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D Democratic · U.S. House 17, Texas · Nov 3, 2026

Casey
Shepard

Waco attorney and 2026 Democratic nominee challenging Rep. Pete Sessions in Texas's 17th Congressional District

Researched checked 6 d ago
sources
14
positions
9
endorsements
4
caseyshepardforcongress.com ↗(opens in a new tab) Facebook(opens in a new tab)Instagram(opens in a new tab)
Opponent Pete Sessions R Compare race →

Background

Casey Shepard is the 2026 Democratic nominee for U.S. House of Representatives, Texas's 17th Congressional District, challenging Republican incumbent Pete Sessions in the November 3, 2026 general election. The Federal Election Commission lists him as a Democratic challenger with no prior incumbency. 12

Shepard is a Waco-area attorney focused on indigent criminal defense, practicing law in Central Texas since 2011. He describes himself as a "Native Central Texan" who returned to Waco in 2010. 89

He graduated from Midway High School near Waco in 1999, received a public-policy debate scholarship to a college in California, and later earned his law degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. 94

No prior elected office is identified in the available sources; the FEC record confirms his status as a challenger. 2

At a glance

Party
Democratic
Running for
U.S. House · District 17, Texas
Election
Nov 3, 2026
Current office
Attorney (indigent criminal defense), Waco, Texas
Website
caseyshepardforcongress.com(opens in a new tab)

Where they stand

Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.

Timeline

  1. Date unknown
    news
    Shepard won Democratic primary runoff after chief opponent suspended and endorsed him

    A campaign-candidate roundup reported that Shepard won the Democratic primary runoff. His chief primary opponent suspended her campaign after the first round and endorsed him before the runoff. No runoff date or vote totals were provided.

    Texas Congressional Candidates - Lone Star Project · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  2. Oct 7
    filing
    FEC data shows Shepard's campaign raised $8,801 with $3,145 cash on hand through June 30

    The latest available FEC figures, for the period ending June 30, showed Shepard's committee had raised $8,801, spent $5,656, held $3,145 cash on hand, and carried $5,000 in debts. The next quarterly report was due October 15.

    Week of September 28 – October 2, 2026 · Oct 2, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  3. Oct 5
    endorsement
    Austin American-Statesman declined to endorse either candidate in TX-17

    In an editorial, the Austin American-Statesman said neither Shepard nor incumbent Pete Sessions convinced it. The board wrote that Shepard had shown potential during the primary but, in its view, had not demonstrated substantive understanding of issues including health-care costs and data centers.

    No recommendation for U.S. House 17: Neither candidate convinces · Oct 5, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  4. Sep 25
    poll
    No public district poll found for TX-17 as of late September

    A race profile reported that no public polls of TX-17 had been identified as of that date, though private polling was not ruled out.

    Casey Shepard (D) — U.S. Representative, TX-17 | 2026 profile · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  5. Sep 18
    endorsement
    Austin Central Labor Council endorsed Casey Shepard for TX-17

    The Austin Central Labor Council's 2026 general-election endorsement list named Shepard as its endorsed candidate for U.S. House District 17.

    Austin Central Labor Council 2026 General Election Endorsements · Sep 18, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  6. Aug 28
    filing
    Casey Shepard certified on Texas general-election ballot as Democratic candidate for TX-17

    The Texas Secretary of State's certified candidate list included Shepard as the Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 17, with the general election set for November 3.

    Casey Shepard (D) — U.S. Representative, TX-17 | 2026 profile · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Endorsements

  • Milah Flores other
    Former Democratic primary opponent who suspended her campaign after the March 3 primary and endorsed Shepard before the runoff. Exact date not given in sources. communityimpact.com
  • Central Texas Labor Council union
    Listed Shepard among its 2026 general-election congressional endorsements. texasaflcio.org · Sep 22, 2026
  • Texas AFL-CIO COPE union
    Listed Shepard as its 2026 general-election choice for U.S. House District 17. Endorsement page dated July 21, 2026 and updated October 11. texasaflcio.org · Jul 21, 2026
  • Austin American-Statesman Editorial Board newspaper
    Endorsed Shepard in the Democratic primary. The board later declined to endorse either candidate in the general election (October 5, 2026). statesman.com · Feb 11, 2026

Campaign finance

Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.

Raised
$8,801
Spent
$5,656
Cash on hand
$3,145

As of Jun 30, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record H6TX17168(opens in a new tab)

Sources 14

  1. [1] Texas Congressional Candidates - Lone Star Project(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
  2. [2] No recommendation for U.S. House 17: Neither candidate convinces(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
  3. [3] Week of September 28 – October 2, 2026(opens in a new tab) Oct 2, 2026
  4. [4] Casey Shepard (D) — U.S. Representative, TX-17 | 2026 profile(opens in a new tab) Sep 24, 2026
  5. [5] Central Texas Labor Council 2026 General Election ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 22, 2026
  6. [6] Austin Central Labor Council 2026 General Election Endorsements(opens in a new tab) Sep 18, 2026
  7. [7] Q&A: Get to know the candidates for US House of Representatives District 17(opens in a new tab) Aug 20, 2026
  8. [8] Texas AFL-CIO COPE 2026 General Election Pro-Worker Endorsements(opens in a new tab) Jul 21, 2026
  9. [9] Q&A: Get to know the candidates in the Democratic runoff for US House of Representatives District 17(opens in a new tab) May 22, 2026
  10. [10] Democrats clash in bid to flip Texas’ 17th Congressional District seat - The Baylor Lariat(opens in a new tab) Feb 11, 2026
  11. [11] Shepard US House 17 Dems' best choice for restoring balance of power(opens in a new tab) Feb 11, 2026
  12. [12] Q&A: Get to know the Democratic candidates for US House ...(opens in a new tab) Jan 20, 2026
  13. [13] Casey Shepard — official campaign website(opens in a new tab) Jan 14, 2026
  14. [14] Casey's Vision(opens in a new tab) Jan 14, 2026
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