Political ads · 2026 · TX

Texas House District 17 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Pete Sessions won · 53.5% to 46.5% · Called by AP on Nov 4

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Pete Sessions (Republican) and Casey Shepard (Democrat) are the nominees for Texas's 17th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Pete Sessions is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Pete Sessions's campaign had raised $1.3 million (through October 14, 2026) and Casey Shepard's campaign $94,000 (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $11,000 for Pete Sessions and $0 against.

Pete Sessions (REP, incumbent), Casey Shepard (DEM). 1 other 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.

Pete Sessions (REP, incumbent)

Raised: $1.3M through 2026-10-14 individuals $621K · PACs $659K · candidate's own money, incl. loans $10 · cash on hand $1.0M
Outside spending: $11K supporting Sessions · latest reported 2026-10-14
Largest outside spenders: NRA VICTORY FUND, INC. — $11K supporting Sessions TEXAS ALLIANCE FOR LIFE FED PAC — $54 supporting Sessions

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

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

AF&PA PAC $5,000
AFFORDABLE HOUSING TAX CREDIT COALITION PAC (AFFORDABLE HOUSING PAC $1,000
AFIT-PAC $5,000
AICPA PAC $6,500
AIPAC PAC CONDUIT $12K
ALLIANCE FOR PHARMACY COMPOUNDING PAC (COMP PAC) $1,000
ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION PAC $10K
ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY PAC $2,500
ALLY FINANCIAL INC. ADVOCACY PAC $2,500
AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY PAC $1,000
AMERICA'S CREDIT UNIONS PAC OF CREDIT UNION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, INC. $2,000
AMERICA'S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES PAC $1,000
AMERICAN AIRLINES PAC $1,000
AMERICAN CHEMISTRY COUNCIL PAC $1,000
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR PAC $15K
AMERICAN FINANCIAL SERVICES ASSOC. PAC $2,500
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE PAC $2,500
AMERICAN HOMES 4 RENT TRS, LLC PAC (AMH PAC) $4,000
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOC. PAC $3,500
AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY PTPAC $2,000
AMERICAN PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURERS ASSOCIATION PAC $2,500
AMERICAN SENIORS HOUSING ASSOCIATION (SENIORS HOUSING PAC) $1,500
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS PAC $8,500
AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE PAC $3,000
AMERICANS FOR RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION LTD. PAC (ARI PAC) $2,500
ARCHIPAC - THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS $5,000
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS PAC $2,500
ATMOS ENERGY PAC $1,000
AUCTANE, INC. PAC $2,500
BANKPAC $5,000
BAPS PUBLIC AFFAIRS, INC. PAC (BAPS PAC) $5,000
BEEF PAC $2,000
BEN E KEITH COMPANY FEDERAL PAC $2,500
BLANK ROME PAC $2,000
BLOCKPAC $3,500
BOK FINANCIAL CORPORATION PAC $2,500
BUCKEYE LIBERTY PAC $10K
BUILD PAC $2,500
CADENCE BANK PAC $2,500
CALL TO SERVICE PAC $2,500
CEMEX, INC. EMPLOYEES PAC $1,000
CENTENE CORPORATION PAC (CENTENE PAC) $2,000
CGI TECHNOLOGIES AND SOLUTIONS INC. PAC $1,000
CHENIERE ENERGY, INC. PAC $2,500
COMERICA INCORPORATED PAC $2,500
COMMITTEE FOR ADVANCEMENT OF COTTON $5,000
COMMITTEE OF CONCERNED ITALIAN AMERICANS (CCIA) $2,500
CONSUMER CREDIT INSURANCE ASSOCIATION DBA CONSUMER CREDIT INDUSTRY ASSOC PAC (CCIA PAC) $5,000
COUNCIL OF INSURANCE AGENTS AND BROKERS PAC $7,500
COX ENTERPRISES PAC (COXPAC) INC. $4,000
CROP INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION PAC $5,000
DELL TECHNOLOGIES PAC $8,500
DELOITTE PAC $2,500
DEMOCRACY ENGINE, PAC $12K
DOMTAR PAC $500
EMMER FOR CONGRESS $2,000
ENVELOPE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION PAC $6,000
ERNST & YOUNG PAC $10K
FEDEX CORPORATION PAC $3,500
FLORIDA SUGAR CANE LEAGUE PAC $1,000
FLUOR CORPORATION PAC $1,500
FRANKLIN RESOURCES INC PAC (FRANKLIN TEMPLETON PAC) $2,000
FRATERNITY & SORORITY PAC $2,500
GREENBERG TRAURIG, P.A. PAC $1,500
HANGER INC. PAC $1,000
HIGGINBOTHAM INSURANCE AGENCY, INC. PAC $2,500
HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE PAC $5,000
HSBC TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES USA INC. FEDERAL PAC (HSBC FEDERAL PAC) $1,000
