Who is running for Texas House, District 148 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Texas House, District 148 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Texas House District 148.
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 | Penny Morales ShawDemocrat | Amanda LaBrieRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| AI data centers | Welcome them, but make them pay their full share of grid and water costsVoted · medium | No public position |
| School choice | No public position | Yes, universal school choice for every familyQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Curriculum and books | No single answer fits; see evidence | Parents, including the right to remove material they object toQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Property taxes | No public position | Keep cutting them and cap how fast they can riseSaid · medium |
| Policing and crime | No public position | Tougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailSaid · medium |
| Marijuana | Decriminalize small amounts (fines, not jail)Voted · medium | No public position |
| Transgender athletes | No single answer fits; see evidence | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| DEI programs | No single answer fits; see evidence | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| China policy | No single answer fits; see evidence | Get tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesQuestionnaire answer · medium |
Penny Morales Shaw
Democrat · IncumbentState Representative, Texas House District 148
Penny Morales Shaw has represented Texas House District 148 in Houston since January 20211. She is an attorney and a native Houstonian who previously served as deputy chief for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2, overseeing policy and legislative affairs4. She faces Republican Amanda LaBrie on Nov. 3, 202623. No 2026 campaign website or candidate questionnaire was found, so her positions here come from her House votes.
Where they stand 14 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
MarijuanaDecriminalize small amounts (fines, not jail)medium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on HB 218, which would have reduced the criminal consequences of possessing small amounts of marijuana; it passed the House 87 to 59 but did not pass the Senate. (2023-04-27) source
- Voted no on SB 3, which would have banned most consumable hemp-derived THC products; it passed the House 87 to 54 and was later vetoed by the governor. (2025-05-22) source
AI data centersWelcome them, but make them pay their full share of grid and water costsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 6, which set rules for how very large electricity users such as data centers connect to the grid and share related costs; it passed the House 103 to 25. (2025-05-27) source
AbortionNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on SB 8, the Texas Heartbeat Act, which bans most abortions after cardiac activity is detected and is enforced through private lawsuits; it passed the House 83 to 64. (2021-05-06) source
- Voted no on HB 1280, which banned abortion once Roe v. Wade was overturned, with an exception only for the life or a major bodily function of the mother; it passed the House 81 to 61. (2021-05-06) source
- Voted no on HB 7, which set prohibitions on making and providing abortion-inducing drugs; it passed the House 82 to 48. (2025-08-28) source
Gender care for minorsNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on SB 14, which banned gender transition procedures and treatments for minors; the House passed it 87 to 56. (2023-05-15) source
Transgender athletesNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on HB 25, which requires public school students to compete in school sports based on biological sex; it passed the House 76 to 54. (2021-10-14) source
- Voted no on SB 15, which requires college athletes at public universities to compete based on biological sex; it passed the House 95 to 50. (2023-05-18) source
DEI programsNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on SB 17, which banned diversity, equity and inclusion offices and related practices at public colleges; it passed the House 83 to 62. (2023-05-22) source
- Was away from her desk when SB 12, which prohibited diversity, equity and inclusion duties in K-12 public schools, passed 88 to 47, and filed a House Journal statement that she would have voted no. (2025-05-25) source
Religion in schoolsNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Her vote did not register when SB 10, requiring the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, passed 82 to 46; she filed a House Journal statement that she would have voted no. (2025-05-25) source
- Voted no on SB 11, which allows schools to set a period for prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious texts; it passed the House 88 to 48. (2025-05-23) source
Curriculum and booksNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on HB 900, which regulated library materials sold to or kept in public school libraries; it passed the House 95 to 52. (2023-04-20) source
- Voted no on SB 13, which set up local school library advisory councils and parental rights over school library materials; it passed the House 86 to 55. (2025-05-28) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on SB 4, which made illegal entry into Texas a state crime and allowed state judges to order people to leave the country; it passed the House 83 to 61. (2023-11-14) source
- Voted no on SB 8, which requires certain sheriffs to enter agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law; it passed the House 86 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
China policyNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on SB 17, which restricts purchases of Texas real property by certain foreign governments, entities and people, including from China; it passed the House 86 to 59. (2025-05-09) source
GunsNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on the final version of HB 1927, which allows adults 21 and older to carry a handgun without a license; the House adopted it 82 to 62. (2021-05-23) source
Kids onlineNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted no on HB 186, which would have prohibited minors from using social media platforms; it passed the House 116 to 25 but did not become law. (2025-04-30) source
- Voted yes on SB 2420, which requires app stores to verify users' ages and get parental consent for minors; it passed the House 120 to 9. (2025-05-09) source
RedistrictingNo single answer fitsmedium
Election rulesNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Was excused when the House adopted the final version of SB 1, the 2021 election law, 80 to 41, and filed a House Journal statement that she would have voted no. (2021-08-31) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, School choice, Property taxes, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, 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, AI regulation, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate.
Amanda LaBrie
RepublicanPrivate citizen
Amanda LaBrie is the Republican nominee for Texas House District 148, having won the March 3, 2026 Republican primary unopposed23. She grew up in the district, was an All-American swimmer at the University of Texas Permian Basin, worked as an oil and gas landman, and founded an event production company41. She is a Republican precinct chair and leads a neighborhood watch1.
Where they stand 7 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- In her Ballotpedia survey, said she advocates for HB 25 and SB 15, the Texas laws requiring school and college athletes to compete based on biological sex. (2026) source
- Her campaign website says that as a former collegiate swimmer she will fight to keep girls' sports and locker rooms fair and safe. (2026) source
DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- In her Ballotpedia survey, said she advocates SB 12, which she described as banning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in K-12 schools and giving parents control over curriculum. (2026) source
Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- In her Ballotpedia survey, listed parental rights as a key message and said she advocates SB 12 for giving parents control over curriculum. (2026) source
School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familymedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidenceChina policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- In her Ballotpedia survey, said she supports more restrictions on Chinese Communist Party influence, technology and land ownership, citing SB 17. (2026) source
Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign website says she will back law enforcement with full resources and reform the bail system that she says puts violent criminals back on the streets. (2026) source
- In her Ballotpedia survey, said she supports increased punishment for human trafficking offenses and no parole for exploitation of minors. (2026) source
Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risemedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign website says she will push for lasting property tax reform and hold local governments accountable for tax hikes. (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, 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, Religion in schools.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.