Ernest R. Lineberger, III earned a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California. He lives with his wife, Darlene, and has five children and six grandchildren.

Ernest previously worked as an engineer with Texas Instruments. He served as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy for over 15 years.

Ernest R. Lineberger, III's campaign for Texas U.S. Representative, District 26 is his first entry into politics.

Ernest Lineberger III - Ballotpedia

Ernest previously ran for U.S. Representative for Texas District 26 in 2024 but did not win.

Supports increasing access to capital and providing targeted tax incentives to help small businesses thrive.

Supports expanding access to vocational training.

Supports tax reforms that promote fairness by closing loopholes for the wealthy and corporations, providing tax relief to working families and small businesses, and simplifying the tax code to ensure everyone pays their fair share.

Supports transitioning to a sustainable economy by creating jobs in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and green infrastructure projects.

Supports reducing dependence on foreign oil through strategic investments in domestic energy production, including responsible development of natural gas and clean technologies.

Supports modernizing energy infrastructure by upgrading aging systems, expanding smart grid technologies, and incentivizing energy storage solutions.

Supports collaborating with other nations on global environmental challenges such as deforestation, marine conservation, and illegal wildlife trade.

Supports policies that balance environmental protection with fiscal responsibility, ensuring efficient use of taxpayer dollars to achieve environmental goals and promote economic growth.

- Supports increasing access to capital and providing targeted tax incentives to help small businesses thrive.
- Supports expanding access to vocational training.
- Supports tax reforms that promote fairness by closing loopholes for the wealthy and corporations, providing tax relief to working families and small businesses, and simplifying the tax code to ensure everyone pays their fair share.
- Supports transitioning to a sustainable economy by creating jobs in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and green infrastructure projects.
- Supports reducing dependence on foreign oil through strategic investments in domestic energy production, including responsible development of natural gas and clean technologies.
- Supports modernizing energy infrastructure by upgrading aging systems, expanding smart grid technologies, and incentivizing energy storage solutions.
- Supports collaborating with other nations on global environmental challenges such as deforestation, marine conservation, and illegal wildlife trade.
- Supports policies that balance environmental protection with fiscal responsibility, ensuring efficient use of taxpayer dollars to achieve environmental goals and promote economic growth.

Economy

Supports using technology, infrastructure, and manpower to secure borders.

Supports reforming the asylum system to ensure fair and efficient processing while maintaining humanitarian protections.

Supports providing a pathway to citizenship for "Dreamers" and wants to continue and expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Supports policies that keep families together and supports integrating immigrants into communities.

Believes immigration enforcement should prioritize public safety and national security while respecting due process and civil liberties.

Supports increasing veteran representation in government and initiatives aiding veteran transitions to civilian life through education and job training.

- Supports using technology, infrastructure, and manpower to secure borders.
- Supports reforming the asylum system to ensure fair and efficient processing while maintaining humanitarian protections.
- Supports providing a pathway to citizenship for "Dreamers" and wants to continue and expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
- Supports policies that keep families together and supports integrating immigrants into communities.
- Believes immigration enforcement should prioritize public safety and national security while respecting due process and civil liberties.
- Supports increasing veteran representation in government and initiatives aiding veteran transitions to civilian life through education and job training.

Public Safety

Supports expanding access to mental health services and addiction treatment programs.

Supports expanding telehealth services to improve access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas.

Supports reducing healthcare disparities based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or geographic location by investing in community health centers and initiatives to improve health outcomes in underserved communities.

Supports investing in community health centers and initiatives to improve health outcomes in underserved communities.

Supports policies that address the long-term care needs of the aging population, including expanding access to home and community-based services and supporting family caregivers.

Supports policies that address the long-term care needs of the elderly, including expanding access to home and community-based services and supporting family caregivers.

