Who is running for State Representative District 29 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for State Representative District 29 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Texas House District 29.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Karen ReederDemocrat | Jeff BarryRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion | No public position | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestVoted · low |
| Immigration | No public position | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadySaid · medium |
| AI data centers | No public position | Welcome them, but make them pay their full share of grid and water costsVoted · low |
| School choice | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsSaid · medium | Yes, universal school choice for every familyVoted · medium |
| Curriculum and books | No public position | Parents, including the right to remove material they object toVoted · medium |
| Property taxes | No public position | Eliminate school property taxes and replace them with sales tax or state moneySaid · medium |
| Housing and growth | No public position | Allow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downVoted · medium |
| Policing and crime | No public position | Tougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailVoted · medium |
| Election rules | No public position | Strict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsOfficial action · low |
| Redistricting | No public position | State legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantageVoted · medium |
| Kids online | No public position | Require app stores and platforms to verify age and get parental consentSaid · medium |
| School vaccines | No public position | Keep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsOfficial action · medium |
| Transgender athletes | No public position | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsSaid · medium |
| DEI programs | No public position | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsVoted · medium |
| Religion in schools | No public position | Support laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsVoted · medium |
| China policy | No public position | Get tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesOfficial action · medium |
Karen Reeder
DemocratMechanical engineer and project manager
Karen Reeder is the Democratic candidate for Texas House District 29 in Brazoria County. She is a mechanical engineer and project manager with more than two decades of experience in engineering and operations, and a mother of daughters32. She faces Republican incumbent Jeff Barry on Nov. 3, 20261.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site says she will fully fund public schools, raise teacher pay and stop voucher schemes that drain Brazoria County classrooms. (2026) source
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, 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.
Jeff Barry
Republican · IncumbentState Representative, Texas House District 29
Jeff Barry is a Republican who represents Texas House District 29 in Brazoria County, first appearing on the House roster in January 20252. He is an insurance broker with more than 20 years of experience, a former Pearland city councilman and school board trustee, and a Navy veteran3. He faces Democrat Karen Reeder on Nov. 3, 20261.
Where they stand 17 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familymedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 2 (2025), which created a state education savings account program that can pay for private school; it passed the House 86 to 61. (2025-04-17) source
Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 13 (2025), which set up local school library advisory councils and parental rights over school library materials; it passed the House 86 to 55. (2025-05-28) source
- Voted yes on the final version of SB 13 (2025); the House adopted the conference committee report 81 to 48. (2025-05-31) source
DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 12 (2025), which set parental rights rules and prohibited diversity, equity and inclusion duties in K-12 public schools; it passed the House 88 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 11 (2025), which allows schools to set a period for prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious texts; it passed the House 88 to 48. (2025-05-23) source
- Is listed as a House cosponsor of SB 10 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. (2025) source
China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 17 (2025), which restricts purchases of Texas real property by certain foreign governments, entities and people, including from China; it passed the House 86 to 59. (2025-05-09) source
- Is listed as a House cosponsor of SB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in real property by certain aliens or foreign entities. (2025) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says he will make border security a top priority with more border security resources and more law enforcement on the front lines. (2026) source
- Voted yes on SB 8 (2025), which requires certain sheriffs to enter agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; it passed the House 86 to 47. (2025-05-25) 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), the mid-decade redrawing of Texas congressional districts; it passed the House 88 to 52. (2025-08-20) source
- Is listed as a House coauthor of 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. (2025) source
Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says he stands firmly behind protecting girls and women sports for female athletes at the high school and collegiate levels. (2026) source
Kids onlineRequire app stores and platforms to verify age and get parental consentmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says he voted for the App Store Accountability Act, which requires age verification and parental consent before a child downloads apps, including social media. (2026) source
- Voted yes on HB 186 (2025), which would have prohibited minors from using social media platforms; it passed the House but did not become law 116 to 25. (2025-04-30) source
Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 9 (2025), which tightened bail procedures and regulated charitable bail groups; it passed the House 118 to 25. (2025-05-20) source
- His campaign site says he voted to let judges deny bail to the most dangerous offenders and to end parole eligibility for sexual predators and child traffickers. (2026) source
Housing and growthAllow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 15 (2025), which bars certain large cities from requiring large minimum lot sizes for new homes, on third reading; it passed the House 86 to 43. (2025-05-28) source
- Voted yes on the final version of SB 15 (2025), which bars certain large cities from requiring large minimum lot sizes for new homes; the House adopted the conference committee report 78 to 57. (2025-06-01) source
School vaccinesKeep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsmedium
Official action · medium confidenceProperty taxesEliminate school property taxes and replace them with sales tax or state moneymedium
Said · medium confidence- His 2026 Community Impact answer lists reforming appraisals, eliminating school maintenance taxes, and delivering lasting tax cuts as top priorities. (2026-09) source
- Voted yes on SB 10 (2025, second called session), which lowered the voter-approval tax rate limit for certain local governments; it passed the House but did not become law 78 to 52. (2025-08-25) source
AI data centersWelcome them, but make them pay their full share of grid and water costslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted yes on SB 6 (2025), which set rules for how very large electricity users such as data centers connect to the grid and share related costs; it passed the House 103 to 25. (2025-05-27) source
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow
Voted · low confidence- Voted yes on HB 7 (2025, second called session), which restricted the making and distribution of abortion-inducing drugs and allows private lawsuits; it passed the House 82 to 48. (2025-08-28) source
Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotslow
Official action · low confidence- Is listed as a House cosponsor of SB 16 (2025), relating to requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to register to vote. (2025) source
MarijuanaNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on HB 46 (2025), which expanded the state's medical low-THC cannabis program; it passed the House 122 to 21. (2025-05-13) source
- Voted yes on SB 3 (2025), which would have banned most consumable hemp products containing THC; it passed the House and was later vetoed by the governor 87 to 54. (2025-05-22) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Guns, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Gender care for minors, 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, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.