Texas › Polk County › Texas Senate District 3
2 candidates are tracked for Texas Senate District 3, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Trent Ashby and Bobby Tillman. Candidate information follows official Polk County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Trent Ashby (Republican), Bobby Tillman (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Texas Senate District 3. Not on the November ballot: Robert Nichols, the sitting member per the roster. Nominees were chosen at the March 3 primary (or a May 26 runoff) or advanced unopposed; the field is the Texas Secretary of State's certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Trent Ashby is the Republican nominee for Texas Senate District 3, an open seat as current Senator Robert Nichols is not seeking reelection. Ashby is the sitting State Representative for Texas House District 9 and Senior Vice President for VerraBank, according to his official House biography; he grew up on a dairy farm in Rusk County and holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.
2026 priorities
- Property tax relief, per The Texan / KETK
Bobby Tillman is the Democratic nominee for Texas Senate District 3, an East Texas seat covering the Pineywoods and Sabine region. He spent 40 years in the commercial flooring business and 15 years raising beef cattle, according to the Lufkin Daily News. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.
2026 priorities (per the Lufkin Daily News)
- Rural medical care
- Volunteer fire and EMS funding
- Support for veterans and small-town economies
