
John Lira
TX-35 Democratic nominee?
Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Marine Corps veteran
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
GenderMale
LocationTexas
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BackgroundU.S. Marine Corps veteran
EducationEast Central High School (Texas)
Notable personal detailsJohn Lira is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in Texas’ 35th Congressional District in the 2026 cycle. He is a retired U.S. Marine who served two combat tours in Iraq and is a graduate of East Central High School in the San Antonio area. He previously was the 2022 Democratic nominee for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. His professional background includes national-service and veterans-related work, including serving as senior advisor for veteran and military families at AmeriCorps.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports raising taxes on billionaires and large corporations, taxing capital gains more like ordinary income, and removing or raising the Social Security payroll cap to strengthen benefits and fund priorities such as education, health care, and infrastructure.
Healthcare
John Lira’s campaign emphasizes affordable, accessible health care and describes health care as a basic human right. His campaign materials prioritize lowering health-care costs and expanding access to insurance and care for Texans. Reporting and candidate profiles likewise say he supports policies to make health care more affordable and accessible for working families.
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Immigration & Border
Supports expanding legal pathways and protections for migrants, including pathways to legal status for undocumented immigrants who have worked and have no criminal record, protections for DACA and TPS recipients, restoring due process and asylum access, and ending indefinite detention. Advocates comprehensive immigration reform with humanitarian-focused border solutions rather than enforcement-only measures.
Climate & Energy
Supports large-scale federal climate action including the goals of a Green New Deal, bold investments in clean and renewable energy, energy storage, and grid reliability; backs a fully funded EPA and strong environmental standards holding polluters accountable.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports stronger gun laws to reduce gun violence, including measures to keep weapons used in mass shootings from criminals and people with mental-health issues; endorsed by Brady PAC. Positions emphasize expanded safety-focused regulation while not rejecting gun ownership generally.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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