Marvalette Hunder earned a bachelor's degree in Architecture from Florida A&M University and a master's degree in city and regional planning from Cornell University. She is a mother of two.

Marvalette is the owner of a real estate development firm focused on apartment communities. She previously served as Chief of Staff to the late Congressman and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, worked as Chief Development Officer for the Harris County Housing Authority, and held a vice presidency in community lending at a Seattle-based bank later acquired by JPMorgan Chase.

Marvalette Hunter Enters Congressional Race for Texas District 38 ...

Marvalette has owned a real estate development firm for 27 years. She previously served as Chief of Staff to the late Congressman and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, worked as Chief Development Officer for the Harris County Housing Authority, and held a vice presidency in community lending at a Seattle-based bank.

Marvalette Hunter's campaign for U.S. House of Representatives, Texas's 38th Congressional District, is her first entry into politics.

Campaign Website

Marvalette Hunter - Ballotpedia

Plans to invest in small businesses, expand access to capital, and reduce bureaucratic hurdles to support local business growth and hiring.

Supports ensuring fair wages and worker protections.

Supports ensuring "fair wages and worker protections."

Wants to modernize infrastructure to boost economic growth.

Plans to reduce bureaucratic hurdles to support local business growth and hiring.

Aims to "cut red tape" so local employers can grow and hire.

Advocates for paid family leave and childcare support.

- Plans to invest in small businesses.
- Supports ensuring "fair wages and worker protections."
- Wants to modernize infrastructure to boost economic growth.
- Plans to reduce bureaucratic hurdles to support local business growth and hiring.
- Aims to "cut red tape" so local employers can grow and hire.
- Advocates for paid family leave and childcare support.
- Wants to protect Social Security.

Economy

Supports investing in after-school programs, youth opportunities, and job training to prevent crime.

Believes in investing in after-school programs, youth opportunities, and job training to prevent crime.

Supports investing in neighborhoods through flood mitigation, improved streets, enhanced lighting, safer crosswalks, and vibrant public spaces.

Supports investing in neighborhoods through flood mitigation, improved streets, enhanced lighting, safer crosswalks, and public spaces.

Thinks public safety requires addressing "the root causes of crime—poverty, addiction, lack of opportunity—through support and rehabilitation."

- Believes in investing in after-school programs, youth opportunities, and job training to prevent crime.
- Supports investing in neighborhoods through flood mitigation, improved streets, enhanced lighting, safer crosswalks, and public spaces.
- Thinks public safety requires addressing "the root causes of crime—poverty, addiction, lack of opportunity—through support and rehabilitation."

Public Safety

Supports expanding access to affordable healthcare, mental health services, and addiction treatment.

- Supports expanding access to affordable healthcare, mental health services, and addiction treatment.

Healthcare

Supports partnering with community colleges, apprenticeship programs, and trade schools to prepare workers for careers in healthcare, clean energy, technology, and skilled trades.

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

Education

Energy & the Environment

Youtube

Opposes Texas's Congressional gerrymandering.

- Opposes Texas's Congressional gerrymandering.

Voting & Elections

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Marvalette Hunter

Rafael Perez

Walter Ley

Melissa McDonough is married with two children.

Melissa is the owner and manager of a real estate brokerage firm, where she has been for 20 years overseeing more than 45 agents. She previously worked as a REALTOR for almost 30 years, consulted with small business owners to grow their businesses from home base to commercial lease and property ownership, lobbied Congress on consumer protection and healthcare issues, and served as a national marketing director for the National Association of REALTORS9 covering 24 states.

Melissa is the owner and manager of a real estate brokerage firm, where she has been for 20 years. She previously worked as a realtor for almost 30 years and served as a national marketing director for the National Association of Realtors.

Melissa McDonough previously ran for U.S. Representative for Texas's 38th Congressional District in 2024 and did not win.

Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 ...

Melissa ran for U.S. Representative in Texas's 38th Congressional District in 2024 but did not win.

Supports investing in affordable housing.

- Wants to save Social Security.
- Seeks to invest in affordable housing.

Said, "With gun violence being the number one cause of death among kids aged 1 to 18, something must be done to protect our children."

