By Edmond Ortiz
Voters in 11 San Antonio-area state legislative districts began casting votes Feb. 17 ahead of the March 3 Democratic and Republican primaries.
State Senate District 19
Democratic incumbent Roland Gutierrez has no challenger in his effort to continue representing a state Senate district that covers east, south and far West San Antonio, towns such as Live Oak, Universal City, Converse and Seguin, and stretches to the Southwest Texas-Mexican border.
Gutierrez was instrumental in seeking accountability from local authorities and public safety reform in the wake of the Uvalde Robb Elementary School shooting in 2022.
Gutierrez will be in the Nov. 3 general election, awaiting the winner of the Republican primary, which includes: business owner and South Side native Marcus Cardenas; Schertz resident Robert Marks, a previous Schertz City Council candidate; and Adam Salyer, a U.S. Army and Texas National Guard veteran, small business owner, and a former Universal City City Council member.
State Senate District 21
Democratic incumbent and Laredoan Judith Zaffirini has represented a district covering parts of Austin and San Antonio and a wide swath of the Rio Grande Valley since she became the first Hispanic woman elected to the Texas Senate, in 1986.
Becoming the first woman Dean of the Senate on Dec. 31, 2023, Zaffirini is facing a Democratic primary challenge from Austinite Cortney Jones, a community advocate, social worker, and nonprofit leader.
Either Zaffirini or Jones will advance to the November general election and meet Sutherland Springs Republican Julie Dahlberg, an Army veteran and business owner.
State House District 19
Republican incumbent Ellen Troxclair, a Marble Falls resident, realtor and ex-Austin City Council member, seeks a third term with hopes of continuing to serve a legislative district that stretches from Kendall County, to part of Austin and into much of the Hill Country.
George Cambanis withdrew from the GOP primary, but his name remains on the local ballot.
Troxclair will go on to the November general election and await the winner of a Democratic primary that offers Kerrville native Javi Andrade, an Army veteran and information technology professional, and Round Rock resident Kelly Hall, a member of the Texas State Guard and a former correctional officer who has founded several nonprofit initiatives focused on helping veterans in need.
State House District 44
McQueeney resident Alan Schoolcraft is seeking a second term in his second stint as a state representative.
Currently serving a legislative district that covers Guadalupe and Gonzales counties, Schoolcraft is facing a Republican primary challenge from Cibolo resident Gabriel Ortiz, a Texas Army National Guard veteran, and small business owner.
The GOP primary winner will meet the victor of the Democratic primary match between Seguin small business owner Eric Norman and Steve Schwab, a retired Army medical officer and a current business school professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
State House District 117
Democrat Philip Cortez seeks a sixth term representing a legislative district that covers much of far west and southwest Bexar County. He is facing a primary challenge from attorney Robert Mihara, a retired U.S. Army officer.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Ben Mostyn, a realtor and an Army veteran, in the Nov. 3 general election.
State House District 118
Republican incumbent John Lujan’s decision to run for the redrawn Congressional District 35 leaves the door open for a new representative, who would serve a legislative district that spans far south and east Bexar County, and Northeast Side suburbs such as Universal City.
The GOP primary candidates are Jorge Borrego, who has been a realtor and a policy analyst, attorney Desi Martinez, and Joe Shellhart, an Army veteran and educator.
The GOP primary winner will meet Democrat and community organizer Kristian Carranza, a native South Sider who lost to Lujan in the 2024 general election.
State House District 119
Democratic incumbent Elizabeth “Liz” Campos is seeking a third term, representing a district that covers far east and southeast San Antonio, and towns such as Converse and Live Oak. She faces a primary challenge from Ryan Ayala, an associate attorney who’s running his first campaign for public office.
The winner of the Democratic primary will meet Republican Melva Perez, a retired Army officer, in the November general election.
State Representative, District 120
Democratic incumbent Barbara Gervin-Hawkins seeks a sixth term representing a district that includes the city’s East Side and the towns of Windcrest and Kirby.
