2026 Texas General Election

2026 Texas General Runoff

Nonpartisan

LinkedIn

Benjamin Flores is originally from Mexico. He earned an associate's degree in information decision systems from the San Diego City College and a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity and information assurance from Western Governors University. Benjamin lives with his wife, An, and one kid in Bay City, Texas.

Benjamin is a cybersecurity and compliance consultant. He works with banks, fintech firms and county governments, a role he has held for 30 years. He previously washed cars, cooked fried chicken at KFC and repaired computers at a Marriott hotel in California.

Benjamin currently is a freelance cybersecurity and compliance consultant and owns a pig farm. He was previously a co-founder of Loki Industries, a autonomous drone company. He also worked as the chief information security officer and senior compliance officer for the SCE Group, a cybersecurity firm, as a facilitator for SANS Institute, a pci-dss program manager for Travis County, Texas, and in other security-focused roles for banks, fintech firms, and Marriott International. He was also a car washer and cook at KFC.

Benjamin Flores, City Council Member - Position 1

Benjamin currently serves as the Position 1 Councilman of the Bay City Council. He was first elected in 2023 and is serving his first term.

Promises to strengthen coastal protections and improve programs that provide help for storm recovery.

- Promises to strengthen coastal protections and improve programs that provide help for storm recovery.

Energy & the Environment

Supports inviting more solar and wind energy producers to enhance the electric grid, increase revenue for school districts, and improve veterans service programs.

Supports bringing in more solar and wind energy producers to enhance the electric grid, increase revenue for school districts, and improve veterans service programs.

Plans to improve and expand veteran home loan and support services while reducing travel burdens for assistance and medical treatment.

- Supports bringing in more solar and wind energy producers to enhance the electric grid, increase revenue for school districts, and improve veterans service programs.
- Plans to improve and expand veteran home loan and support services while reducing travel burdens for assistance and medical treatment.

Public Services

Criticizes the current administration for leaving significant funds unutilized due to poor investment strategies and politicized decisions, advocating for better management of public school assets to increase revenue and provide property tax relief, particularly benefiting under-resourced schools serving Black and Brown communities.

Advocates for better management of public school assets to increase revenue and provide property tax relief, particularly benefiting under-resourced schools serving Black and Brown communities.

Opposes using Texas's General Land Office resources for border protection, believing that state's law enforcement is "more than capable of securing the border."

- Advocates for better management of public school assets to increase revenue and provide property tax relief, particularly benefiting under-resourced schools serving Black and Brown communities.
- Opposes using Texas's General Land Office resources for border protection, believing that state's law enforcement is "more than capable of securing the border."

Administration

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Benjamin Flores

Alejandra Gracias

Buket Urgen

Dawn is from Lakeway, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She has a medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. She lives with her husband, Ed, and their two children in Lakeway.

About the Commissioner | Texas General Land Office

Dawn Buckingham is from Lakeway, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin and has a medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. She lives in Lakeway with her husband, Ed, and they have two children. Previously, she was a volunteer firefighter.

Dawn is the Texas Land Commissioner. She works at the Texas General Land Office, where she has served since 2023. She previously served as a state senator in the Texas Senate, representing District 24 from 2016 to 2022. Before her time in elected office, she operated an oculoplastic surgery practice after earning her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Dawn is currently the Texas Land Commissioner at the Texas General Land Office. Before her time in elected office, she operated an oculoplastic surgery practice.

Dawn Buckingham Cruises to Win in Land Commissioner Race ...

Dawn is currently the Texas Land Commissioner at the Texas General Land Office. . She previously served as a state senator in the Texas Senate, representing District 24 from 2017 to 2023.

Supports protecting 2.5 million oil and gas jobs in Texas. 

- Supports protecting 2.5 million oil and gas jobs in Texas. 

As land commissioner, passed a constitutional amendment permanently banning a state income tax.

As land commissioner, passed a constitutional amendment to provide funding for a statewide flood mitigation program to assist communities affected by Hurricane Harvey.

As a state senator, led a legal challenge to prevent the relocation of the Alamo Cenotaph.

Believes the greatest threat to the constitutional right to vote is "voter fraud."

