Texas general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for State Representative District 97 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for State Representative District 97 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Texas House District 97.
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 | Beth Llewellyn McLaughlinDemocrat | John W. McQueeneyRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Safety net programs | Expand help for childcare, housing and paid family leaveQuestionnaire answer · medium | No public position |
| Healthcare | Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)Questionnaire answer · medium | Private insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsSaid · medium |
| Abortion | No public position | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestOfficial action · medium |
| Immigration | Much more open immigration with less enforcementQuestionnaire answer · medium | 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 waterQuestionnaire answer · medium | Allow them case by case, with strict local rules on siting, noise and waterSaid · medium |
| School choice | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsQuestionnaire answer · medium | Yes, universal school choice for every familyVoted · medium |
| Curriculum and books | Teachers and librarians, as trained professionalsQuestionnaire answer · medium | Parents, including the right to remove material they object toVoted · medium |
| Property taxes | Shift more of the burden onto high-value and commercial propertyQuestionnaire answer · medium | Keep cutting them and cap how fast they can riseSaid · high |
| Housing and growth | No public position | Let the market build what is needed, with local reviewSaid · 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 · medium |
| Marijuana | Legalize and regulate it like alcoholQuestionnaire answer · medium | No public position |
| Redistricting | No public position | State legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantageVoted · medium |
| Kids online | No public position | Ban social media accounts for minorsVoted · medium |
| School vaccines | No public position | Keep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsOfficial action · medium |
| DEI programs | No public position | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsVoted · medium |
| Religion in schools | None from the school: no required displays, prayer periods or Bible lessonsQuestionnaire answer · medium | 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 salesVoted · medium |
Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin
DemocratRetired Fort Worth ISD teacher
Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin is a Democrat and retired Fort Worth ISD teacher who taught French at Southwest High School for 29 years1. She ran for Texas House District 97 in 2018 and lost to Craig Goldman2. Her top priorities are fully funding public education, protecting individual freedoms and expanding Medicaid1.
Where they stand 10 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Listed repealing vouchers among her public education priorities and said outsourcing education to charter schools and private school vouchers drains resources from neighborhood schools. (2026-05-14) source
- Told the Fort Worth Report in 2026 that the state voucher program money could have gone to underfunded public schools. (2026-09-16) source
HealthcareGovernment-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)medium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said she believes in universal healthcare, with expanding Medicaid as step one. (2026-05-14) source
Safety net programsExpand help for childcare, housing and paid family leavemedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Listed expanding access to Medicaid as a top priority and said Texas could help families with rent subsidies and down payment help. (2026-05-14) source
Property taxesShift more of the burden onto high-value and commercial propertymedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said cutting property taxes without replacing school revenue is irresponsible, that homeowners carry too much of the burden, and that corporations get too many tax breaks and loopholes. (2026-05-14) source
MarijuanaLegalize and regulate it like alcoholmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said Texas needs common-sense legalization and regulation of both THC and marijuana for medical and personal use. (2026-05-14) source
AI data centersAllow them case by case, with strict local rules on siting, noise and watermedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said local government should have the ability to approve or block data centers. (2026-05-14) source
Religion in schoolsNone from the school: no required displays, prayer periods or Bible lessonsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Listed protecting the separation of church and state among her public education priorities. (2026-05-14) source
Curriculum and booksTeachers and librarians, as trained professionalsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Listed protecting academic freedom among her public education priorities. (2026-05-14) source
ImmigrationMuch more open immigration with less enforcementmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said border security is a federal responsibility and that she does not think Texas tax dollars should be spent on mass deportation, border walls or ICE. (2026-05-14) source
Minimum wageNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said raising the minimum wage is critical across the board. (2026-05-14) source
No public position found on: Business regulation, Abortion, Guns, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, 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.
John W. McQueeney
Republican · IncumbentTexas State Representative, District 97
John McQueeney is a Republican who has represented Texas House District 97 in southwest Tarrant County since being elected in 2024, and sits on the State Affairs and Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting among others8. He owns restaurant franchises and earlier built a FedEx contracting business, and he holds a business degree from Texas Christian University8. He lists property tax relief, public safety and economic growth as his top priorities6.
Where they stand 16 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risehigh
Said · high confidence- Said he supports relief by increasing homestead exemptions, compressing tax rates and placing stronger limits on appraisal growth. (2026-02-16) source
- Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 4 (2025), relating to an increase in the school district homestead exemption; it was enacted. (2025) source
- Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 8 (2025), relating to a reduction in the maximum compressed tax rate of a school district. (2025) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyhigh
Said · high confidence- Said Texas must keep securing the border, including finishing the wall, dismantling cartel operations, and working with the federal government to deport criminal illegal aliens. (2026-02-16) 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 coauthor of HB 5580 (2025), the companion to SB 8, and authored HB 176 and HB 180 (2025) on border security agreements. (2025) source
HealthcarePrivate insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Said rising health care costs should be addressed by increasing price transparency, expanding competition and reducing unnecessary regulations. (2026-02-16) source
Housing and growthLet the market build what is needed, with local reviewmedium
Said · medium confidence- Said Texas should reduce regulatory barriers, streamline permitting and let the private sector increase housing supply without heavy government mandates. (2026-02-16) source
- Voted yes on SB 15 (2025), relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; it passed the House 86 to 43. (2025-05-28) source
AI data centersAllow them case by case, with strict local rules on siting, noise and watermedium
Said · medium confidence- Said Texas should protect private property rights while giving local communities a meaningful voice in large data center development, coordinating with counties, cities and farmers on water use, grid reliability and land, without one-size-fits-all mandates. (2026-02-16) source
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 coauthor of HB 3 (2025), relating to the establishment of an education savings account program, and as a cosponsor of SB 2. (2025) 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; it passed the House 86 to 55. (2025-05-28) source
- Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 1158 (2025), relating to parental approval for a student participation in human sexuality instruction, and of HB 3225 (2025), on minors access to sexually explicit materials in municipal library collections. (2025) source
Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- 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 a House coauthor of HB 1009, HB 2116 and HB 2696 (Ten Commandments) and HB 1425 (prayer and Bible reading period), all 2025, and as a cosponsor of SB 11. (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 and a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion in K-12; it passed the House 88 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestmedium
Official action · medium confidence- His campaign website describes him as a pro-life Christian. (2026) source
- Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 44 (2025) and a cosponsor of SB 31 (2025), both relating to exceptions to otherwise prohibited abortions based on a physician's reasonable medical judgment. (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
- Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 7 (2025, second called session). (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
- Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 4 in the second called session of 2025. (2025) source
- Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 4 in the first called session of 2025. (2025) 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 regulating charitable bail organizations and the conditions of setting bail; it passed the House 118 to 25. (2025-05-20) source
- Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 9, SJR 5 and SJR 1, and a coauthor of HJR 15 (2025), on denying bail in certain circumstances. (2025) source
Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsmedium
Official action · medium confidenceChina policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesmedium
Voted · medium confidence- 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
- Authored HB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase of real property by certain aliens or foreign entities, and HB 129 (2025), on government contracts with foreign adversary companies. (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
Official action · medium confidence
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Guns, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, 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, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.