Political ads · 2026 · TX

Texas House District 26 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Brandon Gill won · 54.5% to 44.2% · Called by AP on Nov 4

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Brandon Gill (Republican) and Steven Shook (Democrat) are the nominees for Texas's 26th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Brandon Gill is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Brandon Gill's campaign had raised $7.9 million (through October 14, 2026) and Steven Shook's campaign $36,000 (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $9,000 for Brandon Gill and $0 against.

Brandon Gill (REP, incumbent), Steven Shook (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.

Brandon Gill (REP, incumbent)

Raised: $7.9M through 2026-10-14 individuals $7.0M · PACs $488K · party $2,804 · from the candidate's other committees $401K · cash on hand $2.1M
Outside spending: $9,277 supporting Gill · latest reported 2026-10-20
Largest outside spenders: NRA VICTORY FUND, INC. — $5,842 supporting Gill SENATE CONSERVATIVES FUND — $1,853 supporting Gill FREEDOM CAUCUS FUND — $1,528 supporting Gill Largest donors: Michael T Rydin $8.8M (76%), Retired, Retired; HOUSE FREEDOM ACTION $350K (3%); KOMADA, ANNA $253K (2%); Steven Cowles $205K (2%), Retired, Retired; Steven W Corbett $200K (2%) TEXAS ALLIANCE FOR LIFE FED PAC — $54 supporting Gill

Bundled through PACs: $44K through 3 PACs · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 FREEDOM CAUCUS FUND — $24K from 17 gifts AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE — $14K from 10 gifts Lobbyist/registrant PAC CLUB FOR GROWTH PAC — $7,000 from 2 gifts

