Texas's 26th congressional district

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Texas's 26th congressional district
Texas US Congressional District 26 (since 2021).tif
Texas' 26th congressional district - since January 3, 2023.
Representative
Distribution
  • 93.4% urban [1]
  • 6.6% rural
Population (2023)854,717 [2]
Median household
income
$114,063 [3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVI R+13 [4]

Texas' 26th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes rural Cooke County to the north and some of Wise County to the West and includes parts of Denton County, including Flower Mound, Lewisville and parts of Corinth, Carrollton, Little Elm and The Colony. [5] The current Representative is Brandon Gill. The district is best known as the seat of former House Majority Leader Dick Armey.

Contents

History

The district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 census, due to the population growth in Texas and Denton County, specifically in its southern sector. Since its creation, the district has been based in Denton County, one of Texas' fastest-growing counties.

Democrat Tom Vandergriff was the first person to represent the district, winning in 1982. Vandergriff narrowly lost to Republican Dick Armey in 1984, and the seat has continuously been held by Republicans ever since. Indeed, since Vandergriff's defeat in 1984, no Democrat has crossed the 40 percent mark. As Denton County has become overwhelmingly Republican in recent years (all but one county officeholder is Republican, as are all members of the Texas Legislature representing the county), the 26th district is considered a "safe seat" for the GOP.

Since the 2010 redistricting, the 26th district has included most of Denton County (except the southeast portion) and a portion of north central Tarrant County.

However, the district has been trending Democratic in recent years. Donald Trump carried it by 14 points in 2020, while Mitt Romney had carried it by 37 in 2012.

After the 2020 census, rapid growth resulted in significant changes in the composition of the district. For the first time since the district's creation, the City of Denton, the county seat of Denton County, will not be a part of the district. It was instead shifted to the Panhandle-based 13th district. The 26th also lost its small share of Frisco. To make up for the loss of population, portions of Wise County and all of Cooke County will become part of the district. Lewisville will become the largest city in the district.

Denton had become increasingly friendly to Democrats in recent years, and voting trends suggested that under the previous map, the 26th could have potentially become competitive. The redrawn 26th, on the other hand, is considered slightly more Republican than its predecessor. [6]

Recent election results from statewide races

YearOfficeResults [7]
2008 President McCain 67% - 33%
2012 President Romney 71% - 29%
2014 Senate Cornyn 76% - 24%
Governor Abbott 72% - 28%
2016 President Trump 63% - 32%
2018 Senate Cruz 60% - 40%
Governor Abbott 65% - 33%
Lt. Governor Patrick 60% - 37%
Attorney General Paxton 59% - 38%
2020 President Trump 59% - 40%
Senate Cornyn 61% - 37%
2022 Governor Abbott 61% - 37%
Lt. Governor Patrick 60% - 38%
Attorney General Paxton 59% - 37%
Comptroller of Public Accounts Hegar 63% - 34%
2024 President Trump 61% - 38%
Senate Cruz 58% - 40%

Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities: [8]

CookeCounty (9)

All 9 communities

DentonCounty (46)

Argyle, Aubrey, Bartonville, Carrollton (part; also 24th, 32nd, and 33rd; shared with Dallas County), Celina (part; also 4th; shared with Collin County), The Colony, Coppell (part; also 24th; shared with Dallas County), Copper Canyon, Corral City, Corinth, Cross Roads, Denton (part; also 13th), DISH, Double Oak, Flower Mound (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County), Fort Worth (part; also 12th, 24th, 25th, and 33rd; shared with Johnson, Parker, Tarrant, and Wise counties), Frisco (part; also 3rd and 4th; shared with Collin County), Grapevine (part; also 24th; shared with Dallas and Tarrant counties), Hackberry, Haslet (part; also 12th; shared with Tarrant County), Hebron (part; also 4th; shared with Collin County), Hickory Creek, Highland Village, Justin, Krugerville, Lake Dallas, Lakewood Village, Lewisville (part; also 24th; shared with Dallas County), Lantana, Little Elm, Northlake, Oak Point, Paloma Creek, Paloma Creek South, Pilot Point, Plano (part; also 3rd, 4th, and 32nd; shared with Collin County), Ponder, Prosper (part; also 4th; shared with Collin County), Providence Village, Roanoke (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County), Sanger, Savannah, Shady Shores, Southlake (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County), Trophy Club (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County), Westlake (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County)

TarrantCounty (2)

Fort Worth (part; also 12th, 24th, 25th, and 33rd; shared with Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise counties), Haslet (part; also 12th; shared with Denton County)

WiseCounty (10)

Aurora, Boyd, Briar (part; also 12th; shared with Tarrant County), Decatur (part; also 13th), Fort Worth (part; also 12th, 24th, 25th, and 33rd; shared with Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Tarrant counties), Newark, New Fairview (shared with Denton County), Paradise, Pecan Acres (part; also 12th; shared with Tarrant County), Rhome

