Texas general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for U.S. House, Texas District 20 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for U.S. House, Texas District 20 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in U.S. House District 20.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Edgardo Rafael BaezRepublican | Joaquin CastroDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Income taxes | No public position | Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsVoted · medium |
| National debt | A mix of spending cuts and tax increasesQuestionnaire answer · low | No public position |
| Social Security | Raise the retirement age for younger workersQuestionnaire answer · low | Expand benefits and fund it with higher taxes on the wealthyOfficial action · medium |
| Safety net programs | No public position | Expand help for childcare, housing and paid family leaveVoted · medium |
| Minimum wage | No public position | Raise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingOfficial action · medium |
| Healthcare | Mostly private market; roll back the government's roleQuestionnaire answer · medium | Keep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is brokenVoted · medium |
| Abortion | No public position | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Official action · high |
| Guns | No public position | All of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazinesSaid · high |
| Immigration | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyQuestionnaire answer · medium | A path to citizenship for most, and more legal immigrationOfficial action · medium |
| Energy and climate | No public position | A gradual shift to cleaner energy, driven by incentivesVoted · medium |
| Politicians trading stocks | No public position | No, ban it for members and their spousesOfficial action · medium |
| Marijuana | No public position | Legalize it and clear past convictionsOfficial action · medium |
| Redistricting | No public position | Independent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymanderingOfficial action · medium |
| Campaign finance | No public position | Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsOfficial action · medium |
| Qualified immunity | No public position | No, end it for police so officers or departments can be sued for rights violationsVoted · medium |
| Drug prices | No public position | Negotiate more drugs and extend the insulin and yearly cost caps to private insuranceVoted · medium |
| Childcare and pre-K | No public position | Guarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-KOfficial action · medium |
| Paid leave | No public position | Create a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick daysOfficial action · medium |
| Birthright citizenship | No public position | Yes, for everyone born here except the narrow exceptions like diplomats' children, as the Supreme Court ruledSaid · high |
| Aid to Israel | No public position | Keep it, but with conditions on how weapons are used and aid to GazaSaid · high |
| Aid to Ukraine | No public position | Restore strong U.S. aid and add tougher sanctions on RussiaSaid · high |
Edgardo Rafael Baez
RepublicanPrivate citizen
Edgardo Baez is a San Antonio attorney who was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, served in the U.S. Army from 1989 to 2002, and worked as an intensive care nurse12. He holds a law degree from Texas Southern University and a Ph.D. from Liberty University1. He is the Republican nominee in the 20th District2.
Where they stand
- National debt: A mix of spending cuts and tax increases
Questionnaire answer · low confidence
- Said Congress should target a deficit of 3% of GDP or less by 2030 through spending cuts and revenue measures. (2026) source
- Social Security: Raise the retirement age for younger workers
Questionnaire answer · low confidence
- Said Social Security and Medicare should be reformed to address insolvency, listing options such as raising retirement ages, means-testing benefits, or curbing entitlement growth without tax hikes. (2026) source
- Immigration: Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steady
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence
- Said immigration reform should emphasize border security, interior enforcement and reduced illegal immigration while opposing amnesty or a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and chain migration. (2026) source
- Healthcare: Mostly private market; roll back the government's role
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence
- Said the answer to health care costs is open markets where Americans can choose from a variety of plans as they did before the Affordable Care Act, and fixing the ACA without large subsidies. (2026) source
- Term limits: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence
- In a Ballotpedia survey he described term limits as a way to prevent career politicians from holding power indefinitely and to reduce entrenchment. (2025) source
- Foreign policy: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence
- Said he would support War Powers Resolutions requiring congressional approval for further military actions and would back bills barring funds to occupy or annex Greenland. (2026) source
- Business regulation: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Said · medium confidence
- His campaign website says burdensome governmental regulations should be significantly reduced. (2026) source
No public position found on: Income taxes, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Abortion, Guns, Trade and tariffs, Energy and climate, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Joaquin Castro
Democrat · IncumbentU.S. Representative for Texas's 20th District
Joaquin Castro is a San Antonio attorney who has represented Texas's 20th Congressional District since 2013 and serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Intelligence Committee12. He earned degrees from Stanford University and Harvard Law School and served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2003 to 20131.
