Texas › Wood County › Texas House District 5
2 candidates are tracked for Texas House District 5, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Cole Hefner and Hector Garza. Candidate information follows official Wood County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Cole Hefner (Republican), Hector Garza (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Texas House District 5; Cole Hefner is the sitting member, per the Texas House of Representatives' official 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.
Cole Hefner is a small business owner in the insurance industry who previously ran a construction business for 16 years, according to his official House biography. He formerly served as an Upshur County Commissioner and has represented House District 5 since 2017, chairing the House Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee. He is the incumbent seeking reelection. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.
Hector Garza resigned as chairman of the Smith County Democratic Party to run for Texas House District 5, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph. He has said he would prioritize education, mental health and immigration policy if elected, per KLTV. No verified campaign website or questionnaire response was found for him as of 2026-09-11. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.
2026 priorities
- Education, mental health and immigration policy, per KLTV
