Polling Average
30%25%20%15%10%5%0%
5%
24%
5%
Democrat
Terry Virts
Democrat
Terry Virts
TX-09 Democratic nominee?
$29.0K
MAR 10, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleNASA astronaut
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age58 years old (Dec 1, 1967)
GenderMale
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LocationTexas
BackgroundNASA astronaut
EducationUnited States Air Force Academy — B.S. Mathematics (French minor) (1989)
Notable personal detailsTerry Wayne Virts Jr. is a retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force colonel who commanded the International Space Station (Expedition 43) in 2015 and flew as pilot on Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-130). He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned a master’s degree from Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, later completing Harvard Business School’s General Management Program. In 2025 he filed to run for U.S. Senate in Texas as a Democrat, and he later ran in the 2026 Democratic primary for Texas’s 9th Congressional District.
SourcesShowHide
nasa.govfec.govdocquery.fec.goven.wikipedia.orgwikidata.orginvesting.comapps.npr.orgleticiaforcongress.comhoustonchronicle.comfollowthecrypto.orgtxelectionresults.comhppr.orgtexasdemocrats.orgwbez.orgcbsnews.comes.wikipedia.orgnewtools.cira.state.tx.usuh.eduterryvirts.comspace.commusic.amazon.intexastribune.orgksat.comnewsweek.comspectrumlocalnews.comthestandupway.orgcongress.govepi.orgirssettlementsecrets.comterrysavage.comconvergencemag.comvermontbiz.compodscripts.co8kun.toparchyde.comwashingtonpost.comfoxnews.comcontext-cdn.washingtonpost.comgames-cdn.washingtonpost.comhistory.house.govvoterguide.ballotpedia.orgdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgdemocrats-foreignaffairs.house.govballotready.org
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
The candidate emphasizes making healthcare, groceries, and housing more affordable, supporting small businesses through reduced overregulation, opposing tariffs that hurt Texas workers, and rejects tax cuts for billionaires. He frames his economic approach around helping working Texans and opposing policies he describes as benefiting the wealthy at the expense of ordinary people.
Healthcare
Supports making healthcare more affordable and increasing access through practical reforms such as expanding the supply of doctors and medical residencies, offering free preventive care (mammograms, vaccines, screenings), and targeting cost inefficiencies. Positions emphasize pragmatic, government-enabled measures to broaden access rather than proposals for single-payer or full privatization.
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Immigration & Border
Supports legal immigration while opposing illegal immigration; advocates a “strong border” combined with treating immigrants with dignity and respect and focusing enforcement on criminal activity. Describes his approach as “common-sense immigration.”
Climate & Energy
Terry Virts has criticized federal cuts to weather and climate science and has said extreme flooding influenced his decision to run, but his campaign materials and public statements do not lay out specific climate or energy policy proposals such as emissions targets, clean-energy investment, or fossil-fuel transition plans.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedMar 14, 2026
Terry Virts is in the news in connection with Texas primary elections that are selecting candidates for the November general election. The coverage highlights a competitive, high-spending primary landscape across major races, with some contests potentially headed to runoffs and redistricting reshaping several districts.
nasa.gov+43
Polls
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$665.4K
$499.1K
$332.7K
$166.4K
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$665.4K
$35.4K
$421.7K
$28.1K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements