Ge'Nell Gary - Ballotpedia

Ge'Nell Gary is from Wharton. She earned a bachelor's degree from Colorado Christian University and a graduate degree from Regis University.

Ge'Nell previously worked in human resources.

Ge'Nell Gary is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 37th Congressional District in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026. She served as an Albany City Council Member from December 2020 to November 2022. She was appointed to the Albany/Alameda County Library Board in December 2018 and later served as vice chair, and in 2020 was appointed to the City of Albany Social and Economic Justice Commission, where she also served as vice chair. In April 2023, she joined the Joint Sustainability Committee of the City of Austin working on sustainability initiatives. She served as a delegate for Senate District 14 at the 2024 State Republican Convention in San Antonio.

Ge'Nell previously served as a member of the Albany City Council. She served a partial term from 2020 to 2022.

Believes small businesses are the backbone of the economy and supports their growth and success.

Supports full financial transparency and accountability.

Supports upgrading highways, bridges, and expanding congestion relief.

- Believes small businesses are the backbone of the economy and supports their growth and success.
- Supports full financial transparency and accountability.
- Supports upgrading highways, bridges, and expanding congestion relief.

Economy

Believes the principal challenge for the nation is the enforcement and preservation of laws.

- Believes the principal challenge for the nation is the enforcement and preservation of laws.

Public Safety

Supports stronger mental health support for veterans.

Supports Social Security and Medicare, and plans to strengthen support for seniors.

- Supports stronger mental health support for veterans.
- Supports Social Security and Medicare, and plans to strengthen support for seniors.

Healthcare

As of January 22, 2026, Ge'Nell Gary’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Education

Believes in creating a balance between economic growth and environmental responsibility to protect the future of Texas families.

Supports policies that strengthen energy independence, promote innovation, and increase access to clean, reliable energy.

Supports preparing for natural disasters, including flood preparation and strengthening the energy grid.

- Believes in creating a balance between economic growth and environmental responsibility to protect the future of Texas families.
- Supports policies that strengthen energy independence, promote innovation, and increase access to clean, reliable energy.
- Supports preparing for natural disasters, including flood preparation and strengthening the energy grid.

Energy & the Environment

Supports term limits for Congress members.

Supports term limits for members of Congress.

- Supports term limits for members of Congress.

Voting & Elections

Supports creating stability through mental health aid, job opportunities, and post-service care for veterans.

- Supports creating stability through mental health aid, job opportunities, and post-service care for veterans.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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Ge'Nell Gary

Rafael Perez

Buket Urgen

Walter Ley

Believes the principal challenge for the nation is the enforcement and preservation of existing laws.

Janet is from Canyon, Texas. She attended Texas Tech University and the University of Texas School of Law. She has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and a Juris Doctor in law from the University of Texas School of Law. She lives with her husband in the downtown Austin neighborhood. She attends St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Janet Malzahn - Ballotpedia

Janet Malzahn is from Canyon, She has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. She lives with her husband in the downtown Austin neighborhood. She attends St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Janet currently works as an attorney and owns a legal artificial intelligence implementation firm. She previously worked as a federal management consultant, assistant city attorney in Dallas, and as a prosecutor. Additionally, she worked as the director of the National Institute for Child Support Enforcement and served as a constitutional law professor.

Janet's campaign for US Representative is her first run for public office.

Plans to reduce housing costs by removing property taxes.

Supports the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce government expenses and taxes.

Said, "I will work to make Austin affordable again, by lowering the cost of housing and eliminating property taxes which continue to rise while the quality of education in Texas continues to plummet."

Wants to make Austin affordable again, by lowering the cost of housing and eliminating property taxes

Said, "I will work to reduce the national debt by downsizing the bloated, post Covid agencies and corrupt non profits. Reducing the cost and size and inefficiency, fraud, corruption and waste in government."

Wants to reduce the national debt by downsizing the bloated, post Covid agencies and corrupt non profits. 

- Plans to reduce housing costs by removing property taxes.
- Supports the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce government expenses and taxes.
- Wants to make Austin affordable again, by lowering the cost of housing and eliminating property taxes
- Wants to reduce the national debt by downsizing the bloated, post Covid agencies and corrupt non profits. 

Supports the rule of law and federal, state, and local law enforcement.

- Supports the rule of law and federal, state, and local law enforcement.

Opposes gender reassignment surgery for minors.

- Opposes gender reassignment surgery for minors.

Supports the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) to create high-paying jobs and stimulate Austin's economy while ensuring the protection of water, energy, and land.

Supports the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) to create high-paying jobs and stimulate Austin's economy

- Supports the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) to create high-paying jobs and stimulate Austin's economy

Supports the creation of a "secure, digital voter ID system" to protect the right to vote.

