Kristen Plaisance is a retired real estate and commercial photographer from the Houston area who defeated 13-year incumbent Cecil Bell Jr. in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary with 55.1% of the vote. Plaisance ran as a challenge to the Republican establishment in Texas House District 3, backed by billionaire Tim Dunn's political network. She campaigned as a constitutional conservative focused on limiting government power and returning authority to citizens and local representatives.
Plaisance is a retired real estate and commercial photographer from the Houston area who ran Plaisance Photography, specializing in family portraits, senior photography, real estate photography, and commercial work across northeast Houston. She became politically active around 2020, particularly on election security and COVID-era government policy issues. She has engaged in litigation as an activist and claims to have led efforts to secure the most stringent hand-count election audits in recent Texas history.