Sylvia
Garcia
Democratic incumbent Sylvia Garcia seeks re-election in Texas's 29th Congressional District in 2026.
- sources
- 12
- positions
- 8
- endorsements
- 32
Background
Sylvia R. Garcia is a Democratic U.S. Representative for Texas's 29th Congressional District, having served in Congress since January 3, 2019. She is one of the first Latinas from Texas elected to Congress and is a native of Palito Blanco, a South Texas farming community. 121
Before her congressional service, Garcia held several elected offices in the Houston area: she served as Director and Presiding Judge of Houston's municipal court system for five terms, was elected Houston City Controller in 1998 and served two terms, served as Harris County Commissioner from 2003 to 2010, and was a Texas State Senator for District 6 from 2013 to 2019. 514
Garcia earned a B.S.W. from Texas Woman's University in 1972 and a J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in 1978. Her early career included work as a social worker and legal-aid lawyer. 514
Garcia is the Democratic incumbent in the 2026 race for Texas's 29th U.S. House District, with the general election scheduled for November 3, 2026. 117
At a glance
- Party
- Democratic · Incumbent
- Running for
- U.S. House · District 29, Texas
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
- Current office
- U.S. Representative for Texas's 29th Congressional District
- Website
- sylviaforcongress.com(opens in a new tab)
Where they stand
Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.
Timeline
- Oct 9newsGarcia announces planned heat-safety bill named for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo
The Houston Chronicle reported Garcia planned to introduce a bill in late October named for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. The bill would require at least one 15-minute paid rest break per four hours worked in the heat for construction-sector workers, including homebuilders and HVAC technicians, and protect workers from retaliation. Garcia noted the family endorsed the measure; the bill had not yet been formally introduced.
Exclusive: Sylvia Garcia names worker heat bill after Lorenzo Salgado Araujo · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 2newsGarcia co-leads Dropbox Access Act to expand federal election ballot drop boxes
Garcia was listed as a co-lead on the Dropbox Access Act, introduced by Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, which would require states to provide county-level secure drop boxes for completed federal-election ballots. Garcia stated the bill aimed to make voting more accessible.
Congresswoman Scanlon Introduces Bills to Improve ... · Oct 2, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 1newsGarcia, Pingree, and Casar call for accountability over three ICE shootings and body camera failures
Garcia joined Reps. Chellie Pingree and Greg Casar in sending a letter to DHS and ICE demanding answers about three ICE shootings—including the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Garcia's district—where agents were not wearing body cameras. The lawmakers requested written responses by October 14.
Reps. Garcia, Pingree, Casar Call for Accountability After ... · Oct 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Jul 15filingGarcia campaign Q2 FEC filing: $987K raised, $1.16M spent, $201K cash on hand
Garcia's campaign committee reported $987,402 raised, $1,158,184 spent, and $200,973 cash on hand through June 30, per a July 15 Q2 FEC filing. Republican opponent Martha Fierro reported $0 across all figures through the same date.
Texas' 29th District Race 2026: Who's Running (TX-29) · Oct 3, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Jul 7newsLorenzo Salgado Araujo killed by ICE agent in Houston, in Garcia's district
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Houston homebuilder, was shot and killed by an ICE agent on his way to work. The incident occurred in Rep. Sylvia Garcia's district and became the basis for subsequent legislative and accountability efforts by Garcia.
Exclusive: Sylvia Garcia names worker heat bill after Lorenzo Salgado Araujo · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Endorsements
- Lizzie Fletcher (U.S. Rep., TX-7) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Hakeem Jeffries (House Minority Leader) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Molly Cook (Texas State Sen., District 15) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Gene Wu (Texas State Rep., District 137) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Christina Morales (Texas State Rep., District 145) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Lina Hidalgo (Harris County Judge) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Rodney Ellis (Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 1) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Lesley Briones (Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 4) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- John Whitmire (Mayor of Houston) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Tarsha Jackson (Houston City Council, District B) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Joaquin Martinez (Houston City Council, District I) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Eva L. Loredo (Houston City College Trustee) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Jennifer Halvorson (Area 5 Democrats Chair) otherListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Rafael Lemaitre (Precinct 448 Chair) otherListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Texas Organizing Project PAC (TOP PAC) organizationEndorsed Garcia for TX-29 on the November 2026 ballot; date not stated on endorsements page. organizetexas.org
- Planned Parenthood Action Fund organizationListed Garcia among endorsed candidates for U.S. Congress in Texas; date not stated. plannedparenthoodaction.org
- Maxine Waters (U.S. Rep., CA-43) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Carol Alvarado (Texas State Sen., District 6) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Jon Rosenthal (Texas State Rep., District 135) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Mary Ann Perez (Texas State Rep., District 144) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Penny Morales Shaw (Texas State Rep., District 148) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Annette Ramirez (Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Adrian Garcia (Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 2) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Silvia Trevino (Harris County Constable, Precinct 6) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Martha Castex-Tatum (Houston Mayor Pro Tem) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Mario Castillo (Houston City Council, District H) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Jerry Davis (former Houston City Council member) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Adriana Tamez (Houston City College Trustee) officialListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Steve Halverson (CD29 Chair) otherListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Elvia Alvarado (Precinct 189 Chair) otherListed on Garcia's campaign endorsements page; date not stated. sylviaforcongress.com
- Texas AFL-CIO COPE unionListed in 2026 General Election Pro-Worker Endorsements for U.S. House District 29. texasaflcio.org · Jul 21, 2026
- Houston Chronicle Editorial Board newspaperPrimary endorsement for Garcia in the 2026 Democratic primary for TX-29; not a general-election endorsement. x.com · Feb 12, 2026
Campaign finance
Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.
- Raised
- $987K
- Spent
- $1.16M
- Cash on hand
- $201K
As of Jun 30, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record H8TX29052(opens in a new tab)
Sources 12
- [1] 2026 Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorsed Candidates(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
- [2] Exclusive: Sylvia Garcia names worker heat bill after Lorenzo Salgado Araujo(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
- [3] Endorsements | Texas Organizing Project(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [4] Issues(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [5] Endorsements | Sylvia Garcia(opens in a new tab) Oct 4, 2026
- [6] Issues - Sylvia Garcia(opens in a new tab) Oct 4, 2026
- [7] Texas' 29th District Race 2026: Who's Running (TX-29)(opens in a new tab) Oct 3, 2026
- [8] Congresswoman Scanlon Introduces Bills to Improve ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 2, 2026
- [9] Reps. Garcia, Pingree, Casar Call for Accountability After ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 1, 2026
- [10] Texas AFL-CIO COPE 2026 General Election Pro-Worker Endorsements(opens in a new tab) Jul 21, 2026
- [11] Post(opens in a new tab) Feb 12, 2026
- [12] Representative Sylvia R. Garcia (1950(opens in a new tab) Dec 18, 2025