Where they stand
- Aid to Israel: Keep it, but with conditions on how weapons are used and aid to Gaza
Said · high confidence
- Voted against the $26 billion Israel security supplemental. (2024-04-20) source
- Voted against the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which would require delivery of paused weapons to Israel. (2024-05-16) source
- Joined a statement supporting Senate resolutions to block specific offensive arms sales to Israel while backing defensive systems such as Iron Dome. (2024-11-20) source
- Said he opposed providing Israel $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing without new conditions or reporting requirements. (2026-01-14) source
- Cosponsored H.R. 3565, which would bar transfers of certain bombs and artillery ammunition to Israel unless Congress specifies their permitted uses and Israel gives written assurances. (2025-08-08) source
- Aid to Ukraine: Restore strong U.S. aid and add tougher sanctions on Russia
Said · high confidence
- Voted for the $40 billion Ukraine aid package in May 2022. (2022-05-10) source
- Voted for the $61 billion Ukraine security supplemental in April 2024. (2024-04-20) source
- Voted for the Ukraine Support Act, which provides military aid and loans to Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia. (2026-06-04) source
- Said the Ukrainian people deserve U.S. support, that he has consistently backed providing Ukraine the resources to defend itself, and that he supports financial sanctions on Russian officials and banks. (2026-09-16) source
- Criticized President Trump's February 2025 Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy as a display of deference to Russia. (2025-02-28) source
- Guns: All of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines
Said · high confidence
- Voted for the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022, which would ban the sale of many semi-automatic assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. (2022-07-29) source
- Said assault weapons used in the Uvalde, El Paso and Sutherland Springs shootings have no place on our streets. (2022-07-29) source
- Cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2025 and the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2026. (2026) source
- Abortion: Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)
Official action · high confidence
- Voted for the Women's Health Protection Act, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability and later when a patient's life or health is at risk. (2021-09-24) source
- Voted for the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022, which would protect abortion access nationwide before viability and later when a patient's life or health is at risk. (2022-07-15) source
- Called the Dobbs decision wrong and said every American should have the freedom to decide when and how to start a family. (2022-06-24) source
- Was among the House members who introduced the Women's Health Protection Act in 2021, which would bar many state abortion restrictions while allowing limits after viability with health exceptions. (2022-05-10) source
- Cosponsored the Women's Health Protection Act of 2025. (2025-06-24) source
- Immigration: A path to citizenship for most, and more legal immigration
Official action · medium confidence
- Voted for the American Dream and Promise Act, which offered a path to citizenship for Dreamers and some long-time TPS holders. (2021-03-18) source
- Voted for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which offered legal status to long-time farmworkers and required E-Verify in agriculture. (2021-03-18) source
- Voted against the Secure the Border Act, which funded border wall construction and tightened asylum rules. (2023-05-11) source
- Voted against the Secure America Act, which provides about $70 billion for immigration enforcement and border security. (2026-06-09) source
- Sponsored the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, which would let immigrants who did essential work during the COVID-19 emergency obtain green cards. (2023-05-02) source
- Cosponsored the American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 and the U.S. Citizenship Act in 2023. (2025-02-26) source
- Said the vast majority of undocumented immigrants are hardworking people who pay taxes and contribute to American society. (2025-01-23) source
- Said the administration's mass deportation machine has betrayed Dreamers and renewed his commitment to immigration reform. (2026-06-16) source
- Birthright citizenship: Yes, for everyone born here except the narrow exceptions like diplomats' children, as the Supreme Court ruled
Said · high confidence
- Called the effort to end birthright citizenship cruel and un-American and said the Constitution makes clear that people born in this country are citizens. (2025-06-27) source
- Redistricting: Independent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymandering
Official action · medium confidence
- Voted for the For the People Act, which would require independent commissions to draw congressional maps and ban partisan gerrymandering. (2021-03-03) source
- Called the 2025 Texas congressional map an illegal gerrymander and said Republicans rigged the system to keep power. (2025-08-29) source
