Texas general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for State Representative District 73 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for State Representative District 73 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Texas House District 73.
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 | Merrie FoxDemocrat | Carrie IsaacRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion | No public position | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestSaid · low |
| Guns | No public position | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightOfficial action · low |
| Immigration | No public position | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadySaid · high |
| AI data centers | Allow them case by case, with strict local rules on siting, noise and waterSaid · medium | No single answer fits; see evidence |
| School choice | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsSaid · medium | Yes, universal school choice for every familySaid · high |
| Curriculum and books | No public position | Parents, including the right to remove material they object toSaid · high |
| Property taxes | No public position | Keep cutting them and cap how fast they can riseSaid · high |
| 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 ballotsSaid · high |
| Gender care for minors | No public position | No, ban these treatments for minorsVoted · medium |
| Redistricting | No public position | State legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantageVoted · medium |
| School vaccines | No public position | Keep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsVoted · low |
| Nuclear power | No public position | Back new reactors with public funds, tax credits, and streamlined approvalsSaid · high |
| Transgender athletes | No public position | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsVoted · medium |
| DEI programs | No public position | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsSaid · high |
| Religion in schools | None from the school: no required displays, prayer periods or Bible lessonsSaid · medium | Support laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsSaid · high |
| China policy | No public position | Get tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesSaid · high |
Merrie Fox
DemocratExecutive Director, Circle Arts Theatre (New Braunfels); retired public school principal
Merrie Fox is a Democrat who spent 31 years in Comal, New Braunfels and Randolph Field school districts as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal, and holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership2. She is a retired school principal and executive director of Circle Arts Theatre in New Braunfels4. She is on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot against incumbent Republican Carrie Isaac1.
Where they stand 3 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Said · medium confidence- In a September 2026 Community Impact Q&A she said she will oppose legislation that uses taxpayer money for private school vouchers and will work to increase the basic allotment and index it to inflation. (2026-09-10) source
Religion in schoolsNone from the school: no required displays, prayer periods or Bible lessonsmedium
AI data centersAllow them case by case, with strict local rules on siting, noise and watermedium
Said · medium confidence- In a September 2026 Community Impact Q&A she said she will support legislation requiring large-project developers to be transparent about permits, water and energy use and environmental impacts, and legislation letting local elected officials manage growth. (2026-09-10) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, 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, China policy.
Carrie Isaac
Republican · IncumbentTexas State Representative, District 73 (parts of Comal and Hays counties)
Carrie Isaac is a Republican who has represented Texas House District 73, which covers parts of Comal and Hays counties, since 20236. She is a nonprofit leader who serves as executive director of DEWIT, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to veterans3. She is on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot against Democrat Merrie Fox1.
Where they stand 18 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyhigh
Said · high confidence- Her campaign site lists securing the border, increasing border security funding and stopping the magnets that encourage illegal immigration as key issues. (2026) source
- Voted yes on SB 4 (2023, fourth called session), which made illegal entry into Texas a state crime; it passed the House 83 to 61. (2023-11-14) 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
- Is listed as a House cosponsor of SB 8 (2025). (2025) source
School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familyhigh
Said · high confidence- In a September 2026 Community Impact Q&A she said school funding should follow the student and support parental choice. (2026-09-10) source
- 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
- Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 3 (2025), relating to establishing an education savings account program. (2025) source
Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tohigh
Said · high confidence- Her 2025 session recap lists SB 13 as a victory, describing it as strengthening parental oversight of school library books through local advisory councils of mostly parents. (2025-07-24) source
- Voted yes on SB 13 (2025), which set up local school library advisory councils and parental oversight of library materials; it passed the House 86 to 55. (2025-05-28) source
- Voted yes on HB 900 (2023), which regulates library materials sold to or kept in public school libraries; it passed the House 95 to 52. (2023-04-20) source
DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionshigh
Said · high confidence- Her 2025 session recap lists SB 12 as a victory, noting it bans the use of public funds for diversity training in K-12 schools. (2025-07-24) source
- Voted yes on SB 12 (2025), which set parental rights rules and prohibited diversity, equity and inclusion duties in K-12 schools; it passed the House 88 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
- Voted yes on SB 17 (2023), which banned diversity, equity and inclusion offices at public universities; it passed the House 83 to 62. (2023-05-22) source
Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodshigh
Said · high confidence- In a December 2025 post she called for restoring moral clarity in Texas classrooms and defended the Ten Commandments law (SB 10) against a lawsuit. (2025-12-05) source
- Voted yes on SB 10 (2025), which requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms; it passed the House 82 to 46. (2025-05-25) source
- Is listed as a House cosponsor of SB 10 (2025). (2025) source
China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app saleshigh
Said · high confidence- Her 2025 session recap lists SB 17, which restricts foreign adversaries such as the Chinese Communist Party from buying Texas land, as a victory under Texas is not for sale. (2025-07-24) source
- Voted yes on SB 17 (2025), which restricts purchases of Texas real property by certain foreign governments and entities; it passed the House 86 to 59. (2025-05-09) source
- Is listed as a House cosponsor of SB 17 (2025). (2025) source
Nuclear powerBack new reactors with public funds, tax credits, and streamlined approvalshigh
Said · high confidenceElection rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotshigh
Said · high confidence- Her campaign site lists ensuring election integrity as a key issue, and her 2025 recap lists SB 2753, which combined early voting and election day into one period, and SB 16, which would require proof of citizenship to register, as priorities. (2025-07-24) source
- Is listed as the House sponsor of SB 2753 (2025), integrating early voting and election day voting; it took effect Sept. 1, 2025. (2025) source
- Is listed as the House sponsor of SB 16 (2025), requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote; it did not become law. (2025) source
Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risehigh
Said · high confidence- In a September 2026 Community Impact Q&A she said she will fight to cap homestead appraisals at 3 percent, require a two-thirds voter vote on tax increases, and make local governments live within state spending limits. (2026-09-10) source
- Was listed as the author of HB 184 (2025, first called session), relating to reducing the maximum compressed school district tax rate. (2025) source
- Is listed as a House cosponsor of SJR 2 (2025), a constitutional amendment to increase the residence homestead exemption. (2025) source
Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium
RedistrictingState legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantagemedium
Voted · medium confidencePolicing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Her campaign site lists supporting law enforcement and stopping the defund the police movement among her key issues. (2026) source
- Voted yes on SB 9 (2025), which tightened bail procedures and regulated charitable bail organizations; it passed the House 118 to 25. (2025-05-20) source
- Is listed as a House cosponsor of SJR 5 (2025), a constitutional amendment requiring denial of bail for certain serious offenses unless certain findings are made. (2025) source
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow
Said · low confidence- Her campaign site lists protecting unborn life and says she is 100 percent pro-life. (2026) source
- Voted yes on HB 7 (2025, second called session), which restricted making and distributing abortion-inducing drugs; it passed the House 82 to 48. (2025-08-28) source
- Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 5510 (2025) and HB 1806 (2025), both relating to abortion. (2025) source
GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightlow
Official action · low confidence- Her campaign site lists preserving the Second Amendment among her key issues. (2026) source
- Was listed as the author of HB 3137 (2023), relating to prohibited local regulation of firearms or air guns, and HB 3138 (2023), relating to recognition of a handgun license issued by another state. (2023) source
- Is listed as the House sponsor of SB 706 (2025), relating to recognition of a handgun license issued by another state; it took effect Sept. 1, 2025. (2025) source
School vaccinesKeep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted yes on HB 1586 (2025), which changed where the school vaccine exemption affidavit form is printed so that parents can print it themselves; it passed the House 83 to 54. (2025-05-14) source
- Was listed among the authors (joint author) of HB 730 (2025), relating to the affidavit form for claiming an exemption from required immunizations. (2025) source
Kids onlineNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidenceAI data centersNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- In a September 2026 Community Impact Q&A she said she does not believe the Hill Country is the place for data centers and will help pass legislation to write clear parameters into law and end tax breaks that subsidize them. (2026-09-10) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, Housing and growth, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, 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, E-Verify mandate.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.