- Supports abortion access.
- Aims to expand Medicaid.
- Supports universal healthcare.

Supports making college accessible to all, regardless of income.

Believes inadequate funding of public education contributes to the "school to prison pipeline" and that education can perpetuate "systemic oppression" if misused.

Believes "improper funding" of public education contributes to the "school to prison pipeline," and that education can perpetuate "systemic oppression" if misused.

- Supports making college accessible to all, regardless of income.
- Believes "improper funding" of public education contributes to the "school to prison pipeline," and that education can perpetuate "systemic oppression" if misused.

Supports Texas embracing renewable energy innovation to retain its title as the energy capital of the U.S.

Supports Texas embracing renewable energy innovation.

Supports sustainable land development and water retention.

Advocates for sustainable land development and water retention.

- Supports Texas embracing renewable energy innovation.
- Advocates for sustainable land development and water retention.

Supports making mail-in voting easier, allowing county-wide voting, and having more accessible polling locations.

- Supports making mail-in voting easier, allowing county-wide voting, and having more accessible polling locations.

Supports providing Ukraine with old military equipment but wants to avoid deploying troops.

Supports the "Two State Solution" from the Oslo Accords.

Supports the "Two State Solution" from the Oslo Accords for Israel and Palestine.

- Supports providing Ukraine with old military equipment but wants to avoid deploying troops.
- Supports the "Two State Solution" from the Oslo Accords for Israel and Palestine.

Melissa McDonough

Buket Urgen

Said, "There is nothing more “pro-life” than common sense gun laws. Gun safety at home is more important than anywhere else, and all gun owners should be responsible with their firearms."

Believes in eliminating the "two-tiered justice system" and ensuring all authority figures, from politicians to police officers, adhere to the laws funded by taxpayers.

Theresa Courts earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and teaching from Eastern Michigan University and a master's degree in school counseling and guidance services from Angelo State University. She lives with her husband and kids in Texas.

Theresa is a school counselor. She works at a public school in Texas. She previously worked as a Social Studies teacher in local Texas schools for seven years and served in the U.S. National Guard after high school.

Theresa Courts - Ballotpedia

Theresa currently works as a high school counselor for the Aldine Independent School District (ISD). She previously worked as a high school social studies teacher for the Klein ISD and Aldine ISD. She served in the U.S. National Guard for six years.

Theresa Courts's campaign for U.S. House to represent Texas' 38th Congressional District is her first run for public office.

Theresa's campaign for U.S. House to represent Texas' 38th Congressional District is her first run for public office.

Supports breaking up monopolies to restore competition.

Supports breaking up monopolies to restore competition in various industries.

Supports raising the federal minimum wage.

Supports adjusting student loan interest rates to 0% retroactively, with a one-time processing fee of 1% of the original loan amount.

Proposes adjusting student loan interest rates to 0% retroactively, with a one-time processing fee of 1% of the original loan amount and no cash refunds.

Supports removing harmful chemicals and additives from the food supply.

- Supports breaking up monopolies to restore competition in various industries.
- Supports raising the federal minimum wage.
- Proposes adjusting student loan interest rates to 0% retroactively, with a one-time processing fee of 1% of the original loan amount and no cash refunds.
- Supports removing harmful chemicals and additives from the food supply.

Supports universal background checks for all firearm sales, including gun shows and private sales.

Supports national red flag laws, which allow law enforcement to seize guns from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.

Supports increasing the national wait time by expanding background checks.

Advocates increasing the national wait time for gun purchases by expanding time spent on background checks.

Supports gun safety and storage, and wants to provide 100% tax credits for gun safety devices and training.

Wants to provide 100% tax credits for gun safety devices and training to incentivize the safe storage of guns and ammunition.

Supports funding for fentanyl education and overdose prevention.

- Supports universal background checks for all firearm sales, including gun shows and private sales.
- Supports national red flag laws, which allow law enforcement to seize guns from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.
- Advocates increasing the national wait time for gun purchases by expanding time spent on background checks.
- Wants to provide 100% tax credits for gun safety devices and training to incentivize the safe storage of guns and ammunition.
- Supports funding for fentanyl education and overdose prevention.

