Who is running for State Representative District 50 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for State Representative District 50 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Texas House District 50.
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 | Howard OlsenRepublican | Samantha Lopez-ResendezDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion | No public position | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Said · low |
Howard Olsen
RepublicanCombat veteran and first responder advocate
Howard Olsen's campaign website says he served 11 years in the U.S. military, including with the 2-16 Rangers and psychological operations, and that he helped deliver supplies during the Georgetown floods2. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary34 and faces Democrat Samantha Lopez-Resendez for the open District 50 seat1.
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.
Samantha Lopez-Resendez
DemocratLongtime chief of staff to Rep. Donna Howard; former bilingual educator
Samantha Lopez-Resendez is a former bilingual educator and longtime chief of staff to Representative Donna Howard1. She won the Democratic primary with 52 percent of the vote in unofficial results2 and faces Republican Howard Olsen for the open District 50 seat3.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low
Said · low confidence- Her campaign issues page says health care decisions belong to patients and doctors, not politicians, and that she will protect reproductive freedom. (2026) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, 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.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.