Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

Trent Ashby

Candidate · November 3, 2026 general election

Trent Ashby

Trent Ashby

Republican
On ballot as
Trent Ashby
Current role
Texas State Representative, District 9 (R-Lufkin); elected 2012, sworn in January 2013
Background
  • Graduate, Henderson High School
  • Bachelor's degree in agricultural economics, Texas A&M University
  • Born and raised on a dairy farm and livestock operation in Rusk County
  • Lives in Lufkin
Experience
  • Member, House Natural Resources and Public Education committees (per Texas Tribune, June 2025)
  • Senior vice president, VeraBank (per official biography)
  • President, Lufkin ISD Board of Trustees, before the Legislature (per official biography)
  • Earlier work: U.S. House legislative aide (per Ballotpedia)
  • Earlier work: president/CEO, Texas Forest Country Partnership (per Ballotpedia)
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  • Earlier work: president, Community Title Co. (per Ballotpedia)
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, 62.3% over Rhonda Ward
Top priorities
  • "My immediate focus will be water and property taxes"
  • "Protecting East Texas groundwater is essential to preserving our rural communities and way of life"
  • Property taxes: "Texans need relief that's permanent and sustainable"
  • A property tax approach "that includes appraisal reform, greater transparency, and long-term spending discipline"
  • "supporting rural public schools so teachers and students have the tools they need to succeed"
Tidbits
  • Abortion: No public statement found
  • Border and immigration: In a Lufkin Daily News Q&A (Feb. 2026), on his record as House District 9's representative: "I've worked to secure the border"
  • Guns: No public statement found
  • Public schools and vouchers: In a Lufkin Daily News Q&A (Feb. 2026), listed among his priorities "supporting rural public schools so teachers and students have the tools they need to succeed"
  • Property taxes: In a Lufkin Daily News Q&A (Feb. 2026): "Texans need relief that's permanent and sustainable"; calls for "appraisal reform, greater transparency, and long-term spending discipline"
Endorsements
  • Texas Right to Life PAC
  • Cattle Raisers PAC (Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association)
  • U.S. Rep. Jake Ellzey (listed by campaign)
  • U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden (listed by campaign)
  • Dawn Buckingham, Texas Land Commissioner (listed by campaign)
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  • Keith Bell, State Representative HD 4 (listed by campaign)
  • David Cook, State Representative HD 96 (listed by campaign)
  • James White, Former State Representative HD 19 (listed by campaign)
  • Keith Wright, County Judge, Angelina County (listed by campaign)
  • Chris Davis, County Judge, Cherokee County (listed by campaign)
  • Jim Lovell, County Judge, Houston County (listed by campaign)
  • Ronnie Cochran, County Judge, Newton County (listed by campaign)
  • John Gothia, County Judge, Orange County (listed by campaign)
  • Sydney Murphy, County Judge, Polk County (listed by campaign)
  • Jeff Boyd, County Judge, San Augustine County (listed by campaign)
  • Danny Martin, County Judge, Trinity County (listed by campaign)
  • Tom Selman, Sheriff, Angelina County (listed by campaign)
  • Rudy Flores, Sheriff, Anderson County (listed by campaign)
  • Brent Dickson, Sheriff, Cherokee County (listed by campaign)
  • Mark Davis, Sheriff, Hardin County (listed by campaign)
  • Botie Hillhouse, Sheriff, Henderson County (listed by campaign)
  • Zak Benge, Sheriff, Houston County (listed by campaign)
  • Chuck Havard, Sheriff, Jasper County (listed by campaign)
  • Bobby Rader, Sheriff, Liberty County (listed by campaign)
  • Colton Havard, Sheriff, Newton County (listed by campaign)
  • Bobby Smith, Sheriff, Orange County (listed by campaign)
  • Byron Lyons, Sheriff, Polk County (listed by campaign)
  • George Griffith, Sheriff, Sabine County (listed by campaign)
  • Robert Cartwright, Sheriff, San Augustine County (listed by campaign)
  • Woody Wallace, Sheriff, Trinity County (listed by campaign)
  • Bryan Weatherford, Sheriff, Tyler County (listed by campaign)
  • Gerald Corbell, Sheriff, Texas Shelby County (listed by campaign)
  • Ken Pelt, County Commissioner, Hardin County (listed by campaign)
  • Scott Tuley, County Commissioner, Henderson County (listed by campaign)
  • Willie Stark, County Commissioner, Jasper County (listed by campaign)
  • Cary Erickson, County Commissioner, Jefferson County (listed by campaign)
  • Leonard "Bubba" Powell, County Commissioner, Newton County (listed by campaign)
  • Johnny Trahan, County Commissioner, Orange County (listed by campaign)
  • Tiger Worsham, Former County Commissioner, Trinity County (listed by campaign)
  • Kate Brooks Carroll, Tax Assessor-Collector, Jefferson County (listed by campaign)
  • Ron Lewis, County Official, Orange County (listed by campaign)
  • Jimmy Mize, County Official, Nacogdoches County (listed by campaign)
  • Lisa Mize, County Official, Nacogdoches County (listed by campaign)
  • Brown Claybar, County Official, Orange County (listed by campaign)
  • Jonathan Richey, District Attorney, Cherokee County (listed by campaign)
  • Hon. Clyde Herrington, Former Angelina County District Attorney (listed by campaign)
  • Judge Daryl Melton, Sabine County (listed by campaign)
  • County Officials Political Action Committee (listed by campaign)
  • Mark Hicks, Mayor, Lufkin (Angelina County) (listed by campaign)
  • Ben Middlebrook, Mayor, Rusk (Cherokee County) (listed by campaign)
  • Randy Teague, Mayor, Mabank (Henderson County) (listed by campaign)
  • Brian Crull, Mayor, Gun Barrel City (Henderson County) (listed by campaign)
  • Dustin Shelton, Mayor, Eustace (Henderson County) (listed by campaign)
  • Cy Ditzler, Mayor, Chandler (Henderson County) (listed by campaign)
  • Jeff Darby, Mayor, Jefferson County (listed by campaign)
  • David Rutledge, Mayor, Orange County (listed by campaign)
  • Judy Cochran, Mayor, Polk County (listed by campaign)
  • David Chadwick, Mayor, Shelby County (listed by campaign)
  • Jimmie R. Cooley, Former Mayor, Tyler County (listed by campaign)
  • Cathy Bennett, Former Mayor, Ivanhoe (Tyler County) (listed by campaign)
  • Danny Sullins, Police Chief, Lumberton (Hardin County) (listed by campaign)
  • Aaron Burleson, Police Chief, Sour Lake (Hardin County) (listed by campaign)
  • Steve Clark, City Manager, Lumberton (Hardin County) (listed by campaign)
  • Kimberly Aldridge, Republican Precinct Chair, Hardin County (listed by campaign)
  • Larry Woodall, Republican Precinct Chair, Hardin County (listed by campaign)
  • J. Bradley Reynolds, Republican Leader, Nacogdoches County (listed by campaign)
  • Paige Reynolds, Republican Leader, Nacogdoches County (listed by campaign)
  • Former Cherokee County Chairman John Earle, Cherokee County (listed by campaign)
Campaign website
trentashby.com