Texas general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for U.S. House, Texas District 5 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for U.S. House, Texas District 5 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in U.S. House 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 | Lance GoodenRepublican | Chelsey HockettDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No public position | Expand benefits and fund it with higher taxes on the wealthySaid · medium |
| Safety net programs | Keep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsVoted · medium | No public position |
| Minimum wage | No public position | Raise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingSaid · medium |
| Healthcare | Private insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsSaid · medium | Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)Said · medium |
| Abortion | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestSaid · low | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Said · medium |
| Immigration | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadySaid · high | A path to citizenship for most, and more legal immigrationSaid · medium |
| Trade and tariffs | No public position | Free trade with minimal tariffs across the boardSaid · low |
| Energy and climate | All of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pickSaid · medium | An aggressive shift to clean energy with firm deadlinesSaid · medium |
| Politicians trading stocks | No, ban it for members and their spousesVoted · medium | No public position |
| Redistricting | No single answer fits; see evidence | Independent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymanderingSaid · medium |
| Supreme Court reform | No public position | Add term limits and ethics rules, and expand the Court beyond nine seatsQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Qualified immunity | No single answer fits; see evidence | No, end it for police so officers or departments can be sued for rights violationsQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Mandatory minimums | Add or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl traffickingVoted · medium | No public position |
| Childcare and pre-K | No single answer fits; see evidence | Guarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-KSaid · medium |
| Student loans | Cap borrowing, simplify repayment, and skip broad forgivenessVoted · 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 · medium | No public position |
| Aid to Israel | Keep full aid without new conditionsVoted · medium | End itSaid · medium |
Lance Gooden
Republican · IncumbentU.S. Representative, Texas's 5th Congressional District
Lance Gooden is a Republican who has represented Texas's 5th Congressional District since 2019 and serves on the House Judiciary and Armed Services committees1. He previously represented District 4 in the Texas House from 2011 to 2015 and from 2017 to 2019, and has worked as an insurance broker and risk-management consultant1. He was unopposed in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary1.
Where they stand 22 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyhigh
Said · 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 site says he has worked with President Trump to secure the southern border and remove criminal illegal aliens, and stands with Border Patrol and ICE. (2026) source
- Sponsored the End Sanctuary Cities Act of 2026. (2026-02-20) source
- Sponsored the Protecting American Lives Act, which would deny certain federal law enforcement grants to jurisdictions that do not honor immigration detainers and raise penalties for illegal reentry. (2019-05-23) source
Energy and climateAll of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pickmedium
Said · medium confidence- Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which used tax credits and incentives to speed a shift to cleaner energy. (2022-08-12) source
- Voted for the Lower Energy Costs Act, which expanded oil, gas and mineral production and sped up permits for energy projects. (2023-03-30) source
- His official site says an all-of-the-above approach to powering the country creates jobs and lowers costs, and calls for addressing burdensome regulations while protecting the environment. (2026) source
HealthcarePrivate insurance with more competition and price transparency, keeping protections for pre-existing conditionsmedium
Said · 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 site says socializing medicine would make health care more expensive and that free-market solutions should be used to reduce costs, improve outcomes and increase patient choice. (2026) source
Safety net programsKeep them, but add work requirements for able-bodied adultsmedium
Voted · medium confidenceIncome taxesCut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporationsmedium
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
Transgender athletesNo, and Congress should set a biological sex rule nationwidemedium
Voted · medium 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
E-Verify mandateRequire it for all employersmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted for the Secure the Border Act, which would require all employers to use E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
Mandatory minimumsAdd or lengthen them for serious crimes like fentanyl traffickingmedium
Voted · medium 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 loansCap borrowing, simplify repayment, and skip broad forgivenessmedium
Aid to IsraelKeep full aid without new conditionsmedium
Politicians trading stocksNo, ban it for members and their spousesmedium
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
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow
Said · low 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
