Who is running for U.S. House, Texas District 38 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for U.S. House, Texas District 38 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in U.S. House District 38.
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 | Jon BonckRepublican | Melissa McDonoughDemocrat | Alex McMenemyGreen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety net programs | Cut them back; families, churches and charities should leadQuestionnaire answer · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Minimum wage | No public position | No public position | Raise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingSaid · medium |
| Healthcare | Mostly private market; roll back the government's roleQuestionnaire answer · medium | Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)Said · medium | Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)Said · medium |
| Abortion | Illegal in all casesSaid · medium | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Said · low | No public position |
| Guns | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightSaid · medium | Add universal background checks and red-flag lawsSaid · medium | No public position |
| Immigration | Deport everyone here illegally, as quickly as possibleSaid · medium | No single answer fits; see evidence | Much more open immigration with less enforcementSaid · medium |
| Foreign policy | Pull back from foreign conflicts and aid (often called America First)Said · medium | No public position | No single answer fits; see evidence |
| Energy and climate | No single answer fits; see evidence | No single answer fits; see evidence | Phase out fossil fuels as fast as possibleSaid · medium |
| Politicians trading stocks | No public position | No public position | No, ban it for members and their spousesSaid · medium |
| Campaign finance | No public position | Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsQuestionnaire answer · medium | Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsSaid · medium |
| Student loans | No public position | No single answer fits; see evidence | Cancel large amounts of debt and make public college tuition-freeSaid · medium |
| Transgender athletes | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsQuestionnaire answer · medium | No public position | No public position |
| DEI programs | No public position | No public position | Expand them to close gaps between groupsSaid · medium |
| Aid to Israel | No public position | No single answer fits; see evidence | End itSaid · medium |
Jon Bonck
RepublicanPrivate citizen
Jon Bonck is a Republican mortgage and real estate professional from the Houston area who holds a biochemistry degree from Louisiana State University14. He served as a deacon at Second Baptist Church from 2016 to 2025 and has not held elected office4. He led the March 2026 Republican primary for the open 38th District and won the May runoff with endorsements from President Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz28.
Where they stand 11 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
AbortionIllegal in all casesmedium
Said · medium confidenceHealthcareMostly private market; roll back the government's rolemedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Chose the answer that taxpayer-funded health care should be abolished in all forms and that Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded. (2026) source
Safety net programsCut them back; families, churches and charities should leadmedium
ImmigrationDeport everyone here illegally, as quickly as possiblemedium
Said · medium confidence- Told the League of Women Voters guide that the country must secure the border, enforce the law, and continue large scale removal of those here illegally. (2026) source
- His campaign site says: finish the wall, end the invasion, put Texas first. (2026) source
- Wrote that people who follow the law, pass background checks and adopt American values should be allowed to immigrate. (2026) source
GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium
Said · medium confidenceForeign policyPull back from foreign conflicts and aid (often called America First)medium
Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Strongly agreed that biological males should not participate in women's sports. (2026) source
School vaccinesNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site pledges to protect medical freedom with no mandates, no coercion and no mRNA vaccines. (2026) source
National debtNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Strongly agreed that government should cut spending to reduce the national debt and called for zero-based budgeting and ending duplicative programs. (2026) source
Income taxesNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Strongly disagreed that people who can afford it should pay more taxes, and wrote that families should keep more of what they earn. (2026) source
Energy and climateNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Named oil and gas and nuclear as the most reliable energy sources for growing electricity demand. (2026) source
No public position found on: Social Security, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Trade and tariffs, 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, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Melissa McDonough
DemocratPrivate citizen
Melissa McDonough is a Democrat and Tomball-area Realtor with about 30 years in real estate, including 20 years owning or managing a brokerage6. She has lobbied Congress on consumer protection and healthcare and has worked as a Harris County election judge156. She was the Democratic nominee for the 38th District in 2024 and won the March 2026 Democratic primary outright12.
Where they stand 11 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
HealthcareGovernment-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)medium
GunsAdd universal background checks and red-flag lawsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform supports safe storage (Ethan's Law), stronger background checks and mental health access, and says banning guns is not a practical solution. (2026) source
Campaign financeOverturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Listed getting money out of politics as a priority and said dark money has flooded politics since the Citizens United decision. (2024-08-29) source
AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low
Aid to UkraineNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform, posted since 2024, says the U.S. should continue to support Ukraine with older military equipment while avoiding a scenario that requires U.S. troops on the ground. (2024) source
Aid to IsraelNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform, posted since 2024, says Israel is a U.S. ally with a right to defend itself, that its response should be proportionate and its leaders held accountable for any war crimes, and that a two-state solution should be honored. (2024) source
Trade and tariffsNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidenceEnergy and climateNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform, posted since 2024, says Texas should embrace renewable energy innovation while the petroleum industry remains integral, using renewables in conjunction with fossil fuels. (2024) source
Student loansNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform, posted since 2024, says students should not be punished with a lifetime of debt, points to tuition-free college in Germany and Norway, and calls for making education more affordable. (2024) source
Term limitsNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Asked her thoughts on term limits in a 2024 Ballotpedia survey, she answered: yes, please. (2024-08-29) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform, posted since 2024, says the situation at the border has gotten out of hand, opposes spending on border barriers, and calls for streamlining legal immigration and addressing root causes in Latin America. (2024) source
No public position found on: Income taxes, National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Foreign policy, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Alex McMenemy
GreenPrivate citizen
Alex McMenemy is the Green Party nominee for Texas's 38th District, nominated at the party's convention on March 14, 20261. He was born in Tomball, describes himself as a democratic socialist, and says he has been a volunteer and community organizer for over a decade35. His campaign centers on universal healthcare, higher wages and ending political corruption4.
Where they stand 10 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
HealthcareGovernment-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)medium
Minimum wageRaise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingmedium
Politicians trading stocksNo, ban it for members and their spousesmedium
Said · medium confidence- His platform promises to ban congressional stock trading. (2026) source
Campaign financeOverturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His platform promises to overturn Citizens United and end super PACs and political lobbying. (2026) source
Energy and climatePhase out fossil fuels as fast as possiblemedium
Said · medium confidence- His platform calls for a quick transition to clean energy and says politicians funded by oil and gas will never reverse climate change. (2026) source
Student loansCancel large amounts of debt and make public college tuition-freemedium
Said · medium confidence- His platform calls for free, universal higher education. (2026) source
DEI programsExpand them to close gaps between groupsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His platform supports employment equity for people of color and the disabled community and anti-discrimination protections in all areas of life. (2026) source
No public position found on: Income taxes, National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Business regulation, Abortion, Guns, Trade and tariffs, Judges, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, Religion in schools, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-19. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.