Polling Average
60%50%40%30%20%10%0%
9.7%
52.1%
Texas Democratic Governor nominee?
$14.3K
MAR 4, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer U.S. Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyLiberal Democrat
Age66 years old (Nov 23, 1959)
GenderMale
Show moreShow less
LocationTexas
BackgroundAttorney
EducationUniversity of Texas at Austin (B.J., 1982)
Notable personal detailsRobert Christopher Bell is an American politician, attorney, and former journalist. He served on the Houston City Council (1997–2001) and represented Texas's 25th congressional district in the U.S. House (2003–2005). He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Texas in 2006 and later sought the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 2020.
SourcesShowHide
history.house.goven.wikipedia.orgtexastribune.orgcbsnews.comwikidata.orgkwtx.comgcdptx.orgksat.comcongress.govkcbd.comelectionline.orgbelldemocrats.orgtexpolls.comnga.orgharrisoncountytexas.govvanzandtcountydemocrats.combexardemocrat.orgs3.documentcloud.orggovinfo.govwheelercounty.texas.govchron.comchrisbellforgovernor.commrt.comchrisbelltexas.commyplainview.comcleanfundtx.orghoustonchronicle.comdallasnews.comontheissues.orgkellysearch.comuniversitysurgical.comusacs.comjsg.utexas.edunpiprofile.comkalterra.comelections2024.thehill.comstatic.politico.compolitico.comgo.politico.comfec.govhouse.govballotready.orgvanhollen.senate.govbioguideretro.congress.govdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgjustfacts.votesmart.orgvoterguide.ballotpedia.orgclerk.house.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
The candidate has advocated increasing revenue to expand public education funding, including proposals to expand business taxes to raise several billion dollars for schools. He supports increased state spending on K–12 and higher education affordability measures rather than revenue-neutral tax shifts.
Healthcare
Supports expanding access to care including Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, strengthening community and neighborhood health clinics, and treating healthcare as a right. Proposes policies to enroll more Texans in coverage, keep rural hospitals open, and reduce reliance on emergency rooms for primary care.
Show moreShow less
Immigration & Border
Supports an earned pathway to citizenship and opposes mass deportation and construction of a border fence, while endorsing some limited enforcement measures such as National Guard support (with caution about militarizing the border).
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports reproductive rights and opposes government interference between a woman and her doctor. He has said he would veto laws that would preemptively outlaw abortion and has a pro-choice voting record.
Climate & Energy
Supports clean energy investment and clean-energy programs for Texas, advocates stronger enforcement of environmental regulations, and has worked with organizations to expand access to clean energy and federal clean-energy funding. Positions emphasize clean energy jobs, pollution reduction, and environmental justice while not explicitly calling for immediate fossil fuel phase-out or Green New Deal–style language in available sources.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports an assault-weapons ban with a mandatory buyback, endorses expanded background checks, and has called for removing military-style weapons from civilian circulation to improve public safety.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedMar 14, 2026
Chris Bell is in the news as Texas voters head to the polls in the 2026 primary, where the U.S. Senate race is a major focus. Early voting has been high, with about 2.5 million Texans voting early and Democrats reportedly outpacing Republicans in early turnout. The primary is part of a broader set of contested Senate primaries also happening in North Carolina and Arkansas that will shape the November general election field.
history.house.gov+47
Polls
Texas Democratic Governor nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements
- Fundraising