- Supports abortion access.
- Supports expanding access to mental health services and addiction treatment programs.
- Supports expanding telehealth services to improve access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas.
- Supports investing in community health centers and initiatives to improve health outcomes in underserved communities.
- Supports policies that address the long-term care needs of the elderly, including expanding access to home and community-based services and supporting family caregivers.

Healthcare

Supports increased funding for public schools, prioritizing resources for schools serving low-income communities.

Supports expanding vocational and technical education programs to provide students with practical skills and certifications for in-demand jobs, including partnerships with businesses and industries to align curriculum with workforce needs.

Supports expanding vocational and technical education programs to provide students with practical skills and certifications for in-demand jobs.

Supports promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education initiatives to prepare students for careers in the modern economy.

Supports transparency in tuition pricing and improving graduation rates.

- Supports increased funding for public schools, prioritizing resources for schools serving low-income communities.
- Supports expanding vocational and technical education programs to provide students with practical skills and certifications for in-demand jobs.
- Supports promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education initiatives to prepare students for careers in the modern economy.
- Supports transparency in tuition pricing and improving graduation rates.

Education

Supports rejoining the Paris Agreement and aims to reduce greenhouse gases by investing in wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.

- Supports rejoining the Paris Agreement and aims to reduce greenhouse gases by investing in wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.

Energy & the Environment

Voting & Elections

Supports strengthening alliances and engaging in diplomacy to address global challenges like climate change, nuclear proliferation, and emerging security threats.

Supports expanding and reforming guest worker programs to meet labor needs, with protections for American and guest workers, including safeguards against exploitation and ensuring fair wages and working conditions.

Supports providing humanitarian relief to refugees, trafficking victims, and people fleeing violence and persecution.

Believes in "humanely and effectively enforcing immigration laws, focusing resources on targeting criminals and threats to national security while respecting due process and civil liberties."

- Supports strengthening alliances and engaging in diplomacy to address global challenges like climate change, nuclear proliferation, and emerging security threats.
- Supports expanding and reforming guest worker programs to meet labor needs, with protections for American and guest workers, including safeguards against exploitation and ensuring fair wages and working conditions.
- Supports providing humanitarian relief to refugees, trafficking victims, and people fleeing violence and persecution.
- Believes in "humanely and effectively enforcing immigration laws, focusing resources on targeting criminals and threats to national security while respecting due process and civil liberties."

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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Ernest R. Lineberger, III

Emileigh Crouch

Walter Ley

Steven Shook is from Fort Worth, Texas. He has an associate's degree from Tarrant County College, a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University, and a master's degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Texas' 26th Congressional District election, 2026 - Ballotpedia

Steven is a nurse practitioner. He has been providing care to critically ill and injured patients since 2009. 

Steven is a nurse practitioner. He previously worked as a healthcare provider in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Steven Shook's campaign for Texas's 26th district in the U.S. House of Representatives is his first time running for public office.

Primary draws contested races - Wise County Messenger

Steven's campaign for Texas's 26th district in the U.S. House of Representatives is his first time running for public office.

Supports protecting workers from retaliation for discussing pay or organizing.

For Candidate Steven Shook on Issue economy: Supports prioritizing people over corporate profit in economic policymaking.

Supports prioritizing people over corporate profit in economic policymaking.

Supports equal pay for equal work and transparency in wages.

Supports defending voting rights while upholding election integrity and the rule of law.

- Supports protecting workers from retaliation for discussing pay or organizing.
- Supports prioritizing people over corporate profit in economic policymaking.
- Supports equal pay for equal work and transparency in wages.
- Supports defending voting rights while upholding election integrity and the rule of law.

Supports closing loopholes that allow guns to be sold without background checks.

Supports red-flag laws to keep firearms away from individuals who pose an imminent danger.

Supports expanding access to mental health care as a core public safety strategy.

For Candidate Steven Shook on Issue public-safety:  
Supports focusing on evidence-based solutions that prioritize saving lives over political rhetoric.

