Texas general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for U.S. House, Texas District 36 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for U.S. House, Texas District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in U.S. House District 36.
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 | Brian BabinRepublican | Rhonda HartDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Income taxes | Cut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporationsVoted · medium | Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsSaid · medium |
| Social Security | A mix of changes, with no cuts for current retireesSaid · medium | No public position |
| Safety net programs | Keep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Healthcare | Private insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsVoted · medium | Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)Said · high |
| Abortion | Illegal in all casesOfficial action · medium | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Said · medium |
| Guns | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightOfficial action · medium | All of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazinesSaid · medium |
| Immigration | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyVoted · high | No single answer fits; see evidence |
| Energy and climate | All of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pickVoted · medium | A gradual shift to cleaner energy, driven by incentivesSaid · medium |
| Politicians trading stocks | No, ban it for members and their spousesVoted · medium | No public position |
| Mandatory minimums | Add or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl traffickingVoted · high | No public position |
| Student loans | Cap borrowing, simplify repayment, and skip broad forgivenessVoted · high | No public position |
| AI regulation | One light-touch national standard that overrides state lawsSaid · medium | No public position |
| Nuclear power | Back new reactors with public funds, tax credits, and streamlined approvalsSaid · medium | No public position |
| Birthright citizenship | No, end it for children of parents here illegally or temporarilyOfficial action · medium | No public position |
| E-Verify mandate | Require it for all employersVoted · medium | No public position |
| Transgender athletes | No, and Congress should set a biological sex rule nationwideVoted · high | No public position |
| Aid to Israel | Keep full aid without new conditionsVoted · high | No public position |
Brian Babin
Republican · IncumbentU.S. Representative for Texas's 36th District; Chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
Brian Babin is a Republican who has represented Texas's 36th District since 2015 and chairs the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee1. A dentist from Woodville, he served in the U.S. Air Force and was previously mayor, alderman and a school board member in Woodville1. He won the March 2026 Republican primary and faces Democrat Rhonda Hart in November2.
Where they stand
- Immigration: Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steady
Voted · high confidence
- Voted against the American Dream and Promise Act, which offered a path to citizenship for Dreamers. (2021-03-18) source
- Voted against the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which offered legal status to long-time farmworkers. (2021-03-18) source
- Voted for the Secure the Border Act, which funded border wall construction, tightened asylum rules and required E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
- Voted for the Secure America Act, which provides about $70 billion for immigration enforcement and border security through 2029. (2026-06-09) source
- His official issue page says Congress must build the wall, end catch and release, deport criminal aliens, discourage sanctuary cities, end chain migration, and move to a merit-based legal immigration system. (2026) source
- His campaign site calls securing the border his top immigration priority and cites his support for the border wall, vetting refugees, deporting criminal aliens and cutting funds for sanctuary cities. (2018) source
- Birthright citizenship: No, end it for children of parents here illegally or temporarily
Official action · medium confidence
- Sponsored the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025 (H.R. 569), which would grant automatic citizenship at birth only when a parent is a citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident, or a lawful immigrant serving in the armed forces. (2025-01-21) source
- In a Fox News op-ed promoted by his office, he urged Congress to pass his bill and said citizenship should not be an automatic entitlement for anyone who crosses the border. (2026-07-16) source
- His official immigration page says the country must end birthright citizenship by returning to what he calls the original meaning of the 14th Amendment. (2026) source
- Healthcare: Private insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditions
Voted · medium confidence
- Voted for the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which expanded association health plans and required drug middleman (PBM) price transparency. (2025-12-17) source
- Voted against restoring the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for three years. (2026-01-08) source
- His official health care page, written after the House passed the American Health Care Act in May 2017 and still posted, says he promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with a plan that lowers premiums while protecting people with preexisting conditions, and says he would prefer allowing insurance sales across state lines and more consumer choice. (2017) source
- Social Security: A mix of changes, with no cuts for current retirees
Said · medium confidence
- His campaign site says he supports efforts to strengthen the solvency of Social Security and Medicare, but any plan must make sure no one in or nearing retirement sees changes to their plans. (2018) source
- Income taxes: Cut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporations
Voted · medium confidence
- Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which set a 15% minimum tax on large corporations to help pay for energy and health programs. (2022-08-12) source
- Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made the 2017 individual tax cuts permanent, including the 37% top rate, and extended business tax breaks. (2025-07-03) source
- His campaign site praises the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the House vote to make those cuts permanent. (2018) source
- Said Congress must keep advancing policies that keep taxes low for American businesses. (2026-05) source
- Cosponsored the Death Tax Repeal Act (H.R. 1301) in the 119th Congress. (2025-02-13) source
- AI regulation: One light-touch national standard that overrides state laws
Said · medium confidence
- Joined House Republican leaders in a statement pledging to enact a national AI framework after the White House released a framework that called for broad preemption of state AI laws. (2026-03-20) source
- As Science Committee chairman, praised a bipartisan AI package built on voluntary standards that bars the new NIST AI center from regulatory or enforcement power. (2026-06) source
- Nuclear power: Back new reactors with public funds, tax credits, and streamlined approvals
Said · medium confidence
- At a hearing on advanced reactors, said federal research should support early-stage work and reduce barriers to deployment through public-private partnerships, while regulation should let breakthroughs thrive. (2026-09) source
- E-Verify mandate: Require it for all employers Voted · medium confidence
- Guns: Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a right
Official action · medium confidence
- Voted against the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022. (2022-07-29) source
- Cosponsored the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38) and the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 404), which would remove silencers from federal firearm registration rules. (2025) source
