Republicans Defend Three Texas House Seats in November
Republican incumbents and open-seat candidates face Democratic challengers in Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio districts on November 3, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
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Republicans are defending three Texas House seats against Democratic challengers in the November 3, 2026 general election. Results for the races in House Districts 34, 37 and 118 remain pending.
Why it matters
The three districts have shifted between parties in recent cycles, with District 34 flipped to Republican control in 2024 and District 37 flipped to red in 2022. The outcomes will determine whether Republicans hold their recent gains in South Texas and San Antonio.
Villalobos won District 34 in 2024 by more than 10 percentage points, while Borrego took the Republican primary in open District 118 with about 53% of the vote. The November 3 results will show whether those margins hold in the general election.
The players
Denise Villalobos
Republican state representative for House District 34 in Corpus Christi, who credits her work with securing $46 million in state support for the region's water system.
Janie Lopez
Republican state representative for House District 37 in the Rio Grande Valley, seeking a third term after flipping the seat to Republican control in 2022.
John Lujan
Former Republican state representative for House District 118 in San Antonio, whose departure leaves the seat open in this election.
The details
Rep. Denise Villalobos faces Democrat Stephanie Saenz in House District 34, which covers Corpus Christi. Rep. Janie Lopez seeks a third term against Democrat Oziel Ochoa Jr. in District 37, and Republican Jorge Borrego faces Democrat Kristian Carranza for the open District 118 seat in San Antonio left by Rep. John Lujan.
Timeline
2021: District 118 returned to Republican control in a special election.
2022: Lopez flipped District 37 to Republican control.
2024: Villalobos flipped District 34 to Republican control.
May 2026: Ochoa won the Democratic nomination in District 37 with about 62% of the vote.
November 3, 2026: General election for all three seats.
Legislative Context
Republicans flipped District 37 in 2022 and District 34 in 2024, and the November 2026 contests test whether those South Texas gains will hold. The defense of District 118, which returned to Republican control in a 2021 special election, extends the same pattern into the San Antonio area.
Voters in the three districts will choose the state representative who serves them in the Texas House. Control of these seats affects the legislative agenda on water infrastructure and drainage funding for their communities.
The takeaway
Voters in Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio will decide three seats that have changed hands in recent cycles. Checking candidates' published platforms before November 3 gives a direct view of their positions.
What happens next
General election voting takes place on November 3, 2026, when results for House Districts 34, 37 and 118 will be determined.
Further reading
For broader coverage of how these races fit into state contests, see Elections coverage for Texas.
Source note: This article includes information reported by FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth.
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