State Representative, District 71 - Texas Ballot Compare

Jay Hardaway

Republican

On ballot as: JAY HARDAWAY
Current role: Finance and oil and gas (per Secretary of State filing)
Background: Abilene Christian High School graduate (per campaign)
McMurry University graduate (2005) (per campaign)
Early career: Central Texas investment firm focused on commercial real estate (per campaign)
Moved back to Abilene in 2011 (per campaign)
Works for a family business based in Albany, Texas (per campaign)
Show all 7
2025 campaign chair, United Way of Abilene, with his wife (per campaign)
Has been Vice Chair, Taylor County Republican Party (per campaign)
Experience: Senior Policy Advisor, State Rep. Stan Lambert's office (joined 2021) (per campaign)
Former district director, Congressman Jodey Arrington (from 2017) (per campaign)
Former Abilene City Council member; elected 2014, served until 2017 (per campaign)
Open seat: Rep. Stan Lambert not running for re-election
Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, 56.5% over three other candidates
Top priorities: Property tax relief: "Deliver meaningful, permanent tax cuts to protect hardworking families."
Secure the border: "Defend Texas communities and stop illegal immigration."
Private property rights: "Defend landowners against abusive eminent domain."
Jobs and growth: "Champion economic policies that make Texas the envy of the nation."
Tidbits: Abortion: Campaign site priority, "Protect Life & Liberty": "Protect the unborn, safeguard the Second Amendment."
Border and immigration: Campaign site priority, "Secure the Border": "Defend Texas communities and stop illegal immigration."
Guns: Campaign site priority, "Protect Life & Liberty": "Protect the unborn, safeguard the Second Amendment."
Public schools and vouchers: Campaign site priority, "Strong Schools": "empower parents, and keep politics out of classrooms."
Property taxes: Campaign site priority, "Property Tax Relief": "Deliver meaningful, permanent tax cuts to protect hardworking families."
Endorsements: Texas Home School Coalition
Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) PAC
TEXPAC (Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee)
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
Texas Farm Bureau AGFUND
Rep. Stan Lambert (primary)
Campaign website: jayhardawayfortexas.com

Diana Luna

Democratic

On ballot as: DIANA LUNA
Current role: Data analyst (per Secretary of State filing)
Background: Cooper High School graduate (per campaign)
Has worked in non-profits for almost 20 years, operating, supervising and auditing programs (per campaign)
Has been a local organizer with the Liberal Moms of Abilene group (per campaign)
Has been a local organizer with the Taylor County Democratic Party (per campaign)
Born in Abilene (per campaign)
Experience: Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): unopposed
Top priorities: "It is time to treat the housing crisis with the urgency it demands, helping not only Texans who own homes, but those who rent as well."
"We will ensure that Texas workers earn a wage they can actually live on"
Proposes an "Affordable Utilities Cap" to "prevent sudden, devastating spikes in residential electricity and water bills"
"Boost the Basic Allotment (BA): Enact a substantial and immediate increase to the Basic Allotment (the core per-student funding amount)"
"Repeal or reform corporate tax giveaways, especially those given to high-energy-consumption industries like data centers"
Tidbits: Abortion: No public statement found
Border and immigration: No public statement found
Guns: No public statement found
Public schools and vouchers: Campaign site, under "Prevent Voucher Programs": "ensuring all public funds are dedicated exclusively to the public school system"
Property taxes: Campaign site calls the Republican approach "a temporary property tax break masking soaring costs everywhere else"
Endorsements: None found in our research
Campaign website: dianalunafortexas.com