Gervin-Hawkins is facing primary challenges from special education teacher Jordan Brown, and Bently Paiz, a community organizer, fiber optic technician, and a former legislative aide. The Democratic primary winner will have no Republican opponent in the November election.
State House District 121
Republican incumbent and attorney Marc LaHood is seeking a second term representing a district that covers a chunk of San Antonio neighborhoods east of U.S. 281, as well as the suburbs of Alamo Heights, Olmos Park and Terrell Hills.
LaHood is facing a primary challenge from realtor David McArthur. The GOP primary winner will advance to the November election, where he will meet Democrat Zack Dunn, an attorney who has worked for the city of San Antonio and at the White House, and currently serves as a special victims unit prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney’s office.
State House District 122
Republican incumbent Mark Dorazio seeks a third term representing a district that covers much of north and northwest Bexar County, far north San Antonio, as well as the cities of Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park and Shavano Park.
Dorazio is facing a primary challenge from peace officer and business owner Willie Vasquez Ng, who previously ran in GOP primary races for Bexar County sheriff and Congressional District 28. The primary winner will meet Democrat Shelly Nickels, a physician who sits on the medical executive committee for Methodist Hospital, in the November election.
State House District 125
Four-term Democratic incumbent Ray Lopez is retiring from his role representing a district that covers parts of northwest and west San Antonio and the town of Leon Valley.
The Democratic primary offers four candidates: Carlos Antonio Raymond, a realtor, community organizer and Army veteran; educator Adrian Reyna; Donovon Rodriguez, Ray Lopez’s chief of staff; and Michelle Barrientes Vela, who was convicted by a Bexar County jury in 2022 for tampering with public records during her time as constable for Bexar County Precinct 2.
Two years later, an appeals court overturned Barrientes Vela’s felony convictions. She was formally acquitted of criminal charges in 2025.
Having been experienced as a paralegal and a business owner, Barrientes Vela backs reforming the state justice system as part of her campaign for the state legislature.
The GOP primary is fielding two contestants: Chuck Mercer IV, a former educator and financial advisor, and Ricardo “Rick” Martinez, an entrepreneur and nonprofit founder.
Also of note
Voters in Texas House District 116 will have to wait until the November general election for a match between Democratic incumbent Trey Martinez Fischer and Republican Rhett Smith.
There are no primary contests in Texas House District 73, which covers Comal County and western Hays County. Voters will wait until November to choose between two-term Republican incumbent and nonprofit executive Carrie Isaac and Merrie Fox, an educator and executive director of New Braunfels’ Circle Arts Theatre.
Texas House District 124 has no contested primaries, as Democratic incumbent Josey Garcia will wait to face Republican challenger Sylvia Soto in November.
The following local Democratic incumbents have neither primary challenges nor Republican opponents awaiting them in November: District 26 State Sen. Jose Menendez, and District 123 State Rep. Diego Bernal.
Early voting details
Bexar County polling sites are available for early voting 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 17-20, and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 21 and 23-27, and noon-6 p.m. Feb. 22 at the locations found at this link.
Bexar County Elections Department reported 12,039 people casting a ballot on the first day of early voting – slightly less than 1% of the county’s total number of registered voters.
Guadalupe County polling sites are open for early voting 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 17-20, and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 21 and 23-27, and noon-6 p.m. Feb. 22 at five locations.
Early voting in Comal County is taking place 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 17-20, and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 21 and 23-27, and noon-6 p.m. Feb. 22 at these five locations.
Garden Ridge City Hall, 9400 Municipal Pkwy., is open to early voters 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 17-20; and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 21, 23-25 and 27; and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 26; and noon-6 p.m. Feb. 22.
The Kendall County Courthouse Annex, 221 Fawn Valley Drive in Boerne, is Kendall County’s lone early voting station. Polling here is available 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 17-20, and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 21 and 23-27, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 22.
