Political ads · 2026 · TX

Texas House District 16 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Veronica Escobar won · 70.8% to 29.2% · Called by AP on Nov 3

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Veronica Escobar (Democrat) and Adam Bauman (Republican) are the nominees for Texas's 16th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Veronica Escobar is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Veronica Escobar's campaign had raised $1.1 million (through October 14, 2026) and Adam Bauman's campaign $3,000 (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $193 for Veronica Escobar and $0 against.

Veronica Escobar (DEM, incumbent), Adam Bauman (REP). 3 others filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

Voting in Austin? 10 local ballot measures → The ballot wording read for rhetorical techniques, and who is paying for and against each.

How to vote in Texas

From Texas's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

Registration	Register by Mon, Oct 5 (30th day before Election Day, moved to the next business day. Mailed applications must be postmarked by the deadline. New registrations are on paper; online is only for updating an existing record.) (passed)Source: votetexas.gov ↗
Early voting in person	Mon, Oct 19 to Fri, Oct 30 (passed)Source: sos.state.tx.us ↗
By mail	Mail voting needs a reason the state accepts (Only these voters qualify: away from the county, sick or disabled, expecting to give birth within 3 weeks of Election Day, 65 or older, or confined in jail or involuntary civil commitment); request a ballot by Fri, Oct 23 (Must be received by this date; a postmark does not count); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Received by 7 pm on Election Day, or postmarked by 7 pm on Election Day and received by 5 pm on Nov 4) (passed)Source: sos.state.tx.us ↗Source: votetexas.gov ↗
Election Day	Tue, Nov 3. Polls: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (passed)Source: votetexas.gov ↗
ID at the polls	One of 7 acceptable photo IDs. A voter who cannot reasonably get one may sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and show supporting ID instead.Source: votetexas.gov ↗

Check your registration and polling place ↗ Texas's official election site ↗

Checked October 6, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Veronica Escobar (DEM, incumbent)

Raised: $1.1M through 2026-10-14 individuals $564K · PACs $503K · cash on hand $217K
Outside spending: $193 supporting Escobar · latest reported 2026-10-17
Largest outside spenders: SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) — $193 supporting Escobar Largest donors: 1199 SERVICE EMPLOYEES INT'L UNION FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION FUND $10.1M (85%); LOCAL 32BJ SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION AMERICAN DREAM POLITICAL ACTION FUND $909K (8%); WORKERS UNITED FOR POLITICAL POWER CAMPAIGN COMM. $401K (3%); NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES FEDERATION-COPE $303K (3%)

Bundled through PACs: $17K through 1 PAC · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 JSTREETPAC — $17K from 19 gifts Lobbyist/registrant PAC

