 (2025), relating to the confinement or release of defendants before trial or sentencing, including the conditions of and procedures for setting bail; it passed the House 118 to 25. (2025-05-20) source
  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire said the goal of the justice system is public safety and that she has co-authored many bail reform bills. (2026) source
• Mandatory minimumsAdd or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl traffickingmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 6 (2023), relating to the designation of poisoning with a controlled substance included in Penalty Group 1-B for purposes of the death certificate and to the criminal penalties for certain controlled substance offenses; it passed the House 124 to 21. (2023-04-28) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 764 (2025), relating to increasing the minimum term of imprisonment and changing the eligibility for community supervision. (2025) source
• Kids onlineBan social media accounts for minorsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 186 (2025), relating to prohibiting use of social media platforms by children; it passed the House 116 to 25. (2025-04-30) source
• School vaccinesKeep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1586 (2025), relating to an exemption from required immunizations for school enrollment; it passed the House 83 to 54. (2025-05-14) source
  • Was listed as an author of HB 730 (2025), relating to the affidavit form for claiming an exemption from required immunizations. (2025) source
  • Her 2026 candidate profile says she signed the Vaccine Choice Protection Pledge. (2026) source
• GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 3137 (2023), relating to prohibited local regulation with respect to a firearm or air gun; it was enacted. (2023) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 3053 (2025), relating to municipal and county firearm buyback programs; it was enacted. (2025) source
• Minimum wageNo single answer fitsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In a 2026 candidate questionnaire said she opposes minimum wage bills that lead to job losses, favors free-market solutions and opposes national mandates. (2026) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Business regulation, Healthcare, Texas power grid, AI data centers, Housing and growth, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, E-Verify mandate.

Democratic nominee, Texas House District 23

Cheryl Lynn Clark is the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 23. She defeated Sean Foley in the March 2026 Democratic primary¹. Local press reported that she has no campaign website, public platform or readily available campaign photos².

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, AI data centers, School choice, Curriculum and books, Property taxes, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.