- His official site says he is proudly pro-life and will fight government proposals that promote or fund abortion services. (2026) source
Business regulationNo single answer fitsmedium
Official action · medium confidence- His official site says addressing burdensome regulations and supporting free market principles will promote economic growth. (2026) source
- Sponsored the Credit Card Competition Act, which would require banks with over $100 billion in assets to offer a second card network, saying Visa and Mastercard use monopolistic power to crush competition. (2023-06-07) source
Aid to UkraineNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidenceQualified immunityNo single answer fitslow
Said · low confidence- Entered a statement in the Congressional Record that he was shown voting aye on roll call 60, final passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 1280), and intended to vote no. (2021-03-03) source
- Posted that he accidentally pressed the wrong voting button and that he would not support what he called the radical left's anti-police act. (2021-03-04) source
RedistrictingNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the For the People Act, which would require independent redistricting commissions. (2021-03-03) source
Campaign financeNo single answer fitslow
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
Childcare and pre-KNo single answer fitslow
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 leaveNo single answer fitslow
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 pricesNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap insulin costs at $35 a month. (2022-03-31) source
MarijuanaNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against the MORE Act, which would legalize marijuana federally and clear past convictions. (2022-04-01) source
No public position found on: National debt, Social Security, Minimum wage, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Judges, Term limits, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Chelsey Hockett
DemocratPrivate citizen
Chelsey Hockett is a Democrat and a mother from East Texas4 who won the May 26, 2026 Democratic runoff for Texas's 5th Congressional District over Ruth Torres, 53 percent to 47 percent1. She was born in Frederick, Maryland, earned a bachelor's degree from Texas Woman's University in 2015, and has worked in restaurants and for airlines1. She has been affiliated with the Kaufman County Democratic Party1.
Where they stand 14 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
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site calls for tying the minimum wage to the cost of living, starting with a $25 minimum wage. (2026) source
Social SecurityExpand benefits and fund it with higher taxes on the wealthymedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site calls for tying Social Security benefits to the cost of living, starting with a $200 benefit increase, funded by removing the cap on the Social Security payroll tax. (2026) source
Childcare and pre-KGuarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-Kmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site calls for enacting universal childcare so parents can afford to raise children and work. (2026) source
Aid to IsraelEnd itmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site calls for passing the Block the Bombs Act and other legislation to end all U.S. funding for Israel while sending aid to Palestinians. (2026) source
- Answered yes when asked whether she supports ending U.S. military aid to countries with ongoing human rights abuses, including Israel and Egypt. (2026-08) source
Income taxesRaise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site calls for making corporations and billionaires pay more by closing loopholes and instituting a progressive income tax and a wealth tax. (2026) source
ImmigrationA path to citizenship for most, and more legal immigrationmedium
Said · medium confidenceRedistrictingIndependent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymanderingmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site supports the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to ban partisan gerrymandering. (2026) source
Energy and climateAn aggressive shift to clean energy with firm deadlinesmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign site calls for enacting a Green New Deal to expand renewable energy. (2026) source
Qualified immunityNo, end it for police so officers or departments can be sued for rights violationsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Answered 'absolutely' when asked whether she supports ending qualified immunity and setting federal police accountability standards, including a national use-of-force standard and independent investigations. (2026-02-16) source
Supreme Court reformAdd term limits and ethics rules, and expand the Court beyond nine seatsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Said she supports expanding the Supreme Court and instituting term limits for justices. (2026-02-16) source
Trade and tariffsFree trade with minimal tariffs across the boardlow
Said · low confidence- Her campaign site calls for ending President Trump's tariffs, citing Federal Reserve findings that they raise consumer prices. (2026) source
Term limitsNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Told Ballotpedia she supports term limits that apply to everyone, without grandfather clauses, combined with limits on lobbying and PAC money. (2025) source
No public position found on: National debt, Safety net programs, Business regulation, Guns, Foreign policy, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Death penalty, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, 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.