Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

Member, State Board of Education, District 9

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

State of Texas
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Kason HuddlestonRepublican
Ericka LedferdDemocratic
On ballot as
Kason Huddleston
Ericka Ledferd
Current role
Pastor
Educator and consultant
Background
  • Senior pastor, Freedom Place Church in Rowlett, more than 20 years (per Dallas Morning News editorial)
  • Born in San Antonio (per campaign)
  • Lived in an orphanage (per campaign)
  • Adopted by a family in the Texas Panhandle (per campaign)
  • Bachelor's degree in political science (per campaign)
  • Master's degree in Spanish literature (per campaign)
  • Occupation: "Public Relations / Educator/ Consultant" (per candidate, Dallas Morning News questionnaire)
  • Her three children have attended or attend Texas public schools (per campaign)
Experience
  • No prior elected office found
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, 58.4% over Rachel Hogue and Stephen Yearout
  • 12 years at Royse City ISD, teaching on-level and dual credit classes and serving as ESL director (per campaign)
  • Rockwall County Democratic Chair (elected July 2020) (per Blue Ribbon News, 2020)
  • Former Rockwall County LULAC president (per Blue Ribbon News, 2020)
  • Board secretary, Light of Hope Immigration Law Center (per its website)
  • Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): unopposed
Top priorities
  • "On the State Board of Education, I will fight for high standards and result-based learning."
  • "I will push back against the leftist activists who seek to take over our schools."
  • "I will always defend parental rights over their child’s education."
  • Says he will "protect our Texas traditions—faith, family, and freedom—while fighting against government overreach and woke agendas"
  • "Protecting public schools from privatization means making sure every child has a fair chance to learn and grow"
  • "guiding Texas through the AI era responsibly is about using technology to open doors for our kids, not close them"
  • "I want a curriculum that builds real opportunity for students, not one shaped by political noise."
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: In a Lufkin Daily News Q&A before the March 2026 primary: "we need to rapidly clean up our curriculum options ensuring the highest levels of academic rigor while teaching our children Western values"
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: In a Lufkin Daily News Q&A before the March 2026 primary: "Texas school bond debt is out of control and the PSF is the backing for it."
  • Vouchers / school choice: No public statement found
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: Campaign site: "I want a curriculum that builds real opportunity for students, not one shaped by political noise."
  • Library books: In a Dallas Morning News questionnaire: "Book decisions should be made through a transparent, locally accountable process led by educators, librarians, and school administrators"
  • School funding and bonds: No public statement found
  • Vouchers / school choice: Campaign site: protecting public schools from privatization means "keeping taxpayer dollars in public schools, not private enterprises"
Endorsements
  • Texas Home School Coalition
  • Texas Values Action
  • Allen B. West, Chairman, Dallas County Republican Party (listed by campaign)
  • Mitch Little, Texas State House Representative, HD-65 (listed by campaign)
  • Dylan Hedrick, Mayor of Garland (listed by campaign)
Show all 17
  • Nate Schatzline, Texas House Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Jonathan Reaves, Rowlett City Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Bobby Gallana, Rockwall County Commissioner, Pct 1 (listed by campaign)
  • Helen Kerwin, Texas House Representative HD58 (listed by campaign)
  • Susan Fountain, State Republican Executive Committeewoman, Senate District 16 (listed by campaign)
  • Lorne Liechty, Rockwall County Commissioner Precinct 3 (listed by campaign)
  • Brandon Burden, Lead Pastor of Kingdom Life Church, Frisco (listed by campaign)
  • Bob Hall, Texas State Senator, District 2 (listed by campaign)
  • Brent Money, Texas State House Representative HD2 (listed by campaign)
  • Katrina Pierson, Texas State Representative HD33 (listed by campaign)
  • Julie Pickren, Texas State Board of Education Member (listed by campaign)
  • Congressman Lance Gooden (listed by campaign)
  • Texas AFL-CIO
  • Texas AFT
Campaign website
huddlestonfortexas.com
ledferd4texas.com