- His campaign site calls him a rock-solid defender of the Second Amendment and a 30-year NRA member. (2018) source
- Transgender athletes: No, and Congress should set a biological sex rule nationwide
Voted · high confidence
- Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing girls' and women's school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2023-04-20) source
- Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a federal rule basing girls' and women's school sports eligibility on sex at birth. (2025-01-14) source
- Cosponsored the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R. 28), which would set a federal sex-based rule for school sports under Title IX. (2025-01-03) source
- Abortion: Illegal in all cases
Official action · medium confidence
- Voted against the Women's Health Protection Act, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability. (2021-09-24) source
- Voted against the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability. (2022-07-15) source
- Cosponsored the Life at Conception Act (H.R. 722), which declares a right to life for each human being from the moment of fertilization. (2025-01-24) source
- His campaign site says he is a steadfast defender of the unborn and has voted to cut off taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood. (2018) source
- Business regulation: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Said · medium confidence
- Redistricting: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the For the People Act, which would require independent redistricting commissions. (2021-03-03) source
- Campaign finance: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the For the People Act, which created public matching funds for campaigns and stricter donor disclosure. (2021-03-03) source
- Qualified immunity: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would end qualified immunity for police officers. (2021-03-03) source
- Safety net programs: Keep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adults Voted · medium confidence
- Childcare and pre-K: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the Build Back Better Act, which funded free universal pre-K and expanded childcare aid. (2021-11-19) source
- Paid leave: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the Build Back Better Act, which created a national paid family and medical leave program. (2021-11-19) source
- Drug prices: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap insulin costs at $35 a month. (2022-03-31) source
- Marijuana: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the MORE Act, which would legalize marijuana federally and clear past convictions. (2022-04-01) source
- Aid to Ukraine: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the $40 billion Ukraine aid package in May 2022. (2022-05-10) source
- Voted against the $61 billion Ukraine security supplemental in April 2024. (2024-04-20) source
- Voted against the Ukraine Support Act, which provides military aid to Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia. (2026-06-04) source
- Energy and climate: All of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pick Voted · medium confidence
- Mandatory minimums: Add or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl trafficking
Voted · high confidence
- Voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I and applies mandatory minimum sentences to trafficking them. (2023-05-25) source
- Voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I and applies mandatory minimum sentences to trafficking them. (2025-06-12) source
- Student loans: Cap borrowing, simplify repayment, and skip broad forgiveness Voted · high confidence
- Aid to Israel: Keep full aid without new conditions Voted · high confidence
- Politicians trading stocks: No, ban it for members and their spouses
Voted · medium confidence
- Voted for the Stop Insider Trading Act, which bars members of Congress, their spouses and dependents from buying new individual stocks. (2026-07-22) source
No public position found on: National debt, Minimum wage, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Judges, Term limits, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Kids online, School vaccines, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Rhonda Hart
DemocratPrivate citizen
Rhonda Hart is a Democrat and Army veteran who served from 2000 to 2003 and later worked as a school bus driver14. After her 14-year-old daughter Kimberly Vaughan was killed in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, she became an advocate for gun safety laws in Austin and Washington34. She was the Democratic nominee for Texas's 14th District in 2024 and won the March 2026 Democratic primary for the 36th District12.
Where they stand
- Abortion: Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)
Said · medium confidence
- Her campaign website said she would fight to defend a woman's right to choose and work to pass federal laws to codify Roe v. Wade. (2026-02-17) source
- Guns: All of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines
Said · medium confidence
- Her campaign site says she will keep fighting for closing background check loopholes, limiting high-capacity magazines, banning bump stocks and restarting the federal Office of Gun Violence Prevention. (2026) source
- Told KPRC she supports red flag laws, comprehensive background checks, safe storage for all firearms and limited access to AR-15s, which she said should be reserved for military and law enforcement. (2023-03-30) source
- Her campaign says she worked to pass the Kimberly Vaughan Safe Storage of Firearms Act as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. (2026) source
- Lobbied Texas House members in 2023 for a bill to raise the minimum age to buy semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21. (2023-04-25) source
- Energy and climate: A gradual shift to cleaner energy, driven by incentives
Said · medium confidence
- Says climate change is a crisis and the country should invest seriously in solar and wind, while not quitting fossil fuels overnight because of their importance to Southeast Texas. (2026) source
- Income taxes: Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programs
Said · medium confidence
- Lists taxing billionaires among her steps to lower the cost of living for working families. (2026) source
- Healthcare: Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)
Said · high confidence
- Says every American deserves healthcare that is not tied to a paycheck or a premium and that does not hold people hostage to insurance company profits. (2026) source
- Her campaign site calls for creating a universal healthcare system that is free at the point of care and for expanding VA healthcare as a model for what public healthcare can be. (2026) source
- Immigration: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Said · medium confidence
- Calls for ICE reform, says no human being is illegal, and says the government should stop deporting the workers who build homes in the district. (2026) source
- Minimum wage: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Said · medium confidence
- Lists raising the minimum wage among her cost of living priorities without naming an amount. (2026) source
- Trade and tariffs: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Said · medium confidence
- Calls for ending what she calls chaotic, reckless tariffs. (2026) source
- DEI programs: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Said · medium confidence
- Says the ban on transgender troops must be reversed, barriers to promotion for women and people of color must be eliminated, and criticizes the Defense Secretary for dismantling diversity in the armed forces. (2026) source
No public position found on: National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Business regulation, Foreign policy, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-09-27. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.