Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

State Representative, District 79

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

State of Texas
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Jesse RomeroRepublican
Claudia OrdazClaudia OrdazDemocratic Incumbent
On ballot as
Jesse Romero
Claudia Ordaz
Current role
Security officer (per Secretary of State filing)
State Representative, Texas House District 79 (first elected 2020)
Background
  • El Paso High School graduate (per candidate)
  • BBA, University of Texas at El Paso
  • Attended Texas Tech University
  • U.S. Navy veteran
  • Served as an aircraft electrician; stationed at Okinawa, Japan (per candidate)
Show all 8
  • Worked for companies including Johnson & Johnson (per campaign)
  • Has also worked for himself (per campaign)
  • Came to El Paso from Mexico at age seven (per candidate)
  • Graduate of El Paso public schools
  • Graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso
  • Homeowner in El Paso's eastside
  • Parishioner, St. Raphael's Catholic Church
Experience
  • Republican primary (March 2026): unopposed
  • Vice chair, House Committee on Environmental Regulation
  • Former El Paso City Council member and Mayor Pro Tempore
  • Bill passed: up to a 12-month supply of prescribed contraception for women
Top priorities
  • Describes himself as "a moderate conservative candidate"
  • Tourism: "Open the Wyler Aerial Tramway" and "Expand the size of Scenic Drive park"
  • Property taxes: "By using Meta tax revenues to reduce the property taxes"
  • "Most important of all, we need tax revenues to cover the expenses needed for our children's education"
  • Top priority for public education: "Financial responsibility" (League of Women Voters guide)
  • "I will continue fighting for increased public school funding, better support for teachers and school employees"
  • Childcare: wants a program to "expand the availability of quality, affordable care for parents working in non-traditional working hours"
  • "Women's health will continue to be a major focus of my work"
  • Data centers: "we need to protect our water and energy resources"
  • Animal welfare: wants to "look for creative ways to help our overwhelmed shelters"
Tidbits
  • Abortion: No public statement found
  • Border and immigration: In the League of Women Voters guide: "Legal Immigration Works."
  • Guns: In the League of Women Voters guide: "All gun owners should take classes and be trained in handling a gun."
  • Public schools and vouchers: In the League of Women Voters guide: "If private schools take vouchers they should accept all students, and not reject students with disabilities."
  • Property taxes: Campaign site lists as a goal: "By using Meta tax revenues to reduce the property taxes."
Claims and the record
  • Controversies: None found in the news coverage we reviewed
  • Abortion: No public statement found
  • Border and immigration: In a KVIA questionnaire: "I believe we should enforce our laws while also having an immigration system that is practical, humane and recognizes the realities of communities like El Paso."
  • Guns: No public statement found
  • Public schools and vouchers: In a KVIA questionnaire: "I will continue fighting for increased public school funding, better support for teachers and school employees, and additional resources for students with disabilities."
  • Property taxes: No public statement found
Claims and the record
  • Controversies: None found in the news coverage we reviewed
Endorsements
None found in our research
  • Texas AFL-CIO
  • Texas AFT
Campaign website
jromerotx79.com
claudiaordazfortexas.com

Jesse Romero

Republican
On ballot as
Jesse Romero
Current role
Security officer (per Secretary of State filing)
Background
  • El Paso High School graduate (per candidate)
  • BBA, University of Texas at El Paso
  • Attended Texas Tech University
  • U.S. Navy veteran
  • Served as an aircraft electrician; stationed at Okinawa, Japan (per candidate)
Show all 8
  • Worked for companies including Johnson & Johnson (per campaign)
  • Has also worked for himself (per campaign)
  • Came to El Paso from Mexico at age seven (per candidate)
Experience
  • Republican primary (March 2026): unopposed
Top priorities
  • Describes himself as "a moderate conservative candidate"
  • Tourism: "Open the Wyler Aerial Tramway" and "Expand the size of Scenic Drive park"
  • Property taxes: "By using Meta tax revenues to reduce the property taxes"
  • "Most important of all, we need tax revenues to cover the expenses needed for our children's education"
  • Top priority for public education: "Financial responsibility" (League of Women Voters guide)
Tidbits
  • Abortion: No public statement found
  • Border and immigration: In the League of Women Voters guide: "Legal Immigration Works."
  • Guns: In the League of Women Voters guide: "All gun owners should take classes and be trained in handling a gun."
  • Public schools and vouchers: In the League of Women Voters guide: "If private schools take vouchers they should accept all students, and not reject students with disabilities."
  • Property taxes: Campaign site lists as a goal: "By using Meta tax revenues to reduce the property taxes."
Claims and the record
  • Controversies: None found in the news coverage we reviewed
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
jromerotx79.com
Claudia Ordaz

Claudia Ordaz

Democratic Incumbent
On ballot as
Claudia Ordaz
Current role
State Representative, Texas House District 79 (first elected 2020)
Background
  • Graduate of El Paso public schools
  • Graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso
  • Homeowner in El Paso's eastside
  • Parishioner, St. Raphael's Catholic Church
Experience
  • Vice chair, House Committee on Environmental Regulation
  • Former El Paso City Council member and Mayor Pro Tempore
  • Bill passed: up to a 12-month supply of prescribed contraception for women
Top priorities
  • "I will continue fighting for increased public school funding, better support for teachers and school employees"
  • Childcare: wants a program to "expand the availability of quality, affordable care for parents working in non-traditional working hours"
  • "Women's health will continue to be a major focus of my work"
  • Data centers: "we need to protect our water and energy resources"
  • Animal welfare: wants to "look for creative ways to help our overwhelmed shelters"
Tidbits
  • Abortion: No public statement found
  • Border and immigration: In a KVIA questionnaire: "I believe we should enforce our laws while also having an immigration system that is practical, humane and recognizes the realities of communities like El Paso."
  • Guns: No public statement found
  • Public schools and vouchers: In a KVIA questionnaire: "I will continue fighting for increased public school funding, better support for teachers and school employees, and additional resources for students with disabilities."
  • Property taxes: No public statement found
Claims and the record
  • Controversies: None found in the news coverage we reviewed
Endorsements
  • Texas AFL-CIO
  • Texas AFT
Campaign website
claudiaordazfortexas.com

Open in the full comparison: El Paso County

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