John Lira
Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Texas
TX-35 Democratic nominee?
$87.7K
MAY 27, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Live Odds — TX-35 Democratic nominee?
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
1%chance to win
$87.7KMAY 27, 2026Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleU.S. Marine Corps veteran
PartyDemocratic
LocationTexas
BackgroundU.S. Marine Corps veteran
EducationCarnegie Mellon University — Master's in Public Policy (2015)
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Notable personal detailsJohn Lira is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in Texas’ 35th Congressional District (2026 cycle). He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and has worked in federal public service, including roles at the U.S. Small Business Administration and the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. He has also been affiliated with a private consulting/strategy firm and has prior congressional campaign experience.
SourcesShowHide
Political Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports raising taxes on billionaires and large corporations, taxing capital gains similar to income, closing loopholes, and increasing contributions from high earners to fund investments in education, infrastructure, health care, and Social Security. Favors using revenue to reduce the tax burden on the middle class and expand social programs and public investment.
Healthcare
John Lira’s campaign emphasizes lowering healthcare costs and making healthcare affordable and accessible for Texans, and says he will protect healthcare and reproductive freedom. His public materials use general language about affordability and protecting access but do not specify support for Medicare for All, a public option, or other concrete federal policy changes.
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Immigration & Border
Supports demilitarizing the southern border, restoring due process for asylum seekers, protecting DACA and TPS recipients, ending family separation and mass deportations, and creating expanded legal pathways including pathways to work and citizenship for eligible immigrants. Advocates humane, community-informed border solutions and immigration reform that balances security with humanitarian protections.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
John Lira has said he opposed the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and described limits on abortion access as a loss of women’s liberty and privacy. He frames the issue as protecting women’s freedom to make private health decisions.
Climate & Energy
Supports large-scale federal climate action including goals behind a Green New Deal, bold investments in clean and renewable energy, strengthened EPA funding and standards, and investments in energy storage, grid reliability, and disaster prevention/response.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports bipartisan gun-safety reforms including prohibiting sale of some semiautomatic firearms to people under 21 while stating he is a gun owner and understands firearm culture. Expresses that certain military-style weapons do not belong in communities and endorses targeted restrictions alongside other safety measures.
Latest News
John Lira is being mentioned as part of the crowded Texas 2026 House landscape, with his district still seen as a targeted seat in the midterms. The latest coverage does not report a result or a major new move by Lira himself, but it shows his race remains in play as both parties focus on Texas congressional contests. Most of the recent attention around Texas has centered on other runoff races and redistricting, rather than on a specific new development involving Lira.
Democrats set sights on open Texas border district in expansion of midterm targets
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Trump's Texas endorsements for May runoff elections
Campaign Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Campaign finance totals from the latest available reporting period.
2026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements