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 Democrat 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 Year Office Results2008 PresidentMcCain 67% - 33%2012 PresidentRomney 71% - 29%2014 SenateCornyn 76% - 24% GovernorAbbott 72% - 28%2016 PresidentTrump 63% - 32%2018 SenateCruz 60% - 40% GovernorAbbott 65% - 33% Lt. GovernorPatrick 60% - 37% Attorney GeneralPaxton 59% - 38% Comptroller of Public AccountsHegar 63% - 34%2020 PresidentTrump 59% - 40% SenateCornyn 61% - 37%2022 GovernorAbbott 61% - 37% Lt. GovernorPatrick 60% - 38% Attorney GeneralPaxton 59% - 37% Comptroller of Public AccountsHegar 63% - 34%2024 PresidentTrump 61% - 38% SenateCruz 58% - 40%

2027–2033 boundaries Year Office Results2008 PresidentMcCain 66% - 34%2012 PresidentRomney 70% - 30%2014 SenateCornyn 75% - 25% GovernorAbbott 71% - 29%2016 PresidentTrump 62% - 32%2018 SenateCruz 59% - 40% GovernorAbbott 64% - 34% Lt. GovernorPatrick 60% - 37% Attorney GeneralPaxton 59% - 38% Comptroller of Public AccountsHegar 62% - 34%2020 PresidentTrump 58% - 40% SenateCornyn 61% - 37%2022 GovernorAbbott 61% - 37% Lt. GovernorPatrick 60% - 37% Attorney GeneralPaxton 59% - 37% Comptroller of Public AccountsHegar 63% - 34%2024 PresidentTrump 61% - 37% SenateCruz 58% - 39%

Current 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:https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST48/CD118_TX26.pdf

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

Future composition Beginning with the 2026 election, the 26th district will consist of the following counties:

Cooke Denton (part) Wise (part)

List of members representing the district Representative Party Years Congress Electoral history District location District established January 3, 1983 Tom Vandergriff Democratic January 3, 1983 –January 3, 1985 Elected in 1982.Lost re-election. 1983–1985 Dick Armey Republican January 3, 1985 –January 3, 2003 Elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Re-elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Retired. 1985–1993 1993–1997Parts of Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant 1997–2003Parts of Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant Michael C. Burgess Republican January 3, 2003 –January 3, 2025 Elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Re-elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022. Retired. 2003–2005Denton; parts of Collin and Tarrant 2005–2013Parts of Cooke, Denton, and Tarrant 2013–2023Parts of Denton and Tarrant 2023–2027Cooke; parts of Denton, Tarrant, and WiseBrandon Gill RepublicanJanuary 3, 2025 –presentElected in 2024.

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

References

Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present