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State Representative, District 9

Vote for
1
Term
2 years
Candidates
2
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on Texas laws and the state budget in the Texas House of Representatives.

All of Angelina, Polk, Houston, Tyler, Trinity and San Augustine counties. Open seat: incumbent Trent Ashby is not on the general-election ballot.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Rocky Thigpen

Republican

Vice president

The gist

  • Pledges property tax relief for homeowners and families.
More about Rocky
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  1. Pledges property tax relief for homeowners and families.

    Rocky Thigpen for Texas

    Campaign website · rockythigpen.com

    “Deliver real property tax relief for Texas homeowners and families.”

Shelley Tatum

Democratic

Retired teacher

The gist

  • Pledges to vote to raise the per-pupil allotment.
  • Pledges to reduce unfunded state regulations on schools.
  • Supports new laws protecting East Texas groundwater.
  • Supports state funding for rural health care.
  • Supports maintaining and increasing broadband expansion funding.
More about Shelley
View sources (1)

  1. Pledges to vote to raise the per-pupil allotment.

    Tatum for Texas 9

    Campaign website · tatum4texas9.com

    “I will vote to increase the per-pupil allotment provided by the state to local school districts.”

  2. Pledges to reduce unfunded state regulations on schools.

    Tatum for Texas 9

    Campaign website · tatum4texas9.com

    “I will work to reduce the often unfunded and stifling regulations”

  3. Supports new laws protecting East Texas groundwater.

    Tatum for Texas 9

    Campaign website · tatum4texas9.com

    “New legislation to protect East Texas groundwater will be necessary”

  4. Supports state funding for rural health care.

    Tatum for Texas 9

    Campaign website · tatum4texas9.com

    “The state needs to allocate funds from state revenues to take the pressure off limited local resources”

  5. Supports maintaining and increasing broadband expansion funding.

    Tatum for Texas 9

    Campaign website · tatum4texas9.com

    “Funding must be maintained and increased.”

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; 5 issues covered in this race.