John Lira
TX-35 Democratic nominee?
$87.7K
MAY 27, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Marine Corps veteran
PartyDemocratic
GenderMale
LocationTexas
BackgroundU.S. Marine Corps veteran
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EducationSan Antonio College
Notable personal detailsJohn Lira is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran and Democratic candidate for Texas' 35th Congressional District. He has worked in federal policy and program roles, including at AmeriCorps and the U.S. Small Business Administration, and has also worked as a consultant/principal at LIRA Strategies LLC. He attended San Antonio College and the University of Texas at San Antonio and earned a master's degree in public policy from Carnegie Mellon University.
SourcesShowHide
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.
News
John Lira is mentioned in coverage of a record wave of Republicans leaving the U.S. House, with 35 members retiring or seeking higher office. The departures are being framed as a major political development that could affect the party’s ability to hold its narrow House margins.
Endorsements
Endorsers of John Lira for TX-35 Democratic nominee?
San Antonio AFL-CIO
Labor organization
San Antonio AFL-CIO endorsed John Lira in its 2026 primary election endorsements.
Democrats Work for America
Public endorsement
Democrats Work for America endorsed John Lira in the 2026 Democratic primary for Texas' 35th Congressional District.
National People's Power
Public figure
National People's Power endorsed John Lira in the 2026 Democratic primary for Texas' 35th Congressional District.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls