Texas House District 38 2026

Compare candidates running in this Texas federal race. Review their positions, voting records, campaign promises, and donor information.

Alex McMenemy

Party: Green

William Taggart

Party: Independent

Melissa McDonough

Party: Democrat

Shelly deZevallos

Party: Republican

Jon Bonck

Party: Republican

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Texas House District 38

Election: Nov 3, 2026Updated: Apr 10, 2026
📊Polling
No public polling data available for the general election as of April 10, 2026. March 2026 University of Houston poll showed Jon Bonck leading Republican primary with 22% support, followed by Shelly deZevallos (10%) and Michael Pratt (8%), with 50% undecided.
solid r— Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball

This is a safe Republican seat drawn to favor GOP candidates. President Trump won the district by 21 percentage points in 2024. The seat is not competitive at the national House majority level.

Alex McMenemyG
William TaggartI
Melissa McDonoughD
Shelly deZevallosR
Jon BonckR

Summary

Alex McMenemy is the Green Party nominee for Texas' 38th Congressional District in the 2026 general election. He was nominated at the Green Party of Texas convention and will appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot as the Green Party candidate.

William M. Taggart IV is an engineer and independent candidate running for Congress in Texas' 38th District. He is the author of 'Fixing America' and a former Harris County Forward Party chair. Taggart is running as an independent candidate and has completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. He needs 500 registered voters from the district to sign a petition between May 27 and June 23, 2026, to appear on the general election ballot.

Melissa McDonough is a long-time Harris County resident with more than 20 years of experience as a volunteer lobbyist and over 30 years as a real estate broker and brokerage owner. Born in Marietta, Ohio, she has been active in the Harris County community for nearly three decades. McDonough is affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS and the Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association. She serves as an election judge and community organizer. McDonough won the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026, defeating Marvalette Hunter and Theresa Courts. She will face the Republican primary runoff winner in the November 2026 general election.

Shelly deZevallos is a business leader and aviation expert who serves as President of West Houston Airport, one of the nation's busiest general aviation hubs. Born and raised in Houston, she brings over 20 years of experience in Republican grassroots activism. DeZevallos holds a bachelor's degree in political science and Chinese from the University of Texas at Austin, an MBA from Texas A&M University, and a doctorate in education with aviation and space science focus from Oklahoma State University. She previously worked as a regional sales manager for Cessna and a regional representative for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. DeZevallos has 5,000+ hours of pilot experience and serves on federal and state aviation advisory committees. She advanced from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026 with 18.6% of the vote and is facing Jon Bonck in the May 26, 2026 runoff.

Jon Bonck is a mortgage broker and Baptist deacon from Greater Houston with over two decades of real estate experience. He worked in quality control positions in the chemical and petroleum industries before transitioning to the mortgage business in 2015, later becoming a manager at Bonck & Baker Mortgage Group. Bonck received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Louisiana State University. He advanced from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026 with 47.7% of the vote and is facing Shelly deZevallos in a May 26, 2026 runoff.

View Alex McMenemy's Full Profile →View William Taggart's Full Profile →View Melissa McDonough's Full Profile →View Shelly deZevallos's Full Profile →View Jon Bonck's Full Profile →

Campaign Promises

No campaign promises listed yet.

Other
  • Address the 'Digital Dome' and AI Leadership
Economy
  • Energy Independence and Policy Reform
  • Economic Relief for Families and Small Businesses
  • Support Trump's Pro-Growth Economic Policies
Immigration
  • Secure Borders and Strengthen National Security
Healthcare
  • Address Healthcare Affordability
  • Women's Healthcare Rights
Other
  • Return to Normalcy
  • Voting Access
  • Flood Prevention
Education
  • Education Affordability
Immigration
  • Secure the Border
Justice
  • Support Law Enforcement
Economy
  • Expand Energy Production
  • Support American Infrastructure
Other
  • Defend Life
  • Support Transportation and Infrastructure
Immigration
  • Secure the Border
Other
  • Protect Life
  • Protect Religious Liberty
Education
  • No Woke Curriculum
Economy
  • Cut Government Spending
Healthcare
  • Medical Freedom

Key Issue Positions

No key issues listed yet.

Technology and AI
Pro-innovation, emphasizes US leadership
Believes winning the AI race is essential to national security and economic leadership
Energy Policy
Balanced approach criticizing both parties
Advocates for long-term energy vision combining renewables, oil, gas, nuclear, and storage solutions. Criticizes both parties for short-sighted policies
Taxes and Property Rights
Anti-tax, supports homestead exemptions
Proposes 28th Amendment to ban property taxes on homesteads
Economic Growth
Pro-business deregulation
Supports cutting regulations and reducing government burden on business and families
Immigration and Border Security
Conservative enforcement
Supports securing borders and strengthening national security
Healthcare
Expand access and affordability
Focus on consumer protection, housing affordability, affordable healthcare, and healthcare access
Gun Violence
Support gun safety measures
Lists gun violence as a key policy area of passion
Veterans Services
Support veterans
Veterans' services listed as policy focus area
Housing
Increase affordability
Housing affordability is a key advocacy focus
Consumer Protection
Strengthen protections
Consumer protection has been advocacy focus
Agriculture
Support farming
Farming and agricultural support listed as policy area
Economic Growth
Small business support
Economic growth and small business support are advocacy focus areas
Foreign Policy
Listed as policy area
Foreign policy included in areas of personal passion
Immigration
Conservative restrictionist
Supports border wall, immigration enforcement, and stopping drug trafficking
Law and Order
Pro-law enforcement
Backs police and first responders; wants to address violent crime
Energy
Pro-fossil fuels expansion
Supports expanding oil and gas production while reducing regulations
Infrastructure
Pro-business, deregulation
Supports transportation and infrastructure investments with reduced red tape
Immigration
Conservative restrictionist
Supports finishing the border wall and stopping illegal immigration
Education
Anti-woke, parental rights emphasis
Opposes woke curriculum and gender ideology in schools
Economy
Limited government, deregulation
Supports reducing red tape and regulatory burden

Top Donors

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No donor data available.

Contradictions

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What Opponents Say

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Endorsements

Green Party of Texasorganization
Texas Forward Partyorganization

No endorsements listed.

President Donald Trumpindividual
Governor Greg Abbottindividual
U.S. Rep. Randy Weberindividual
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehlsindividual
Spring Branch Republicansorganization
President Donald Trumpindividual
U.S. Senator Ted Cruzindividual
Club for Growth PACorganization
U.S. Rep. Mark Alfordindividual
U.S. Rep. Jodey Arringtonindividual
U.S. Rep. Tim Burchettindividual
U.S. Rep. Eric Burlisonindividual
U.S. Rep. Brandon Gillindividual
U.S. Rep. Ronny L. Jacksonindividual
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordanindividual
U.S. Rep. Mary Millerindividual
U.S. Rep. Pete Sessionsindividual
U.S. Rep. Roger Williamsindividual