Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

State Representative, District 86

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

State of Texas
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Holly JeffreysHolly JeffreysRepublican
Cullin KnutsonCullin KnutsonDemocratic
On ballot as
HOLLY JEFFREYS
CULLIN KNUTSON
Current role
Dean, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, West Texas A&M University; nurse practitioner
Self-employed (per Secretary of State filing)
Background
  • Grew up in Amarillo (per campaign)
  • Nurse practitioner from Amarillo; volunteer EMT (per KVII)
  • Opened rural clinics in Panhandle, Boys Ranch, Bushland and Claude (per campaign)
  • Opened a pharmacy and coffee shop in Bushland (per campaign)
  • Texas Panhandle Small Businessperson of the Year, U.S. Small Business Administration (per West Texas A&M University)
Show all 8
  • Married to her husband, Kelly, for 33 years; raised four children (per campaign)
  • Attends Arden Road Baptist Church (per campaign)
  • Her father was pastor there for nearly four decades (per campaign)
  • Bachelor's degree in political science, Texas State University (2014)
  • Born and raised in Amarillo; Amarillo High School graduate (2010) (per campaign)
  • Worked on political campaigns around Texas (per campaign)
  • Worked in roadway construction sales (per campaign)
  • Former general manager, family's Arlington-based asphalt and paving company (sold 2024) (per campaign)
  • Formerly at the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission; resigned to run for office (per campaign)
Experience
  • Served nine years as president of the Bushland ISD school board (per campaign)
  • Bushland ISD school board (took office 2013) (per Ballotpedia)
  • Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to his task force on healthcare workforce shortages (per campaign)
  • Member, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's Health Care Advisory Board (per campaign and April 2025 West Texas A&M University release)
  • Past and current president, High Plains Republican Women (per campaign)
Show all 7
  • Open seat: Rep. John Smithee is retiring after nearly 40 years (per KVII)
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, 65.8% over Jamie Haynes
  • Worked in the Texas House of Representatives while an undergraduate (per campaign)
  • Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): unopposed
Top priorities
  • "Keep Panhandle Water in the Panhandle"
  • "Eliminate School Property Taxes and Make Austin Fully Fund Our Schools"
  • "Stand with President Trump and Governor Abbott to Secure the Border"
  • "Fight for Law Enforcement and First Responders"
  • "Protect Agriculture and Rural Industries"
  • "Make Healthcare Affordable and Accessible"
  • "My priorities include fighting for our public education system, expanding Medicare and Medicaid, and standing up for rural communities that have been overlooked in Austin."
  • "I aim to ensure the money reaches the classroom, increase teacher pay"
  • "I support providing free-market solutions that will lower insurance costs for individuals and employers"
  • On rural grant funding: "It is time to level that playing field by instituting policy that changes the determining factors for grant awards."
  • "Being fiscally responsible is not a partisan issue"
Tidbits
  • Abortion: Campaign site, among her plans for the district: "Protect Life from Conception to Natural Death"
  • Border and immigration: Campaign site: "She will support President Trump and Governor Abbott's mission to secure the border and put Texas citizens first."
  • Guns: No public statement found
  • Public schools and vouchers: Campaign site: "Parents, Not Government, Should Decide How to Raise and Educate Their Children"
  • Property taxes: Campaign site: "Holly will fight to eliminate school property taxes and immediately lower the property tax freeze age from 65 to 55"
  • Abortion: "I pledge to stand with the women of Texas, and will vote to pass legislation that overturns the total abortion ban enacted by the Republican legislature."
  • Border and immigration: No public statement found
  • Guns: No public statement found
  • Public schools and vouchers: In a January 2026 candidate survey: "we must not send tax dollars to institutions that openly discriminate by ending the voucher scam"
  • Property taxes: "By bringing new industry and empowering small business owners, we can seek new revenues to tackle current issues, like high property taxes and low school funding"
Endorsements
  • Texas Home School Coalition
  • Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) PAC
  • Texas Alliance for Life
  • Texas Right to Life PAC
  • Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
Show all 18
  • Representative John Smithee (listed by campaign)
  • Amarillo Police Officers' Association (listed by campaign)
  • Shane Stevenson, Dallam County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Chanze Fowler, Hartley County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Shannon Tanck, Oldham County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Brian Thomas, Potter County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Joel Richardson, Randall County Sheriff Ret. (listed by campaign)
  • Martin Hood, Former Texas Ranger, RTZ Tactics (listed by campaign)
  • James Stroud, Dalhart Mayor (listed by campaign)
  • Floyd French, Dallam County Commissioner (listed by campaign)
  • Texas Hospital Association PAC (listed by campaign)
  • Texas Realtors PAC (listed by campaign)
  • Four Price, Former Representative (listed by campaign)
  • Texas AFL-CIO
  • Texas AFT
  • Planned Parenthood Texas Votes
Campaign website
hollyjeffreysfortexas.com
cullinfortexas.com
Holly Jeffreys