Supports focusing on evidence-based solutions that prioritize saving lives over political rhetoric.

- Supports closing loopholes that allow guns to be sold without background checks.
- Supports red-flag laws to keep firearms away from individuals who pose an imminent danger.
- Supports expanding access to mental health care as a core public safety strategy.
- Supports focusing on evidence-based solutions that prioritize saving lives over political rhetoric.

Supports lowering prescription drug prices by expanding Medicare price negotiation to all insurance plans.

For Candidate Steven Shook on Issue healthcare: Supports ending direct-to-consumer drug advertising that increases costs without improving health.

Supports ending direct-to-consumer drug advertising that increases costs without improving health.

Supports capping out-of-pocket medication costs and protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions.

For Candidate Steven Shook on Issue healthcare:  
Wants to strengthen rural hospitals and protect access to emergency and trauma care.

Wants to strengthen rural hospitals and protect access to emergency and trauma care.

Supports expanding mental health services and crisis intervention, particularly in rural communities.

Supports lowering the cost of living, including healthcare costs.

- Supports lowering prescription drug prices by expanding Medicare price negotiation to all insurance plans.
- Supports ending direct-to-consumer drug advertising that increases costs without improving health.
- Supports capping out-of-pocket medication costs and protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions.
- Wants to strengthen rural hospitals and protect access to emergency and trauma care.
- Supports expanding mental health services and crisis intervention, particularly in rural communities.
- Supports lowering the cost of living, including healthcare costs.

Supports shifting school funding away from reliance on property taxes and towards state and federal investment.

Opposes efforts to drain funds from public K-12 education into unaccountable voucher programs.

Supports investing in workforce readiness, career training, and affordable higher education pathways.

Supports educators and school staff, advocating against political culture wars in classrooms.

- Supports shifting school funding away from reliance on property taxes and towards state and federal investment.
- Opposes efforts to drain funds from public K-12 education into unaccountable voucher programs.
- Supports investing in workforce readiness, career training, and affordable higher education pathways.
- Supports educators and school staff, advocating against political culture wars in classrooms.

Supports bringing federal funding and incentives to North Texas for grid modernization, weatherization, and energy storage.

For Candidate Steven Shook on Issue energy-and-environment:  
Proposes that large AI data centers and server farms contribute to funding grid upgrades.

Proposes that large AI data centers and server farms contribute to funding grid upgrades.

Supports partnering with local leaders and emergency managers to secure grants and backup power for critical infrastructure.

- Supports bringing federal funding and incentives to North Texas for grid modernization, weatherization, and energy storage.
- Proposes that large AI data centers and server farms contribute to funding grid upgrades.
- Supports partnering with local leaders and emergency managers to secure grants and backup power for critical infrastructure.

As of January 22, 2026, Steven Shook’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Proposes fixing the immigration system by establishing lawful pathways and ensuring due process.

Supports border communities and frontline personnel.

- Proposes fixing the immigration system by establishing lawful pathways and ensuring due process.
- Supports border communities and frontline personnel.

Steven Shook

Steven is a nurse practitioner. He has been providing care to critically ill and injured patients since 2009. Steven previously worked as a healthcare provider in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

- Your US Representative represents the interests of your district in the US House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. Texas currently has 36 US Representatives.
- US Representatives can author, sponsor, debate, and vote on bills that become national law.
- Representatives may serve on congressional committees. Committees focus on certain policy areas, such as transportation, education, or labor. They may also run for higher positions within their party, such as the Speaker of the House or Majority/Minority Leader.
- Representatives are elected to two-year terms. To hold this office, a candidate must be a legal resident of Texas for at least seven years before their election. US Representatives are paid a salary of $174,000/year.

Your representative and federal lawmaker in the US House of Representatives.

This sample ballot may not include all local party roles or measures on the official ballot. The listed candidates serve only within their party, and the propositions do not change the law.

Texas US Representative, District 26, Democratic Primary

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