List of members representing the district

RepresentativePartyYearsCong
ress
Electoral historyDistrict location
District established January 3, 1983
Tom Vandergriff Feb. 1983 Ninety-Eighth Congress Pictorial Directory.gif
Tom Vandergriff
(Arlington)
Democratic January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1985
98th Elected in 1982.
Lost re-election.
1983–1985
[ data missing ]
Dick Armey, official 105th Congress photo.jpg
Dick Armey
(Irving)
Republican January 3, 1985 –
January 3, 2003
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
Elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Retired.
1985–1993
[ data missing ]
1993–1997
Parts of Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant
1997–2003
Parts of Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant
Michael Burgess 117th Congress.jpg
Michael C. Burgess
(Pilot Point)
Republican January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2025
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th
Elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Retired.
2003–2005
Denton; parts of Collin and Tarrant
2005–2013
TX26 109.gif
Parts of Cooke, Denton, and Tarrant
2013–2023
Texas US Congressional District 26 (since 2013).tif
Parts of Denton and Tarrant [9]
2023–present
Texas US Congressional District 26 (since 2021).tif
Cooke; parts of Denton, Tarrant, and Wise [10]
Brandon Gill, official portrait, 119th Congress.jpg
Brandon Gill
(Flower Mound)
Republican January 3, 2025 –
present
119th Elected in 2024.

Recent election results

2004 election

US House election, 2004: Texas District 26
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Michael Burgess (incumbent)180,51965.75−9.1
Democratic Lico Reyes 89,80932.71+9.9
Libertarian James Gholston4,2111.53+0.1
Majority90,71033.0
Turnout 274,539
Republican hold Swing -9.5

2006 election

US House election, 2006: Texas District 26
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Michael Burgess (incumbent)94,21960.21−5.54
Democratic Tim Barnwell58,27137.23+4.52
Libertarian Rich Haas3,9932.55+1.02
Majority35,94822.97
Turnout 156,483
Republican hold Swing -5.03

2008 election

US House election, 2008: Texas District 26
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Michael Burgess (incumbent)194,84960.19−0.02
Democratic Ken Leach117,89536.42−0.82
Libertarian Stephanie Weiss11,0023.400.85
Majority76,95423.77+0.8
Turnout 323,746
Republican hold Swing -0.02

2010 election

US House election, 2010: Texas District 26
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Michael Burgess (incumbent)120,68367.08+6.89
Democratic Neil Durrance55,18230.67−5.75
Libertarian Mark Boler4,0492.25−1.15
Majority65,50136.41+12.64
Turnout 179,914
Republican hold Swing +6.89

2016 election

US House election, 2016: Texas District 26
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Michael Burgess (incumbent)211,73066.4−0.68
Democratic Eric Mauck94,50729.6−1.07
Libertarian Mark Boler12,8434.0+1.75
Majority117,22336.8+0.39
Turnout 319,080
Republican hold Swing -0.68

2018 election

US House election, 2018: Texas District 26
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Michael Burgess (incumbent)185,55159.4−7.0
Democratic Linsey Fagan121,93839.0+9.4
Libertarian Mark Boler5,0161.6−2.4
Majority59,61320.4−16.4
Turnout 312,505
Republican hold Swing -7.0

2020 election

US House election, 2020: Texas District 26 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Michael C. Burgess (incumbent) 261,963 60.6
Democratic Carol Iannuzzi161,00937.3
Libertarian Mark Boler9,2432.1
Total votes432,215 100.0
Republican hold

2022 election

US House election, 2022: Texas District 26 [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Michael Burgess (incumbent) 183,639 69.2
Libertarian Mike Kolls81,38430.7
Total votes265,023 100.0
Republican hold

Historical district boundaries

2007-2013 TX26 109.gif
2007–2013
2013-2023 Texas US Congressional District 26 (since 2013).tif
2013–2023

See also

References

  1. "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013.
  2. "My Congressional District".
  3. "My Congressional District".
  4. "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. Astudillo, Carla; Cai, Mandi; Huang, Kalley (August 30, 2022). "Texas has new political maps. See which districts your home is in". The Texas Tribune . Archived from the original on December 23, 2022.
  6. Wegman, Jesse; Winter, Damon (July 13, 2022). "Opinion | Gerrymander, U.S.A." The New York Times.
  7. https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::1c2c1e0d-2fd1-43a8-a039-73e7023124d1
  8. https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST48/CD118_TX26.pdf
  9. "District Population Analysis with County Subtotals | CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS - PLANC2100" (PDF). Capitol Data Portal. Texas Legislative Council. August 26, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  10. "District Population Analysis with County Subtotals | CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS - PLANC2193" (PDF). Capitol Data Portal. Texas Legislative Council. October 17, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  11. "2020 November 3rd General Election, U.S. Representative District 26". Texas Election Results. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  12. "Texas Election Night Results". Texas Department of State. Retrieved November 17, 2022.

33°11′05″N97°08′03″W / 33.18472°N 97.13417°W / 33.18472; -97.13417