Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
Texas Border Business
Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra’s decision not to seek reelection has opened the field for a competitive race to represent Texas House District 41. Guerra, a Democrat from McAllen who has served since 2012, announced on October 2, 2025, that he will finish his current term but will not be on the ballot in 2026. “After 13 years in the Texas Legislature, House District 41 Rep. R.D. ‘Bobby’ Guerra announced he will not seek reelection in the November 2026 election,” reported KRGV-TV. Guerra added, “I’m the son of a teacher, and a former county judge, and I couldn’t be more proud to have done my part to continue a legacy of service” (KRGV).
Soon after Guerra’s announcement, candidates began declaring their campaigns. On the Republican side, attorney and community leader Sergio J. Sanchez launched his bid. “As a taxpayer, parent, business owner, and community advocate, I know firsthand the challenges our families face. District 41 deserves a strong, conservative voice in Austin who will defend our values, fight for safer communities, lower taxes, better our schools, and protect our Texas way of life,” Sanchez said in his campaign release published by Texas Border Business (Texas Border Business). He also pledged to “give South Texas a seat at the table and to ensure our district’s families, veterans, small businesses, and children have a champion representing them in the Texas House.”
On the Democratic side, Eric Holguín has formally entered the race. In his announcement, Holguín said, “Too many families & small businesses are hurting because of the cruel & costly policies of Greg Abbott and Donald Trump” (Texas Border Business). He outlined a platform focused on “investing in childcare access, lowering property taxes by having the state fund more of our public schools, building more homes that people can afford and innovative job growth.” Holguín currently serves as a policy director for a national Hispanic civil rights organization and has worked on veterans’ healthcare legislation, including the Le Roy & Rosie Torres Act in Texas and the federal Honoring Our PACT Act.
The field is expected to expand further. According to Texas Border Business, “a female successful businesswoman has confided her plans to run for District 41 and will formally announce by the middle of this month.” In addition, close sources told the outlet that “a fourth candidate, a professional and public servant, may throw his hat into the race.”
District 41 includes McAllen, Sharyland in Mission, and parts of Edinburg and Pharr. With Guerra stepping aside after more than a decade of service, the 2026 election will mark the first open-seat contest in the district since 2012. The primary election is scheduled for March 3, 2026, and the general election will take place on November 3, 2026.
Guerra has pledged to complete his term, stating, “There is still work to do, and I plan to give it everything I have until the very end” (KRGV). With multiple candidates preparing their campaigns, District 41 is set to become one of the most closely watched legislative races in the Rio Grande Valley.
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