HUNTINGTON BANCSHARES INC. PAC (HBI-PAC) $2,000
IBAT FEDPAC $4,000
IN THE ARENA PAC $5,000
INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY BANKERS PAC $1,000
INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS $5,500
JEWELERS OF AMERICA INC. PAC (JAPAC) $2,500
JIM JORDAN FOR CONGRESS $4,000
K&L GATES LLP PAC $3,000
KEEP US POSTED PAC $3,500
KOCHPAC $7,000
KPMG PARTNERS/PRINCIPALS AND EMPLOYEES PAC $2,500
L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. PAC $2,500
LETTER CARRIERS POLITICAL FUND $5,000
LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE PAC $1,000
LOCKHEED MARTIN EMPLOYEES PAC $3,000
MANUFACTURED HOUSING INSTITUTE PAC $5,000
MARCHANT GOOD GOVERNMENT FUND $2,500
MASS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE PAC $3,500
METROPOLITAN ANESTHESIA PAC $2,500
MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY GROWERS PAC $1,000
MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE SUGAR PAC $1,000
MR. SOUTHERN MISSOURIAN IN THE HOUSE PAC $5,000
NADAPAC $2,500
NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION PAC $10K
NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION PAC (NAAPAC) $3,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANIES PAC $2,500
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS PAC (RPAC) $5,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOC. PAC $2,500
NATIONAL CATTLEMEN'S BEEF ASSOCIATION PAC $10K
NATIONAL COALITION OF TURKISH AMERICAN WOMEN'S PAC $2,500
NATIONAL INDEPENDENT AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION PAC FUND $2,500
NATIONAL PORK PRODUCERS COUNCIL PORK PAC $2,000
NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION INC PAC $6,000
NATIONAL SORGHUM PRODUCERS PAC $2,500
NATIONAL TURKEY FEDERATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITEE $2,000
NHMC NATIONAL MULTIFAMILY HOUSING COUNCIL PAC $2,500
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL FEDERAL PAC $2,500
NRA POLITICAL VICTORY FUND $1,000
NRG ENERGY INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
NRLCA $2,500
NUCOR CORPORATION PAC $2,500
ONE GENERATION $5,000
ONLINE LENDERS ALLIANCE PAC $2,500
PFIZER PAC $1,000
PHYSICIAN-LED HEALTHCARE FOR AMERICA PAC (PHA PAC) $1,000
PITNEY BOWES PAC $4,500
POLIQUIN FOR CONGRESS $1,000
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF THE AAOS $2,500
POPULUS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. PAC $1,000
PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS PAC $2,500
REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
REPUBLICANS UNITED TO DEFEND YOU PAC $1,000
RUDY FOR INDIANA $4,000
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA PAC $4,000
SANTANDER HOLDINGS USA INC. PAC (SANTANDER US PAC) $1,500
STAR PAC NATIONAL STAR ROUTE $3,500
SUPERVISORS PAC $6,500
SYLVAMO CORPORATION PAC $3,500
T-MOBILE USA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
TD BANK N.A. PAC $2,500
TEXAS FARM BUREAU AGFUND, INC. $4,800
TEXAS PRODUCE ASSOCIATION (TPA PAC) $500
TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION PAC $1,500
THE FARM CREDIT COUNCIL PAC $2,500
THE HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
THE OPTIONS CLEARING CORPORATION PAC $3,500
THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES PAC $2,500
THE US ONCOLOGY NETWORK PAC $1,000
TIGUA INDIAN RESERVATION PAC $3,500
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA INC PAC $2,000
TRINITY INDUSTRIES EMPLOYEE PAC $2,000
TURKISH AMERICAN COALITION PAC $7,150
TURKISH COALITION USA PAC $6,000
UBS AMERICAS INC PAC $10K
UNION PACIFIC FUND FOR EFFECTIVE GOVT $2,000
UPBOUND GROUP, INC. GOOD GOVERNMENT PAC $3,500
UPSPAC $5,000
USA RICE FEDERATION PAC $1,000
USBANCORP PAC $2,500
VEN-PAC $1,000
VISTRA EMPLOYEE PAC $2,000
WALDEN FOR CONGRESS, INC. $1,000
WATERPAC - NATIONAL RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION POLITICAL COMMITTEE $1,500
WAYNE FARMS LLC PAC WAYNE FARMS PAC $1,000
WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION PAC (WABPAC) $2,500
WESTERN PEANUT GROWERS PAC $1,000
ZURICH HOLDING CO. OF AMERICA $2,500

All filings at the FEC ↗

Casey Shepard (DEM)

Raised: $94K through 2026-10-14 individuals $88K · PACs $100 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $5,302 · cash on hand $78K
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.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
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.