Who is running in Mission, Texas in 2026
- Mission Mayor
- Norie Gonzalez Garza, Ruben Plata, Armando "Doc" O'Caña, Ricardo "Rick" Salinas, Natalie "Nati" Garza and Juan Gines
- Mission City Council, Place 1
- Jessica Ortega and Tim Brown
- Mission City Council, Place 2 (special election)
- Alexis Hernandez, Ricardo "Chief" Saldaña, Linda Castañeda and Maira Salinas
- Mission City Council, Place 3
- Marissa Ortega Gerlach, Daniel Tijerina and Albert "Al" Perez
Mission elections
Mission moved its city elections to November. The mayor's seat and every council seat except Place 4 are on the ballot, plus a special election for Place 2, which Ruben Plata is leaving to run for mayor. The city accepted its 2025 audit nine months late, its general fund is $2.6 million in the red, and S&P cut its credit rating in June. We found little public about most candidates, so these races have no pick.
Mayor
Vote for oneSix candidates. No pick: we couldn't find enough on most of them.
Norie Gonzalez Garza
Not enough info NonpartisanBeat Mayor Armando O'Caña in a 2022 runoff, 56% to 44%. On her watch the city's audits ran late, the general fund went $2.6 million into deficit, and S&P cut the city's credit rating from A-minus to BBB+.
Sources: Progress Times, KRGV, The Monitor
Ruben Plata
Not enough info NonpartisanHas served on the council since 2007 and on the Mission Economic Development Authority. He entered the mayor's race in July.
Sources: City of Mission, The Monitor
Armando "Doc" O'Caña
Not enough info NonpartisanLost his 2022 reelection runoff to Gonzalez Garza, 56% to 44%. We found no reporting on his platform this time.
Sources: KRGV, The Monitor
Ricardo "Rick" Salinas
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no detail on his platform beyond a brief mention in The Monitor.
Sources: The Monitor, Hidalgo County sample ballot
Natalie "Nati" Garza
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no public record of this candidate's background or positions beyond the ballot.
Sources: The Monitor, Hidalgo County sample ballot
Juan Gines
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no public record of this candidate's background or positions beyond the ballot.
Sources: The Monitor, Hidalgo County sample ballot
City Council, Place 1
Vote for oneNo pick: not enough information.
Jessica Ortega
Not enough info NonpartisanSits on the council that accepted the late 2025 audit; she was absent from that June meeting. We found no reporting on her campaign.
Sources: Progress Times, Hidalgo County sample ballot
Tim Brown
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no public record of this candidate's background or positions beyond the ballot.
Sources: Hidalgo County sample ballot
City Council, Place 2 (special election)
Vote for oneUnexpired term. No pick: we found nothing public on any of the four candidates.
Alexis Hernandez
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no public record of this candidate's background or positions beyond the ballot.
Sources: Hidalgo County sample ballot
Ricardo "Chief" Saldaña
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no public record of this candidate's background or positions beyond the ballot.
Sources: Hidalgo County sample ballot
Linda Castañeda
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no public record of this candidate's background or positions beyond the ballot.
Sources: Hidalgo County sample ballot
Maira Salinas
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no public record of this candidate's background or positions beyond the ballot.
Sources: Hidalgo County sample ballot
City Council, Place 3
Vote for oneNo pick: not enough information.
Marissa Ortega Gerlach
Not enough info NonpartisanSits on the council that accepted the late 2025 audit. We found no reporting on her campaign.
Sources: Progress Times, Hidalgo County sample ballot
Daniel Tijerina
Not enough info NonpartisanUrged the council in September not to raise police and fire pay, saying, "We also need a budget that we can sustain — not just this year, but five and ten years from now."
Sources: Progress Times, Hidalgo County sample ballot
Albert "Al" Perez
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no public record of this candidate's background or positions beyond the ballot.
Sources: Hidalgo County sample ballot
Also on your ballot
Every Hidalgo County voter also picks in these races. Full write-ups on the Hidalgo County page.
- Criminal District Attorney: Toribio "Terry" Palacios Seems like good people, Lydia Elizondo Not enough info
- District Clerk: Laura Hinojosa Not enough info, Maricela "Mari" De León Not enough info
- County Treasurer: Lita Leo Not enough info, Princess Anne Pena Not enough info
- Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2: Andrew González Not enough info, Ron McVey Not enough info
- U.S. Senator: James Talarico Seems like good people, Ken Paxton Not good people
- Governor: Gina Hinojosa Seems like good people, Greg Abbott Not good people
- Lieutenant Governor: Vikki Goodwin Seems like good people, Dan Patrick Not good people
- Attorney General: Nathan Johnson Seems like good people, Mayes Middleton Not good people
- U.S. Representative, District 15: Bobby Pulido Seems like good people, Monica De La Cruz Not good people
- U.S. Representative, District 28: Marlón Durán Seems like good people, Henry Cuellar Not good people, Tano Tijerina Not good people
- State Representative, District 35: Oscar Longoria Seems like good people, Oscar Rosa Not enough info
- State Representative, District 40: Terry Canales Seems like good people, Celeste Cabrera-Huff Not enough info
- State Representative, District 41: Julio Salinas Seems like good people, Gary Groves Not good people