- Supports the creation of a "secure, digital voter ID system" to protect the right to vote.

Advocates for closing loopholes that "empowered the cartels."

- Advocates for closing loopholes that "empowered the cartels."

Janet Malzahn

Janet Malzahn is from Canyon, She has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and a Juris Doctor in law from the University of Texas School of Law. She lives with her husband in the downtown Austin neighborhood. She attends St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Janet currently works as an attorney and owns a legal artificial intelligence implementation firm. She previously worked as a federal management consultant for over 20 years, bringing Fortune 50 companies and federal agencies into compliance under federal mandate. Janet served as an assistant city attorney in Dallas and as a prosecutor. Additionally, she worked as the director of the National Institute for Child Support Enforcement and served as a constitutional law professor.

Lauren Peña is from Harrisonburg, Virginia. She has a bachelor 27s degree in political science from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her partner, Oscar J. Peña III. 

Lauren Peña - Ballotpedia

Lauren B. Peña is originally from Harrisonburg, Virginia. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives with her partner, Oscar, and six kids in Austin.

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Lauren is the founder and chief executive officer of Peña Legal Advocacy, a faith-based nonprofit legal and policy organization. She also serves as a commissioner on the Austin Community Police Review Commission.

Lauren's campaign for Texas U.S. Representative, District 37, is her first time running for public office.

Lauren's campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Texas District 37 is her first run for public office.

Plans to reduce taxes, increase take-home pay, and enforce a balanced budget.

Said, "I will unleash American energy so families are never forced to choose between groceries and electricity. Energy independence is not an environmental issue. It is a national security issue and a cost-of-living issue."

Plans to expand opportunity by restoring vocational and skills-based training, standing up to unfair trade practices, and ensuring welfare is a bridge to work not a permanent dependency trap.

Said "I will expand opportunity by restoring vocational and skills-based training, standing up to unfair trade practices, and ensuring welfare is a bridge to work not a permanent dependency trap."

Supports the development of new technologies that aim to grow the economy, create opportunity, and protect American workers from exploitation by big tech monopolies and foreign competitors.

Supports increased use of artificial intelligence, saying "New technologies must grow our economy, create opportunity, and protect American workers from exploitation by Big Tech monopolies and foreign competitors."

Supports strict border enforcement to protect workers, communities, and vulnerable citizens.

Supports reducing healthcare costs by increasing competition, requiring transparent pricing, and expanding Health Savings Accounts.

Supports reducing healthcare costs by increasing competition, requiring transparent hospital pricing, and expanding Health Savings Accounts.

- Plans to reduce taxes, increase take-home pay, and enforce a balanced budget.
- Said, "I will unleash American energy so families are never forced to choose between groceries and electricity. Energy independence is not an environmental issue. It is a national security issue and a cost-of-living issue."
- Said "I will expand opportunity by restoring vocational and skills-based training, standing up to unfair trade practices, and ensuring welfare is a bridge to work not a permanent dependency trap."
- Supports increased use of artificial intelligence, saying "New technologies must grow our economy, create opportunity, and protect American workers from exploitation by Big Tech monopolies and foreign competitors."
- Supports strict border enforcement to protect workers, communities, and vulnerable citizens.
- Supports reducing healthcare costs by increasing competition, requiring transparent hospital pricing, and expanding Health Savings Accounts.

Opposes federal targeting of citizens and supports equal protection under the law, regardless of politics or ideology.

Said, "I will defend parental rights... and safeguard children from exploitation, coercion, and abuse."

Believes sexual violence accountability often falls short post-conviction.

Plans to introduce the Sex Offender Deterrence Act to end the automatic granting of protective custody to convicted sex offenders.

Plans to introduce the Safeguarding Against Forced Exploitation in Nightlife Through Hiring Standards (SAFE NIGHTS Act) to reclassify adult entertainment venue (bars, clubs) independent contractors as employees to tackle human trafficking.

- Opposes federal targeting of citizens and supports equal protection under the law, regardless of politics or ideology.
- Said, "I will defend parental rights... and safeguard children from exploitation, coercion, and abuse."
- Plans to introduce the Sex Offender Deterrence Act to end the automatic granting of protective custody to convicted sex offenders.
- Plans to introduce the Safeguarding Against Forced Exploitation in Nightlife Through Hiring Standards (SAFE NIGHTS Act) to reclassify adult entertainment venue (bars, clubs) independent contractors as employees to tackle human trafficking.

Opposes government mandates on personal medical decisions.

- Opposes government mandates on personal medical decisions.

As of January 22, 2026, Lauren B. Peña’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Lauren B. Peña

Opposes federal targeting of citizens, saying, "I will ensure equal protection under the law, not selective enforcement based on politics or ideology."

- 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 37, Republican Primary

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