Texas AFT COPE releases new round of endorsements, including runoff candidates

Publish Date: March 20, 2026 3:00 pm
Author: Texas AFT

This week, Texas AFT COPE has released a new round of endorsements ahead of the May runoff. Every election cycle, we endorse state and federal candidates for elected office. These carefully vetted candidates are dedicated to fighting for our public schools and fighting back against the privatization of public education. We endorse these candidates because we trust they will continue the fight against the billionaire class that has taken control of our state and federal government.

Some of our endorsed candidates are expected to face off against their primary opponent again in the May 26 runoff. Among them are Montserrat Garibay in HD 50, Venton Jones in HD 100, and Adrian Reyna in HD 125, alongside newly endorsed candidates Lawrence Allen Jr. in HD 131, Johnny Garcia in CD 35, and Colin Allred in CD 33. We need your help getting these leaders across the finish line and into the general election taking place on November 3. 

In these runoff elections, Texans can cast their ballot for our endorsed candidates during early voting which will take place May 18–22 and on Election Day, May 26.  

Voters who already voted in the Republican or Democratic primary this year can only vote in the same party’s elections. However, Texans who have not voted in the March primary elections can choose to vote in either party’s runoff. We are proud and excited to help elect these leaders as our new defenders of public education in Texas and in Washington, D.C. 

View our latest endorsements in the tables below.

Endorsed candidates in May 26 runoff election

CandidateOffice soughtDistrictUnion affiliation, if applicableMontserrat Garibay State Representative 49 Former Education Austin and Former Secretary-Treasurer of Texas AFL-CIO Venton Jones  State Representative 100   Adrian Reyna  State Representative 125 San Antonio Alliance  Lawrence Allen Jr.  State Representative 131   Johnny Garcia  U.S Congress 35   Colin Allred U.S Congress 33   

Endorsed candidates in November 3 general election

CandidateOffice soughtDistrictUnion affiliation, if applicableSean Huffman State Representative 1    Elizabeth “Eliz” Markowitz State Representative 26    Sandy Ibanez State Representative 28  Fort Bend AFT Dawn Richardson State Representative 54   Amelia Rabroker State Representative 55    Ashley Bean Thornton State Representative 56    Cullin Knutson State Representative 86    Diana Loya State Representative 87    Katie O’Brien Duzan State Representative 94    Zach Herbert State Representative 112    Zack Dunn State Representative 121    Tanya Lloyd  U.S Congress 27 Member of Texas AFT Katy Padilla Stout U.S Congress 23 Former member of Texas AFT AMPSylvia Garcia  U.S Congress 29   Vicente Gonzalez  U.S Congress 34