Supports access to abortion, allowing first-trimester abortions and permitting second-trimester abortions only in cases of rape, incest, danger to the mother's health, or non-viable pregnancies.

Supports enacting anti-trust enforcement against large healthcare companies to reduce consumer costs.

Promises to enact anti-trust enforcement against large healthcare companies.

Supports negotiating drug prices to benefit both insured and uninsured individuals.

Plans to negotiate drug prices to benefit both insured and uninsured individuals.

Supports limiting out-of-pocket costs for essential, life-sustaining medications and treatments.

Supports increasing the use and training of midwives to address gaps in rural and underserved maternal healthcare, including options for in-home pre and postnatal visits.

Supports increasing the use and training of midwives to address gaps in rural and underserved maternal healthcare, including options for in-home pre- and post-natal visits.

Supports the Medical Professionals in Rural Communities Student Loan Forgiveness program, which provides financial incentives for healthcare workers to serve in rural areas.

Supports the Medical Professionals in Rural Communities Student Loan Forgiveness program.

- Supports abortion access.
- Promises to enact anti-trust enforcement against large healthcare companies.
- Plans to negotiate drug prices to benefit both insured and uninsured individuals.
- Supports limiting out-of-pocket costs for essential, life-sustaining medications and treatments.
- Supports increasing the use and training of midwives to address gaps in rural and underserved maternal healthcare, including options for in-home pre- and post-natal visits.
- Supports the Medical Professionals in Rural Communities Student Loan Forgiveness program.

Supports increasing the tax deduction for teachers from $300 to $1,000 a year.

Believes student loans increase college access but have led to skyrocketing tuition costs.

Pushes Congress to demand colleges lower their cost of attendance if they want to continue receiving money from the federal government.

Supports creating partnerships between local farmers and schools to provide fresh produce.

- Supports increasing the tax deduction for teachers from $300 to $1,000 a year.
- Pushes Congress to demand colleges lower their cost of attendance if they want to continue receiving money from the federal government.
- Supports creating partnerships between local farmers and schools to provide fresh produce.

Supports investing in renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

Supports investing in renewable energy sources like solar and wind and bringing the manufacturing of its materials to the U.S.

- Supports investing in renewable energy sources like solar and wind and bringing the manufacturing of its materials to the U.S.

Supports banning politicians and their immediate families from trading individual stocks.

- Supports banning politicians and their immediate families from trading individual stocks.

Supports creating a temporary probationary visa for undocumented immigrants without violent, drug, domestic, or child abuse charges, which can become permanent after five years if they contribute through work or education and maintain a clean record.

Supports creating a temporary probationary visa for undocumented immigrants without violent, drug, domestic, or child abuse charges.

- Supports creating a temporary probationary visa for undocumented immigrants without violent, drug, domestic, or child abuse charges.

Theresa Courts

- Supports abortion access, with abortions after the first 13 weeks only allowed in cases of rape, incest, danger to the mother's health, or non-viable pregnancies as determined by doctors.
- Promises to enact anti-trust enforcement against large healthcare companies.
- Plans to negotiate drug prices to benefit both insured and uninsured individuals.
- Supports limiting out-of-pocket costs for essential, life-sustaining medications and treatments.
- Supports increasing the use and training of midwives to address gaps in rural and underserved maternal healthcare, including options for in-home pre- and post-natal visits.
- Supports the Medical Professionals in Rural Communities Student Loan Forgiveness program, which provides financial incentives for healthcare workers to serve in rural areas.

- Supports creating a temporary probationary visa for undocumented immigrants without violent, drug, domestic, or child abuse charges, becoming permanent after five years if they contribute through work or education and maintain a clean record.

Theresa Courts earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and teaching from Eastern Michigan University and a master's degree in school counseling and guidance services from Angelo State University.

Theresa currently works as a high school counselor for the Aldine Independent School District (ISD). She previously worked as a high school social studies teacher for the Klein ISD and Aldine ISD. She served in the U.S. National Guard.

- 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 38, Democratic Primary

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Candidates (3)

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