Holly Jeffreys

Republican
On ballot as
HOLLY JEFFREYS
Current role
Dean, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, West Texas A&M University; nurse practitioner
Background
  • Grew up in Amarillo (per campaign)
  • Nurse practitioner from Amarillo; volunteer EMT (per KVII)
  • Opened rural clinics in Panhandle, Boys Ranch, Bushland and Claude (per campaign)
  • Opened a pharmacy and coffee shop in Bushland (per campaign)
  • Texas Panhandle Small Businessperson of the Year, U.S. Small Business Administration (per West Texas A&M University)
Show all 8
  • Married to her husband, Kelly, for 33 years; raised four children (per campaign)
  • Attends Arden Road Baptist Church (per campaign)
  • Her father was pastor there for nearly four decades (per campaign)
Experience
  • Served nine years as president of the Bushland ISD school board (per campaign)
  • Bushland ISD school board (took office 2013) (per Ballotpedia)
  • Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to his task force on healthcare workforce shortages (per campaign)
  • Member, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's Health Care Advisory Board (per campaign and April 2025 West Texas A&M University release)
  • Past and current president, High Plains Republican Women (per campaign)
Show all 7
  • Open seat: Rep. John Smithee is retiring after nearly 40 years (per KVII)
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, 65.8% over Jamie Haynes
Top priorities
  • "Keep Panhandle Water in the Panhandle"
  • "Eliminate School Property Taxes and Make Austin Fully Fund Our Schools"
  • "Stand with President Trump and Governor Abbott to Secure the Border"
  • "Fight for Law Enforcement and First Responders"
  • "Protect Agriculture and Rural Industries"
  • "Make Healthcare Affordable and Accessible"
Tidbits
  • Abortion: Campaign site, among her plans for the district: "Protect Life from Conception to Natural Death"
  • Border and immigration: Campaign site: "She will support President Trump and Governor Abbott's mission to secure the border and put Texas citizens first."
  • Guns: No public statement found
  • Public schools and vouchers: Campaign site: "Parents, Not Government, Should Decide How to Raise and Educate Their Children"
  • Property taxes: Campaign site: "Holly will fight to eliminate school property taxes and immediately lower the property tax freeze age from 65 to 55"
Endorsements
  • Texas Home School Coalition
  • Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) PAC
  • Texas Alliance for Life
  • Texas Right to Life PAC
  • Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
Show all 18
  • Representative John Smithee (listed by campaign)
  • Amarillo Police Officers' Association (listed by campaign)
  • Shane Stevenson, Dallam County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Chanze Fowler, Hartley County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Shannon Tanck, Oldham County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Brian Thomas, Potter County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Joel Richardson, Randall County Sheriff Ret. (listed by campaign)
  • Martin Hood, Former Texas Ranger, RTZ Tactics (listed by campaign)
  • James Stroud, Dalhart Mayor (listed by campaign)
  • Floyd French, Dallam County Commissioner (listed by campaign)
  • Texas Hospital Association PAC (listed by campaign)
  • Texas Realtors PAC (listed by campaign)
  • Four Price, Former Representative (listed by campaign)
Cullin Knutson

Cullin Knutson

Democratic
On ballot as
CULLIN KNUTSON
Current role
Self-employed (per Secretary of State filing)
Background
  • Bachelor's degree in political science, Texas State University (2014)
  • Born and raised in Amarillo; Amarillo High School graduate (2010) (per campaign)
  • Worked on political campaigns around Texas (per campaign)
  • Worked in roadway construction sales (per campaign)
  • Former general manager, family's Arlington-based asphalt and paving company (sold 2024) (per campaign)
  • Formerly at the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission; resigned to run for office (per campaign)
Experience
  • Worked in the Texas House of Representatives while an undergraduate (per campaign)
  • Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): unopposed
Top priorities
  • "My priorities include fighting for our public education system, expanding Medicare and Medicaid, and standing up for rural communities that have been overlooked in Austin."
  • "I aim to ensure the money reaches the classroom, increase teacher pay"
  • "I support providing free-market solutions that will lower insurance costs for individuals and employers"
  • On rural grant funding: "It is time to level that playing field by instituting policy that changes the determining factors for grant awards."
  • "Being fiscally responsible is not a partisan issue"
Tidbits
  • Abortion: "I pledge to stand with the women of Texas, and will vote to pass legislation that overturns the total abortion ban enacted by the Republican legislature."
  • Border and immigration: No public statement found
  • Guns: No public statement found
  • Public schools and vouchers: In a January 2026 candidate survey: "we must not send tax dollars to institutions that openly discriminate by ending the voucher scam"
  • Property taxes: "By bringing new industry and empowering small business owners, we can seek new revenues to tackle current issues, like high property taxes and low school funding"
Endorsements
  • Texas AFL-CIO
  • Texas AFT
  • Planned Parenthood Texas Votes
Campaign website
cullinfortexas.com

Open in the full comparison: Armstrong County, Deaf Smith County, Dallam County, Hartley County, Oldham County, Parmer County, Randall County

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