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

ALBANIANS FOR AMERICA PAC $3,000
ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $6,000
AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMERICA'S CREDIT UNIONS PAC OF CREDIT UNION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, INC. $1,000
AMERICA'S MOUNTAIN PAC $8,500
AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION PAC (BANKPAC) $2,500
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $7,500
AMERICAN DREAM DELIVERED $6,000
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN PRINCIPLES $500
AMERICAN REVIVAL PAC $5,000
AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE OF USA, INC PAC $3,000
ANTI-WOKE FUND $10K
ASIAN AMERICAN HOTEL OWNERS ASSOCIATION PAC (AAHOA PAC) $5,000
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ABC PAC) $1,000
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION PAC $4,000
BAUM PAC $3,500
BEEF-PAC (BEEF POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF TEXAS CATTLE FEEDERS ASSOCIATION) $4,500
BICE FOR CONGRESS $1,000
BUCKEYE LIBERTY PAC $10K
BUILD POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS (BUILDPAC) $2,000
BULLDOG PAC $5,000
CATERPILLAR INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (CATPAC) $5,000
CELANESE CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PAC (US CHAMBER PAC) $2,000
CHEVRON EMPLOYEES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE - CHEVRON CORPORATION $1,000
CITIZENS UNITED POLITICAL VICTORY FUND $1,000
CROP INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION PAC-CIPA PAC $2,000
DEFENDING AMERICA'S VALUES EVERYWHERE PAC $2,500
DELL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
DR. BRIAN BABIN FOR CONGRESS $2,000
ELECTING REPUBLICANS INDIANA PAC $2,000
ELEVANCE HEALTH, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ELEVANCE HEALTH PAC) $2,000
EMMER FOR CONGRESS $4,000
ERICSSON INC. U.S. EMPLOYEES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ('ERICSSON PAC') $1,000
FGS GLOBAL (US) LLC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
FIRST CAPITAL PAC $3,500
FLORIDA SUGAR CANE LEAGUE PAC $1,000
FROGMAN PAC $5,000
FRY FOR CONGRESS $2,000
GLOBAL MEDICAL RESPONSE, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
GREENBERG TRAURIG, P.A. PAC $1,000
GROWING OUR OWN DYNAMIC ECONOMY NOW $5,000
GUARDING OUR LASTING DEMOCRACY (GOLD) PAC $5,000
HEALTH & FITNESS ASSOCIATION PAC (FITPAC) $1,000
HELPING EXCEPTIONAL LEADERS ORGANIZE PAC (HELO PAC) $5,000
HF SINCLAIR POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (DINO PAC) $1,000
HOUSE CONSERVATIVES FUND $4,000
INDEPENDENT BANKERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS FEDERAL PAC (IBAT FEDPAC) $1,000
INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS OF AMERICA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (INSURPAC) $5,000
INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION FRANCHISING POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE INC $3,500
INTERNATIONL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS INTERESTED IN REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION PAC $1,000
JIM JORDAN FOR CONGRESS $4,000
KEEP TEXAS TEXAS PAC $5,000
KOCH, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (KOCHPAC) $1,000
LAND OF OPPORTUNITY PAC $1,000
LETS GET TO WORK PAC $7,000
MAINTAINING AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS PAC $1,000
MAJORITY COMMITTEE PAC--MC PAC $10K
METROPOLITAN ANESTHESIA CONSULTANTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY GROWERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
MIKE JOHNSON FOR LOUISIANA $2,000
MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE SUGAR PAC (MDSPAC) $1,000
MR. SOUTHERN MISSOURIAN IN THE HOUSE PAC $5,000
MVL PAC $5,000
NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NABPAC) $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
NATIONAL CATTLEMEN'S BEEF ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NCBA-PAC) $3,500
NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL OF AMERICA COMMITTEE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COTTON $3,500
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA POLITICAL VICTORY FUND $1,000
NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NSSF PAC) $2,000
NATIONAL STAR ROUTE MAIL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
NB3 PAC $2,000
OVERHAUL PAC $5,000
PEOPLE FOR ENTERPRISE TRADE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH (PETE PAC) $5,000
PEOPLE PAC (PACCAR INC EMPLOYEES ORGANIZED FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION PAC) $3,500
PITNEY BOWES INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
RAPTOR PAC $1,000
REPUBLICANS UNITED TO DEFEND YOU PAC $1,000
REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE; RAI PAC $1,000
RIGHT TEXAS $3,500
RUDY FOR INDIANA $4,000
RVFPAC $5,000
RYAN LLC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (RYANPAC) $2,500
SAZERAC COMPANY, INC. PAC (SAZERACPAC) $1,000
SCALISE FOR CONGRESS $4,000
SEAL PAC SUPPORTING ELECTING AMERICAN LEADERS PAC $1,000
SENATE CONSERVATIVES FUND $5,000
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS' ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SWAPA PAC) $1,000
SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. PAC $10K
SUSAN B. ANTHONY LIST INC. CANDIDATE FUND (DBA SUSAN B. ANTHONY PRO-LIFE AMERICA CANDIDATE FUND) $1,000
SWISHER INTERNATIONAL INC PAC FUND $275
TEXAS FARM BUREAU AGFUND $5,811
THE ASCAP LEGISLATIVE FUND FOR THE ARTS $3,000
THE EYE OF THE TIGER POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
THE GOOD FUND $1,000
THE HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
TIGER PAC $5,000
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (TOYOTA/LEXUS PAC) $6,000
TRUCKING POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS INC. $1,000
TYSON FOODS INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (TYPAC) $2,000
U.S. ANESTHESIA PARTNERS, INC. PAC D/B/A/ USAP PAC $10K
UNION PACIFIC CORP. FUND FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT $1,000
UNITED PARCEL SERVICE, INC. PAC (UPSPAC) $1,000
UNITED POSTMASTERS AND MANAGERS OF AMERICA POLITICAL FUND $2,500
UNUM GROUP POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (UNUMPAC) $1,000
USA RICE FEDERATION PAC $1,000
WALMART INC. PAC FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT $1,000
WESTERN PEANUT GROWERS ASSOCIATION, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (WABTEC PAC) $1,500
WINE AND SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Steven Shook (DEM)

Raised: $36K through 2026-10-14 individuals $36K · PACs $0 · cash on hand $5,603
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.