Who is running for Texas House, District 131 in 2026?

Private citizen

Scott Whitmarsh is the Republican nominee for House District 131, an open seat, and ran unopposed in the March 2026 Republican primary¹². As of July 22, 2026, the nonpartisan candidate guide Branch found no campaign website or public issue information for him, and the League of Women Voters of Houston voter guide lists no response from him to its questionnaire³⁴.

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, AI data centers, School choice, 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.

Former member, Texas State Board of Education, District 4

Staci Childs is a Democrat, a Houston attorney and former Houston ISD teacher who represented District 4 on the Texas State Board of Education from January 2023 until she resigned on Aug. 1, 2026¹. She earned a law degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University and runs a private legal practice¹. She won the May 26, 2026 Democratic primary runoff for the open House District 131 seat over Lawrence Allen Jr.².

Where they stand 4 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• Curriculum and booksTeachers and librarians, as trained professionalsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Said educators should have the strongest voice in curriculum development, with the State Board of Education setting standards and local districts keeping authority over instructional materials. (2026) source
  • Said educators should be trusted as professionals to make instructional decisions, balancing parental input with local governance. (2026) source
• Religion in schoolsNo single answer fitsmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • As a State Board of Education member, voted against approving Bluebonnet Learning, K-5 reading materials that include Bible-based lessons; the board approved them 8 to 7. (2024-11-22) source
  • Told the board she believed the materials violate the Constitution's establishment clause because of their emphasis on one religion. (2024-11-22) source
• School choiceNo single answer fitsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Said public schools, including traditional and charter schools, should be fully funded before public dollars go to private or home schools, and that any education savings accounts must meet the same accountability standards as public schools. (2026) source
• Policing and crimeNo single answer fitsmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Said the criminal justice system should focus on accountability, restoration and opportunity, and called for statewide diversion programs and alternatives to conviction for minor offenses. (2026) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, AI data centers, Property taxes, Housing and growth, 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, China policy.