- Criticized the Supreme Court ruling allowing the map to be used, calling it corrupt and racist redistricting. (2025-12-04) source
- Cosponsored the For the People Act of 2021, which would require states to use independent commissions for congressional redistricting. (2021-02-05) source
- Minimum wage: Raise it higher and tie it to the cost of living Official action · medium confidence
- Marijuana: Legalize it and clear past convictions
Official action · medium confidence
- Voted for the MORE Act, which would remove marijuana from federal drug schedules and clear past federal marijuana convictions. (2022-04-01) source
- Cosponsored the MORE Act, which would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and set up a process to expunge federal cannabis convictions. (2026-04-23) source
- Campaign finance: Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaigns
Official action · medium confidence
- Voted for the For the People Act, which created small-donor public matching funds, required disclosure of big donors and called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. (2021-03-03) source
- Cosponsored a proposed constitutional amendment letting Congress and the states limit election spending and create public campaign financing. (2024-07-11) source
- Cosponsored the DISCLOSE Act of 2026. (2026-03-04) source
- Politicians trading stocks: No, ban it for members and their spouses
Official action · medium confidence
- Voted against the Stop Insider Trading Act, a stock purchase ban for members that also carried voter ID provisions. (2026-07-22) source
- Cosponsored the Restore Trust in Congress Act, which would bar members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from owning or trading individual stocks. (2026-07-20) source
- Paid leave: Create a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick days Official action · medium confidence
- Childcare and pre-K: Guarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-K
Official action · medium confidence
- Voted for the Build Back Better Act, which funded free universal pre-K and expanded childcare aid. (2021-11-19) source
- Cosponsored the Child Care for Working Families Act of 2025, which would cap child care costs for eligible families at 7 percent of income and expand pre-K. (2025-07-15) source
- Sponsored the Head Start for Our Future Act in 2025. (2025-07-10) source
- Social Security: Expand benefits and fund it with higher taxes on the wealthy
Official action · medium confidence
- Cosponsored the Social Security 2100 Act in 2023, a bill that would increase benefits and apply the payroll tax to earnings above $400,000. (2023-07-12) source
- Trade and tariffs: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Said · medium confidence
- Opposed the April 2025 across-the-board tariffs, saying they would be the biggest tax increase on everyday Texans in decades and would hurt San Antonio as a trade hub. (2025-04-02) source
- Foreign policy: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Said · medium confidence
- Said he strongly supports the State Department, diplomats and foreign assistance, and criticized U.S. military actions in Venezuela and the Caribbean as illegal wars. (2026-01-14) source
- Qualified immunity: No, end it for police so officers or departments can be sued for rights violations
Voted · medium confidence
- Voted for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would end qualified immunity for police officers in civil rights lawsuits. (2021-03-03) source
- Safety net programs: Expand help for childcare, housing and paid family leave Voted · medium confidence
- Drug prices: Negotiate more drugs and extend the insulin and yearly cost caps to private insurance
Voted · medium confidence
- Voted for the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap insulin costs at $35 a month for people with Medicare and private insurance. (2022-03-31) source
- Income taxes: Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programs
Voted · medium confidence
- Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which set a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a tax on stock buybacks to help pay for energy and health programs. (2022-08-12) source
- Voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made the 2017 individual tax cuts permanent at every income level. (2025-07-03) source
- Energy and climate: A gradual shift to cleaner energy, driven by incentives
Voted · medium confidence
- Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which used tax credits and incentives to speed a shift to cleaner energy. (2022-08-12) source
- Transgender athletes: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
- E-Verify mandate: No single answer fits; see the evidence below.
Voted · low confidence
- Voted against the Secure the Border Act, which would require all employers to use E-Verify. (2023-05-11) source
- Mandatory minimums: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
- Student loans: No single answer fits; see the evidence below. Voted · low confidence
- Healthcare: Keep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is broken Voted · medium confidence
No public position found on: National debt, Business regulation, Judges, Term limits, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-09-27. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.