Texas general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for State Senator, District 5 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for State Senator, District 5 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Texas Senate District 5.
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 | Paul ThomassonDemocrat | Charles SchwertnerRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Said · low | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestVoted · medium |
| Guns | Add universal background checks and red-flag lawsSaid · low | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightOfficial action · high |
| Immigration | No public position | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyOfficial action · medium |
| Texas power grid | No public position | Pay for more backup natural gas plantsOfficial action · medium |
| AI data centers | Stop new large data centers and end their tax breaksSaid · medium | Welcome them, but make them pay their full share of grid and water costsOfficial action · medium |
| School choice | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsSaid · medium | Yes, universal school choice for every familyVoted · high |
| Curriculum and books | No public position | Parents, including the right to remove material they object toOfficial action · medium |
| Property taxes | No public position | Keep cutting them and cap how fast they can riseSaid · high |
| 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 bailOfficial action · medium |
| Election rules | No public position | Strict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsSaid · medium |
| Gender care for minors | No public position | No, ban these treatments for minorsSaid · high |
| Redistricting | No public position | State legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantageVoted · medium |
| AI regulation | No public position | Let each state write its own targeted AI rulesOfficial action · medium |
| Nuclear power | No public position | Back new reactors with public funds, tax credits, and streamlined approvalsOfficial action · high |
| E-Verify mandate | No public position | Require it only for government and state contractorsSaid · medium |
| Transgender athletes | No public position | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsSaid · high |
| DEI programs | No public position | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsSaid · high |
| Religion in schools | No public position | 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 salesOfficial action · high |
Paul Thomasson
DemocratPrivate citizen (retired pastor)
Paul Thomasson is a Democrat and retired United Methodist pastor from College Station who served in ministry for about 43 years14. KBTX reported in February 2026 that he had less than six months in politics4. His campaign lists protecting public schools, no more data centers, conserving land and water, ending mass surveillance and restoring womens rights as goals3.
Where they stand 5 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Said · medium confidence- In a January 2026 Q and A he said a goal is reversing the voucher bill, and that the bill takes important funds away from public schools. (2026-01) source
- His campaign website lists protecting public schools as a goal and says vouchers have taken millions from public school systems. (2026) source
- In his Ballotpedia survey he said millions of dollars have been taken out of public schools and given to vouchers and administrators. (2025) source
AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low
Said · low confidence- His campaign website lists restoring womens rights as one of his goals. (2026) source
GunsAdd universal background checks and red-flag lawslow
Said · low confidence- In his Ballotpedia survey he said he owns guns for hunting wild hogs and emergency defense, and strongly believes guns should be much harder for dangerously mentally ill people to get. (2025) source
Minimum wageNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- He says he strongly advocates raising the minimum wage, which has been 7.25 dollars an hour since 2009. (2026-01) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Business regulation, Healthcare, 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, Religion in schools, China policy.
Charles Schwertner
Republican · IncumbentTexas State Senator, District 5
Charles Schwertner is a Republican orthopedic surgeon from Georgetown who served in the Texas House from 2011 to 2013 and has served in the Texas Senate since 201340. He chairs the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, which oversees electric utilities, insurance, banking and technology40. His campaign highlights property tax relief, border enforcement, gun rights, school choice and grid reliability4.
Where they stand 22 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familyhigh
Voted · high confidence- Voted yes on SB 2 (2025), which created a state education savings account program that can pay for private school. (2025-02-05) source
- Was listed as a Senate coauthor of SB 2 (2025), the education savings account bill. (2025) source
- Voted yes on SB 8 (2023), an earlier education savings account bill. (2023-04-06) source
- His campaign says he co-authored landmark legislation to establish school choice so families can pick the school that fits their children. (2026) source
GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a righthigh
Official action · high confidence- Was the Senate sponsor of HB 1927 (2021), which lets adults 21 and older carry a handgun without a license. (2021) source
- Voted yes on HB 1927 in the Senate. (2021-05-05) source
- His campaign calls him the author of the state constitutional carry law and a staunch defender of the Second Amendment. (2026) source
Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risehigh
Said · high confidence- His campaign says he has fought to lower and eliminate taxes and joint-authored legislation that would raise the homestead exemption to 200,000 dollars for seniors and 140,000 dollars for non-seniors. (2026) source
- His campaign says he helped pass laws that compress the school maintenance and operations tax rate and cap how much cities and counties can raise tax rates without voter approval. (2026) source
- In his 2026 Ballotpedia survey he called enhancing the permanent property tax relief already passed, and continuing to reduce property taxes, a high priority. (2026) source
- Voted yes on SB 10 (2025), which lowered the voter-approval tax rate limit for certain local taxing units. (2025-08-19) source
- Voted yes on the final version of SB 2 (2019), which limited how fast local property tax revenue can grow without voter approval. (2019-05-25) source
Gender care for minorsNo, ban these treatments for minorshigh
Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionshigh
Said · high confidence- His campaign says he co-authored legislation to keep biological males out of girls sports. (2026) source