- As land commissioner, passed a constitutional amendment permanently banning a state income tax.
- As land commissioner, passed a constitutional amendment to provide funding for a statewide flood mitigation program to assist communities affected by Hurricane Harvey.
- As a state senator, led a legal challenge to prevent the relocation of the Alamo Cenotaph.
- Believes the greatest threat to the constitutional right to vote is "voter fraud."

Supports strong border control and claims the Biden Administration failed in their "constitutional duty" to protect the border.

Supports reduced immigration and said that the Biden Administration failed in their "constitutional duty to protect the border."

As a Facilities Commissioner, secured a property purchase on the Rio Grande to allow border wall construction to continue.

Supports border wall construction and infrastructure.

- Supports reduced immigration and said that the Biden Administration failed in their "constitutional duty to protect the border."
- Supports border wall construction and infrastructure.

Dawn Buckingham

Neil Snider is a former member of the Texas House of Representatives, having served from 1983 to 1985. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Snider was born on December 14, 1946, in Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. Snider worked as a businessman before entering politics.

Neil Snider (Texas)

Neill Snider attended the University of Texas at Austin and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969.

Neil Snider (Texas) - Ballotpedia

I’m Neill Snider of Waco, Texas—a mechanical contractor, small cattle operation owner, and Libertarian candidate for Texas Land Commissioner. For nearly four decades, I’ve worked in the trades, managed projects, met payroll, and dealt with government regulations. I understand the value of hard work, private property rights, and responsible stewardship of land and resources.

Vote Neill Snider

Neill works as a mechanical contractor and owns a small cattle operation.

Neill previously served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1983 to 1985.

Priorities
Reduce Burden On Taxpayers

Texas owns millions of acres of land and mineral rights through the General Land Office. Those assets should be managed efficiently and transparently to maximize revenue for Texas taxpayers and public schools, or should be sold.

My family also operates a small cattle farm in Texas, and I’ve invested in oil and gas interests in East Texas. Those experiences have given me firsthand insight into the challenges faced by landowners, farmers, ranchers, and energy producers across our state.

I believe Texans deserve a Land Commissioner who respects private property, supports responsible use of our natural resources, and understands that government works best when it stays focused, transparent, and accountable. I’m running to offer Texans a practical, freedom-minded alternative that puts individual rights and common sense first.

Energy Production

As Land Commissioner, I would support responsible energy production, fair leasing practices, and reducing wasteful spending within the General Land Office itself. More revenue from state lands can help reduce pressure for higher taxes on Texas families and businesses.

Proposes either managing state land and mineral assets efficiently and transparently to maximize revenue for taxpayers and public schools or selling them.

Believes the land commissioner should respect private property and support responsible use of natural resources.

Supports responsible energy production, fair leasing practices, and reducing wasteful spending within the General Land Office.

- Proposes either managing state land and mineral assets efficiently and transparently to maximize revenue for taxpayers and public schools or selling them.
- Believes the land commissioner should respect private property and support responsible use of natural resources.
- Supports responsible energy production, fair leasing practices, and reducing wasteful spending within the General Land Office.

As of September 11, 2026, Neill Snider’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Transparency

The General Land Office should focus on its core responsibilities, operate with transparency, and avoid political favoritism and unnecessary spending. Texans work hard for their money, and state government should do the same.

Calls for the General Land Office to focus on core responsibilities, operate transparently, and avoid political favoritism and unnecessary spending.

- Calls for the General Land Office to focus on core responsibilities, operate transparently, and avoid political favoritism and unnecessary spending.

Neill Snider

- Believes the land commissioner should respect private property and support responsible use of natural resources.
- Supports responsible energy production, fair leasing practices, and reducing wasteful spending within the General Land Office.

Mauricio Mendez

- The land commissioner is Texas’ chief land manager, running the General Land Office and overseeing many public lands and natural resources.
- They lease state lands (like coastal and mineral lands) to businesses, which generates revenue for things like public schools.
- The commissioner helps allocate disaster recovery funds and support Texans after storms, floods, and other emergencies.
- The commissioner is elected by voters statewide for a four-year term and can be re-elected indefinitely.
- The annual salary for the office is about $140,938.

Oversees public lands and natural resources.

Texas Commissioner of the General Land Office

Election results

Candidates (3)

Compare candidates

Energy & the Environment

Public Services

Administration