121 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

A.O. SMITH POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AOSPAC) $1,000
ACADEMY OF RAIL LABOR ATTORNEYS PAC $2,500
ADVANCED MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION PAC $6,000
AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY $2,500
AMERICA'S CREDIT UNION PAC OF CREDIT UNION NAT'L ASSOC., INC. $2,500
AMERICAN AIRLINES INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AAPAC) $1,000
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $7,500
AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION PAC (BANK PAC) $3,500
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OB-GYNS PAC $2,000
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY PAC $5,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E $7,500
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $10K
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
AMERICAN HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ('HOTELPAC') $1,500
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION $2,500
AMERICAN SENIOR HOUSING ASSOCIATION PAC $5,000
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS PAC (ASA PAC) $5,000
AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE OF USA INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
AMERICAN SUGARBEET GROWERS ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
ANIMAL WELLNESS ACTION PAC $2,000
ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS (APFA PAC) POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AT&T INC. EMPLOYEE FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AT&T EMPLOYEE FEDERAL PAC) $2,000
BAE SYSTEMS USA PAC $2,000
BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY PAC $3,000
BEEF-PAC (BEEF POLITICAL ACTON COMMITTEE OF TEXAS CATTLE FEEDERS ASSOCIATION) $1,000
BLUE ORIGIN LLC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (BLUE ORIGIN PAC) $6,000
BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY RAILPAC (BNSF RAILPAC) $2,500
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS & TRAINMEN PAC FUND $2,500
BUILD PAC OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS (BUILDPAC) $6,000
CARDINAL HEALTH INC. PAC $2,500
CAREER EDUCATION COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
CHC BOLD PAC $1,492
COMCAST CORPORATION & NBCUNIVERSAL PAC - FEDERAL $1,000
COMMITTEE FOR A DEMOCRATIC FUTURE $1,000
CRH AMERICAS, INC. PAC $2,500
DAVITA INC. PAC (DAPAC) $1,000
DEFEND THE VOTE $5,000
DELL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
DELOITTE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
DEMOCRATS WIN FUND $1,000
EATON PUBLIC POLICY ASSOCIATION $2,000
ELECT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN $6,500
EMPLOYEES OF RTX CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $4,500
ENGINEERS POLITICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE (EPEC)/INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS $5,000
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE ACTION PAC $1,000
ERNST & YOUNG POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
EVELINA ORTEGA CAMPAIGN $500
FAIR SHOT PAC $2,000
FLORIDA SUGAR CANE LEAGUE PAC $1,000
GE HEALTH CARE TECHNOLOGIES INC. PAC $3,000
GENERAL ATOMICS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION PAC $7,000
GENERAL MOTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (GM PAC) $2,000
GULF STATES TOYOTA INC. FEDERAL PAC $1,500
HEALTH CARE SERVICE CORPORATION EMPLOYEES' PAC $5,000
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL PAC $10K
HUMANE WORLD ACTION FUND POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL, TRANSPORTATION POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUE $5,000
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $4,500
INTERNATIONAL PAPER PAC (IP-PAC) $1,000
JSTREET PAC $2,500
L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. PAC $10K
LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA $5,000
LEIDOS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,500
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION EMPLOYEES' POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INC. EMPLOYEES' PAC $2,500
MEDICAL DEVICE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY GROWERS PAC $2,500
MICROSOFT CORPORATION STAKEHOLDERS VOLUNTARY PAC - MSVPAC $2,500
MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE SUGAR PAC $1,000
MOLINA HEALTHCARE, INC. PAC $2,000
NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION PAC $6,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS PAC (NAM-PAC) $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION PAC $5,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $4,000
ORACLE AMERICA PAC $1,000
OSCAR UGARTE CAMPAIGN $1,500
OSI SYSTEMS INC. OSI PAC $5,000
OUTDOOR AMUSEMENT BUSINESS ASSN PAC $1,000
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS PAC $2,500
RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN PAC $1,000
RELX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
SAZERAC COMPANY, INC. PAC $576
SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPS INT'L UNION CMTE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) $5,000
SEMPRA ENERGY EMPLOYEE PAC - FEDERAL $5,000
SMART TD PAC $2,000
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA BEET SUGAR COOPERATIVE $1,000
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SWAPA PAC) $3,500
STERIS EMPLOYEE PAC $2,000
STOP GUN VIOLENCE PAC $2,500
SUGAR CANE GROWERS COOPERATIVE OF FLORIDA PAC $500
T-MOBILE USA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
TARGET CORPORATION CITIZENS POLITICAL FORUM (TARGETCITIZENS POLITICAL FORUM) $1,000
TEXAS FARM BUREAU AGFUND INC PAC $4,800
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC PAC $2,000
TEXTRON INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,500
THE BOEING COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $4,000
THE HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA INC, PAC (TOYOTA/LEXUS PAC) $5,500
TRACTOR SUPPLY COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION $2,000
TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION PAC (FORMERLY SUNTRUST BANKS, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE) $2,500
TWDC ENTERPRISES 18 CORP. EMPLOYEES PAC $1,000
TYSON FOODS INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (TYPAC) $2,000
UBS AMERICAS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (UBS PAC) $5,000
UNION PACIFIC CORP. FUND FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT $1,000
UNITED AIRLINES INC. PAC $1,000
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP EMPLOYEE ACTION FUND $1,000
VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (VERIZON PAC) $2,000
VISA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
WALMART INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT $2,500
WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE PAC $1,000
WINE & SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA PAC $3,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Adam Bauman (REP)

Raised: $3,293 through 2026-10-14 individuals $1,600 · PACs $0 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $1,693 · cash on hand $2,858
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in TX; or it ran mostly in TX and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
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Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.