Kason Huddleston

Republican
On ballot as
Kason Huddleston
Current role
Pastor
Background
  • Senior pastor, Freedom Place Church in Rowlett, more than 20 years (per Dallas Morning News editorial)
  • Born in San Antonio (per campaign)
  • Lived in an orphanage (per campaign)
  • Adopted by a family in the Texas Panhandle (per campaign)
Experience
  • No prior elected office found
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, 58.4% over Rachel Hogue and Stephen Yearout
Top priorities
  • "On the State Board of Education, I will fight for high standards and result-based learning."
  • "I will push back against the leftist activists who seek to take over our schools."
  • "I will always defend parental rights over their child’s education."
  • Says he will "protect our Texas traditions—faith, family, and freedom—while fighting against government overreach and woke agendas"
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: In a Lufkin Daily News Q&A before the March 2026 primary: "we need to rapidly clean up our curriculum options ensuring the highest levels of academic rigor while teaching our children Western values"
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: In a Lufkin Daily News Q&A before the March 2026 primary: "Texas school bond debt is out of control and the PSF is the backing for it."
  • Vouchers / school choice: No public statement found
Endorsements
  • Texas Home School Coalition
  • Texas Values Action
  • Allen B. West, Chairman, Dallas County Republican Party (listed by campaign)
  • Mitch Little, Texas State House Representative, HD-65 (listed by campaign)
  • Dylan Hedrick, Mayor of Garland (listed by campaign)
Show all 17
  • Nate Schatzline, Texas House Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Jonathan Reaves, Rowlett City Council Member (listed by campaign)
  • Bobby Gallana, Rockwall County Commissioner, Pct 1 (listed by campaign)
  • Helen Kerwin, Texas House Representative HD58 (listed by campaign)
  • Susan Fountain, State Republican Executive Committeewoman, Senate District 16 (listed by campaign)
  • Lorne Liechty, Rockwall County Commissioner Precinct 3 (listed by campaign)
  • Brandon Burden, Lead Pastor of Kingdom Life Church, Frisco (listed by campaign)
  • Bob Hall, Texas State Senator, District 2 (listed by campaign)
  • Brent Money, Texas State House Representative HD2 (listed by campaign)
  • Katrina Pierson, Texas State Representative HD33 (listed by campaign)
  • Julie Pickren, Texas State Board of Education Member (listed by campaign)
  • Congressman Lance Gooden (listed by campaign)
Campaign website
huddlestonfortexas.com

Ericka Ledferd

Democratic
On ballot as
Ericka Ledferd
Current role
Educator and consultant
Background
  • Bachelor's degree in political science (per campaign)
  • Master's degree in Spanish literature (per campaign)
  • Occupation: "Public Relations / Educator/ Consultant" (per candidate, Dallas Morning News questionnaire)
  • Her three children have attended or attend Texas public schools (per campaign)
Experience
  • 12 years at Royse City ISD, teaching on-level and dual credit classes and serving as ESL director (per campaign)
  • Rockwall County Democratic Chair (elected July 2020) (per Blue Ribbon News, 2020)
  • Former Rockwall County LULAC president (per Blue Ribbon News, 2020)
  • Board secretary, Light of Hope Immigration Law Center (per its website)
  • Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): unopposed
Top priorities
  • "Protecting public schools from privatization means making sure every child has a fair chance to learn and grow"
  • "guiding Texas through the AI era responsibly is about using technology to open doors for our kids, not close them"
  • "I want a curriculum that builds real opportunity for students, not one shaped by political noise."
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: Campaign site: "I want a curriculum that builds real opportunity for students, not one shaped by political noise."
  • Library books: In a Dallas Morning News questionnaire: "Book decisions should be made through a transparent, locally accountable process led by educators, librarians, and school administrators"
  • School funding and bonds: No public statement found
  • Vouchers / school choice: Campaign site: protecting public schools from privatization means "keeping taxpayer dollars in public schools, not private enterprises"
Endorsements
  • Texas AFL-CIO
  • Texas AFT
Campaign website
ledferd4texas.com

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