Texas's 26th congressional district

Texas' 26th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes rural Cooke County to the north and some of Wise County to the West and includes parts of Denton County, including Flower Mound, Lewisville and parts of Corinth, Carrollton, Little Elm and The Colony. The current Representative is Brandon Gill. The district is best known as the seat of former House Majority Leader Dick Armey.

History

The district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 census, due to the population growth in Texas and Denton County, specifically in its southern sector. Since its creation, the district has been based in Denton County, one of Texas' fastest-growing counties.

Democrat Tom Vandergriff was the first person to represent the district, winning in 1982. Vandergriff narrowly lost to Republican Dick Armey in 1984, and the seat has continuously been held by Republicans ever since. Indeed, since Vandergriff's defeat in 1984, no Democrat has crossed the 40 percent mark. As Denton County has become overwhelmingly Republican in recent years (all but one county officeholder is Republican, as are all members of the Texas Legislature representing the county), the 26th district is considered a "safe seat" for the GOP.

From 2013 to 2023, after the 2010 redistricting, the 26th district included most of Denton County (except the southeast portion) and a portion of north central Tarrant County.

However, the district has been trending Democratic in recent years. Donald Trump carried it by 14 points in 2020, while Mitt Romney had carried it by 37 in 2012.

After the 2020 census, rapid growth resulted in significant changes in the composition of the district. For the first time since the district's creation, the city of Denton, the county seat of Denton County, will not be entirely located in the district. Instead, all but a sliver of the city was shifted to the heavily Republican Panhandle-based 13th district. The 26th also lost its small share of Frisco. To make up for the loss of population, portions of Wise County and all of Cooke County were drawn into the district. Lewisville will become the largest city entirely in the district.

Denton had become increasingly friendly to Democrats in recent years, and voting trends suggested that under the previous map, the 26th could have potentially become competitive. The redrawn 26th, on the other hand, is considered slightly more Republican than its predecessor.

Recent election results from statewide races

2023–2027 boundaries

2027–2033 boundaries

Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:

Cooke County (9)

All 9 communities

Denton County (46)

Argyle, Aubrey, Bartonville, Carrollton (part; also 24th, 32nd, and 33rd; shared with Dallas County), Celina (part; also 4th; shared with Collin County), The Colony, Coppell (part; also 24th; shared with Dallas County), Copper Canyon, Corral City, Corinth, Cross Roads, Denton (part; also 13th), DISH, Double Oak, Flower Mound (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County), Fort Worth (part; also 12th, 24th, 25th, and 33rd; shared with Johnson, Parker, Tarrant, and Wise counties), Frisco (part; also 3rd and 4th; shared with Collin County), Grapevine (part; also 24th; shared with Dallas and Tarrant counties), Hackberry, Haslet (part; also 12th; shared with Tarrant County), Hebron (part; also 4th; shared with Collin County), Hickory Creek, Highland Village, Justin, Krugerville, Lake Dallas, Lakewood Village, Lewisville (part; also 24th; shared with Dallas County), Lantana, Little Elm, Northlake, Oak Point, Paloma Creek, Paloma Creek South, Pilot Point, Plano (part; also 3rd, 4th, and 32nd; shared with Collin County), Ponder, Prosper (part; also 4th; shared with Collin County), Providence Village, Roanoke (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County), Sanger, Savannah, Shady Shores, Southlake (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County), Trophy Club (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County), Westlake (part; also 24th; shared with Tarrant County)

Tarrant County (2)

Fort Worth (part; also 12th, 24th, 25th, and 33rd; shared with Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise counties), Haslet (part; also 12th; shared with Denton County)

Wise County (10)

Aurora, Boyd, Briar (part; also 12th; shared with Tarrant County), Decatur (part; also 13th), Fort Worth (part; also 12th, 24th, 25th, and 33rd; shared with Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Tarrant counties), Newark, New Fairview (shared with Denton County), Paradise, Pecan Acres (part; also 12th; shared with Tarrant County), Rhome

List of members representing the district

Recent election results

2004 election

2006 election

2008 election

2010 election

2016 election

2018 election

2020 election

2022 election

2024 election

Historical district boundaries

See also

• List of United States congressional districts

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• April 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

33°11′05″N 97°08′03″W/33.18472°N 97.13417°W/ 33.18472; -97.13417