WES VIRDELL

Republican Incumbent

On ballot as: WES VIRDELL
Current role: State Representative, Texas House District 53 (since January 14, 2025)
Background: U.S. Air Force (2001–2008)
Worked on intercontinental ballistic missiles and as a military training leader (per campaign, 2024)
Returned home in 2008 to join the family business (per campaign, 2024)
Founder, own trucking business (per campaign, 2024)
Mechanic (per Secretary of State filing)
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Texas State Director, Gun Owners of America (per campaign, 2024)
Gun rights advocate at the Capitol since 2011 (per campaign, 2024)
Ninth-generation Texan (per campaign, 2024)
Lives in Brady (per campaign, 2024)
Experience: Member, Criminal Jurisprudence and Land & Resource Management committees (per House committee page)
Member, select committee on Disaster Preparedness & Flooding (per House committee page)
November 2024 election: won with 76.6% of the vote
Republican Party of Texas state delegate (2020 and 2022) (per campaign, 2024)
National convention delegate (2020 and 2024) (per campaign, 2024)
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Ran for U.S. House District 11 (March 3, 2020 Republican primary); finished third with 7.1% of the vote
Republican primary (March 3, 2026): unopposed
Top priorities: "Wes' legislative priorities include safeguarding our gun rights, protecting our borders, and putting an end to property taxes." (campaign site, unchanged since 2024)
"Wes will fight to increase penalties for voter fraud." (campaign site, unchanged since 2024)
"Parents have a God-given, fundamental right to make decisions for the well-being and education of their own children." (campaign site, unchanged since 2024)
Tidbits: Abortion: Campaign site (text unchanged since his 2024 campaign): "Wes will always fight for the life of the innocent."
Border and immigration: Campaign site (text unchanged since his 2024 campaign): "We cannot have a sovereign nation if we don't have a secure border."
Guns: Campaign site (text unchanged since his 2024 campaign): "The 2nd Amendment is a restriction on the government. It is not a restriction on the citizen."
Public schools and vouchers: Campaign site (text unchanged since his 2024 campaign): "Parents have a God-given, fundamental right to make decisions for the well-being and education of their own children."
Property taxes: Campaign site (text unchanged since his 2024 campaign): "Property Tax is one of the most egregious forms of taxation."
Endorsements: Texas Home School Coalition
Texas Right to Life PAC
Texas Values Action
Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) PAC
Campaign website: virdellfortexas.com

WES VIRDELL

State Representative, District 53

Wes Virdell