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Commissioner of Agriculture

Vote for
1
Term
4 years
Candidates
3
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The Agriculture Commissioner runs the Texas Department of Agriculture, which promotes farming and ranching, regulates pesticides and checks weights and measures such as gas pumps, and runs school nutrition programs.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

Public safety

  • Nate SheetsRepublican

    • Supports treating livestock biosecurity as national security.

  • Clayton TuckerDemocratic

    • Supports combining sterile insects with SWASS against screwworm.

  • Austin R. KellyLibertarian

    • Supports sterile insect controls and early detection for screwworm.

Education

  • Nate SheetsRepublican

    • Supports scratch-cooking school kitchens and nutrition education.

  • Clayton TuckerDemocratic

    • Supports free school meals without ultra-processed foods.

  • Austin R. KellyLibertarian

    • Supports schools buying directly from Texas producers.

Economy & jobs

  • Nate SheetsRepublican

    • Proposes giving Texas producers first shot at state food purchases.
    • Proposes revamping Go Texan to connect producers and buyers.

  • Clayton TuckerDemocratic

    • Supports breaking up food production and distribution monopolies.
    • Supports banning surveillance pricing at grocery stores.

  • Austin R. KellyLibertarian

    • Pledges to cut regulations and wasteful agency spending.
    • Supports loosening rules on direct and cottage food sales.

Environment & parks

  • Nate SheetsRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Clayton TuckerDemocratic

    • Opposes hyperscale AI data centers' water and power use.

  • Austin R. KellyLibertarian

    • Supports voluntary rangeland conservation over mandates.

Health & human services

  • Nate SheetsRepublican

    • Pledges to clean up school lunches and the food supply.

  • Clayton TuckerDemocratic

    • Proposes rebuilding the state's food inspection system.
    • Pledges to defend the Summer EBT food program.

  • Austin R. KellyLibertarian

    No documented position found.

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 6 issues covered in this race.