Who is running for State Representative District 63 in 2026?

Clinical psychologist

Denise Wooten is a Democrat and clinical psychologist from Flower Mound with 35 years of full-time practice and seven years as an adjunct professor at North Central Texas College³. She attended the doctoral psychology program at Baylor University and says she has spent her career working with ordinary people³. She ran unopposed in the March 2026 Democratic primary and has run for this seat before, in the 2022 general election and the 2024 Democratic primary².

Where they stand 7 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In the 2026 ATPE survey she listed repealing the education savings account (ESA) bill among her legislative priorities and said the state can pay for added public school funding by repealing it. (2026) source
  • In the 2024 ATPE survey she said no vouchers of any type should be passed in the Texas Legislature. (2024) source
• DEI programsKeep them and let each school or agency decidemedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In the 2024 ATPE survey she said diversity, equity and inclusion programs must be re-established at colleges and universities. (2024) source
• AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low

  Said · low confidence

  • Her campaign site says Texas must preserve a woman's right to make reproductive choices for herself. (2026) source
• Curriculum and booksNo single answer fitsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • In the 2026 ATPE survey she said it should be up to local districts to select their curricula and library books, with districts accountable for meeting state standards. (2026) source
  • In the 2024 ATPE survey she said educators should be the ones to select curricula and book choices. (2024) source
• GunsNo single answer fitslow

  Said · low confidence

  • Her campaign site says Texas should increase sensible assault rifle legislation. (2026) source
• RedistrictingNo single answer fitslow

  Said · low confidence

  • Her campaign site lists advancing fair voting rights without egregious gerrymandering as a priority. (2026) source
• Property taxesNo single answer fitslow

  Said · low confidence

  • Her campaign site lists reducing the property tax burden on the middle class among her priorities. (2026) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Immigration, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, AI data centers, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, 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, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, Religion in schools, China policy.

Texas State Representative, District 63

Ben Bumgarner is a Republican from Flower Mound who represents Texas House District 63 in southern Denton County and has served in the House since January 2023⁴⁴. Before that he served on the Flower Mound Town Council and as mayor pro tem, and he co-owns a small business⁴⁵. He serves on the Environmental Regulation and Pensions, Investments and Financial Services committees, and his campaign lists lower taxes, border security, first responders, energy and small business as priorities⁴⁵²⁸.

Where they stand 22 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familymedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • 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), relating to the establishment of an education savings account program. (2025) source
  • Voted no on the Raney amendment (Amendment No. 2) to HB 1 (2023, fourth called session), a bill that included the establishment of an education savings account program, which would strike Article 6 of the bill; the House adopted it 84 to 63. (2023-11-17) source
• Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • 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 a House cosponsor of SB 10 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. (2025) 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, including requirements and prohibitions regarding instruction and diversity, equity, and inclusion duties; 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
• China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase or acquisition of real property by certain aliens or foreign entities. (2025) source
  • Voted yes on SB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase or acquisition of real property by certain aliens or foreign entities; it passed the House 86 to 59. (2025-05-09) source
• Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 13 (2025), relating to school library materials, local school library advisory councils and parental rights regarding library catalogs and access; it passed the House 86 to 55. (2025-05-28) source
  • Voted yes on HB 900 (2023), relating to the regulation of library materials sold to or included in public school libraries; it passed the House 95 to 52. (2023-04-20) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 900 (2023), relating to the regulation of library materials sold to or included in public school libraries. (2023) source
  • In a 2022 ATPE candidate survey he said educators should have first and last say on curriculum, and also that constituents should be allowed to protest pornographic library material and lawmakers should be able to overrule it. (2022) 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
  • Was 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
• 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
• Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 9 (2025), relating to the confinement or release of defendants before trial or sentencing, including regulating charitable bail organizations, and the conditions of and procedures for setting bail and reviewing bail decisions. (2025) source
  • Voted yes on SB 9 (2025), relating to the confinement or release of defendants before trial or sentencing, including regulating charitable bail organizations and bail procedures; it passed the House 118 to 25. (2025-05-20) source
• School vaccinesKeep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 1586 (2025), relating to an exemption from required immunizations for school enrollment. (2025) source
  • 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
• ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • His campaign site says it is a duty to support policies that strengthen border security so that those who come to the country do so legally. (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 a House cosponsor of SB 8 (2025), relating to agreements between sheriffs and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law. (2025) source
• Gender care for minorsNo, ban these treatments for minorsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 14 (2023), relating to prohibitions on the provision to certain children of procedures and treatments for gender transitioning; it passed the House 87 to 56. (2023-05-15) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 14 (2023), relating to prohibitions on the provision to certain children of procedures and treatments for gender transitioning. (2023) source
• Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 15 (2023), relating to requiring public institution of higher education students who compete in intercollegiate athletics to compete based on biological sex; it passed the House 95 to 50. (2023-05-18) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 15 (2023), relating to requiring public institution of higher education students who compete in intercollegiate athletics to compete based on biological sex. (2023) 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. (2025) 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), relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs; it passed the House 82 to 48. (2025-08-28) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 7 (2025, second called session), relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs. (2025) source
• Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotslow

  Official action · low confidence

  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 16 (2025), relating to requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to register to vote; the bill history shows its last action as a House committee report sent to Calendars on May 25, 2025, with no House floor vote. (2025) source
• Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can riselow

  Said · low confidence

  • His campaign site lists lower taxes as a priority, including lower property taxes and exploring a larger state share of education funding. (2026) source
  • Voted no on SB 10 (2025, second called session), relating to the calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for certain taxing units; it passed the House 78 to 52. (2025-08-25) source
• Energy and climateMaximize oil and gas; climate rules hurt the economylow

  Said · low confidence

  • His campaign site calls for fostering growth in the energy sector and responsible exploration and production, and says any Biden administration attempt to limit Texas energy production is an attack on Texas. (2024) source
• HealthcareMostly private market; roll back the government's rolelow

  Said · low confidence

  • In a 2022 ATPE candidate survey he said the healthcare industry was fine until the federal government got involved, that the market should be free and regulate itself, and that lower costs will come from competition. (2022) source
• AI data centersNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on SB 6 (2025), relating to the planning for, interconnection and operation of, and costs related to providing service for certain electrical loads; it passed the House 103 to 25. (2025-05-27) source
• MarijuanaNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on HB 218 (2023), relating to the criminal and licensing consequences of certain offenses relating to the possession of marihuana and certain THC compounds; it passed the House 87 to 59. (2023-04-27) source
  • Voted yes on HB 46 (2025), relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis and the administration of the Texas Compassionate-Use Program; it passed the House 122 to 21. (2025-05-13) source
  • Voted yes on SB 3 (2025), relating to the regulation of products derived from hemp, including consumable hemp products; it passed the House 87 to 54. (2025-05-22) source
• Housing and growthNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on the final version of SB 15 (2025), relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; the House adopted the conference committee report 78 to 57. (2025-06-01) source
• Mandatory minimumsNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 6 (2023), relating to the designation of fentanyl poisoning or fentanyl toxicity for purposes of the death certificate and to criminal penalties for certain controlled substance offenses; it passed the House 124 to 21. (2023-04-28) source

Said vs. did

• School choice: Said: In a 2022 ATPE candidate survey, asked whether he would vote for any voucher, tax credit, scholarship or education savings account program for students at non-public schools, he answered "Probably not" and said such programs take funds away from public schools⁴⁶. Did: On April 17, 2025 he voted yes on SB 2, relating to the establishment of an education savings account program, which passed the House 86 to 61, and he is listed as a House cosponsor of the bill²³.

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Guns, Texas power grid, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, 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.