- Voted yes on the final version of SB 15 (2023), which requires college athletes to compete based on biological sex. (2023-05-26) source
- Voted yes on HB 25 (2021), which requires K-12 athletes to compete based on sex assigned at birth. (2021-10-15) source
Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodshigh
Said · high confidence- His campaign says he voted to restore the Ten Commandments in classrooms and to protect students right to pray. (2026) source
- Voted yes on SB 10 (2025), which requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms. (2025-05-28) source
- Voted yes on SB 11 (2025), which lets school boards set a period for prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious texts. (2025-03-18) source
DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionshigh
Said · high confidence- His campaign says he passed legislation banning DEI programs in public schools and universities. (2026) source
- Voted yes on SB 17 (2023), which bars public colleges from keeping diversity, equity and inclusion offices. (2023-04-19) source
- Voted yes on the final version of SB 12 (2025), which bars DEI duties in public K-12 schools. (2025-05-31) source
China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app saleshigh
Official action · high confidence- Was a joint Senate author of SB 17 (2025), which bars governments, companies and people from countries named in federal threat assessments, including China, from buying Texas land. (2025) source
- Voted yes on SB 17 (2025) on final Senate passage. (2025-03-19) source
- Voted yes on SB 147 (2023), an earlier land purchase restriction bill that did not pass the House. (2023-04-26) source
- His campaign says he joint-authored legislation to stop foreign adversaries like China from buying farmland and land near military bases. (2026) source
Nuclear powerBack new reactors with public funds, tax credits, and streamlined approvalshigh
Official action · high confidence- Was the Senate sponsor of HB 14 (2025), relating to support for the development of the nuclear energy industry. (2025) source
- Voted yes on HB 14 (2025) on final Senate passage. (2025-05-27) source
- His campaign says he sponsored legislation to encourage development and construction of nuclear energy. (2026) source
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestmedium
Voted · medium confidence- His campaign calls him a pro-life champion and says he joint-authored the heartbeat bill, which outlaws abortion when a heartbeat is detected, and passed bans on dismemberment abortions and the sale of fetal tissue. (2026) source
- Voted yes on the final version of SB 8 (2021), the Texas Heartbeat Act. (2021-05-13) source
- Voted yes on HB 1280 (2021), the law banning abortion if Roe v. Wade was overturned, which allows an exception for a medical emergency. (2021-05-25) source
- Was a Senate cosponsor of HB 7 (2025), which restricts the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs. (2025) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium
Official action · medium confidence- Was the lead Senate author of SB 8 (2025), which requires certain sheriffs to seek agreements with ICE to enforce federal immigration law. (2025) source
- Voted yes on the final version of SB 8 (2025). (2025-05-31) source
- Voted yes on SB 4 (2023), which made illegal entry into Texas a state crime. (2023-11-09) source
- His campaign says his 287(g) bill helps identify, detain and deport criminal illegal aliens, and that he helped secure over 6 billion dollars for border defense. (2026) source
Texas power gridPay for more backup natural gas plantsmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Was the lead Senate author of SB 6 (2023), which would have created the Texas Energy Insurance Program to fund loans for building new power plants that can run on demand; it passed the Senate but did not become law. (2023) source
- Voted yes on SB 6 (2023) in the Senate. (2023-04-05) source
- His campaign says that as Business and Commerce chairman he led grid reform after Winter Storm Uri, including legislation to encourage construction of new reliable power generation. (2026) source
AI data centersWelcome them, but make them pay their full share of grid and water costsmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Was a joint Senate author of SB 6 (2025), which sets grid interconnection rules, fees and curtailment authority for very large electricity users such as data centers. (2025) source
Housing and growthAllow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 840 (2025), which limits city rules that block mixed-use and multifamily housing in commercial areas. (2025-03-24) source
Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Was listed as a Senate coauthor of SB 9 (2025), which tightened bail rules for high-risk defendants and regulated charitable bail groups. (2025) source
Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign says he helped pass the strongest election integrity legislation in the nation, preventing ballot harvesting. (2026) source
- Voted yes on SB 16 (2025), which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. (2025-04-01) source
- Voted yes on SB 1 (2021), the election law overhaul that added mail ballot ID rules and limited some voting options. (2021-08-11) source
Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium
Official action · medium confidence- His campaign says he co-authored legislation to keep sexually explicit books out of school libraries and let parents review and restrict their child access to certain materials. (2026) source
- Voted yes on SB 13 (2025), which creates local school library advisory councils and expands parental rights over library materials. (2025-03-19) source
- Voted yes on HB 900 (2023), which regulates library materials sold to or kept in public school libraries. (2023-05-23) source
E-Verify mandateRequire it only for government and state contractorsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign says he passed legislation requiring all state agencies to participate in E-Verify. (2026) source
AI regulationLet each state write its own targeted AI rulesmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Was the Senate sponsor of HB 149 (2025), a Texas law regulating the use of artificial intelligence systems in the state. (2025) source
Energy and climateNo single answer fitsmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 819 (2025), which added permit rules and fees for renewable energy generation facilities such as wind and solar. (2025-04-15) source
- Voted yes on SB 388 (2025), which set goals for new electric generation capacity to come from dispatchable sources such as natural gas. (2025-03-19) source
- His campaign says he led efforts to encourage new, reliable power generation and sponsored legislation to encourage nuclear development. (2026) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, 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, Kids online, School vaccines.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.