Jeff Chavez is a Democrat running for the Texas House of Representatives District 8. He earned a high school diploma from Palestine High School and a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2013. Chavez has worked as an East Texas news reporter and as a public school teacher for three years. He comes from a military family—his father is a Vietnam Veteran and USAF Captain, and his grandfather was a WWII Merchant Marine. Chavez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025 and won the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.
Chavez grew up in Palestine, Texas, attending Palestine High School. His family has deep roots in Texas, with his heritage rooted in military service spanning three generations. His grandfather served as a WWII Merchant Marine, his father as a Vietnam Veteran and USAF Captain. Chavez earned his bachelor's degree from UT Dallas in 2013. After college, he worked as an East Texas news reporter, where he became aware of economic disparities between wealthy and marginalized communities. He then spent three years as a public school teacher in East Texas, where he developed his opposition to school vouchers based on direct classroom experience.