Who is running in Corpus Christi, Texas in 2026
- Corpus Christi Mayor
- Paulette Guajardo, Gil Hernandez, Kaylynn Paxson, David Ainsworth Sr., Chelise Hyatt, John Calkusic and Dave Heasley
- Corpus Christi City Council, At-Large
- Nancy Vera, Carolyn Vaughn, Mark Scott, Scott F. Corliss, Michael Miller, Richard Shelton, Joshua Fraedrick, Dan McQueen, Alex Johnston, Anthem Powers, Willie Morales Jr., Sammy Gonzales, Zoraida Basaldu, Julian Jacob Hernandez and Merida Nardone Mendoza
- Corpus Christi City Council, District 1
- Billy Lerma, John Garcia, Vidal "Cowboy" Conde, John M. Cudd and Tracy McCall
- Corpus Christi City Council, District 2
- Isabel Araiza, Jen Allende, Laura Flores Commons and Selena Guerra
- Corpus Christi City Council, District 3
- Eric Cantu, Robert Rocha and Jessica Villarreal
- Corpus Christi City Council, District 4
- Kristina Nelson, Dan Herrington, Joshua Anderson and Stacie Garrecht
- Corpus Christi City Council, District 5
- David Pena, John Hanzalik, Merida Gonzalez Forrest, Kusumakar Sooda and Joseph Borkouski
Corpus Christi elections
These races are nonpartisan, with a December 12 runoff if no one wins a majority. The city is projected to face mandatory water restrictions in early 2027, and the council has repeatedly rejected the Inner Harbor desalination plant, most recently 5-3 on September 1. The mayor was suspended for 30 days this summer after a council removal trial. 43 candidates are running for mayor and eight council seats; we flag those who applied for the county Republican Party's endorsement, since party backing has no place in a nonpartisan race.
Mayor
Vote for oneA close call among flawed candidates, and we call it a toss-up. Guajardo carries a contested council reprimand; Hernandez, Paxson and Ainsworth each sought a party endorsement in a nonpartisan race. We lean to Guajardo as the one who didn't. Two names on early lists, Davian N. Gomez and Anna Hernandez, are not on the city's October 8 candidate list.
Paulette Guajardo
Compromised (best choice in this race) NonpartisanIn August a six-member council tribunal suspended her for 30 days and reprimanded her, including for perjury in a deposition, over a $2 million tax incentive for a downtown Homewood Suites in 2024. Police and outside legal reviews found no criminal wrongdoing, and she calls the case "a very negative event for our city."
Sources: Texas Public Radio, Caller-Times
Gil Hernandez
Compromised NonpartisanSays "Corpus Christi is at a crossroads" and promises to make anti-corruption measures "a cornerstone" of his campaign. Voted against the Inner Harbor desalination plant and sat on the tribunal that suspended Guajardo. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Caller-Times, Caller-Times, Nueces County GOP
Kaylynn Paxson
Compromised NonpartisanServed as acting mayor during Guajardo's suspension. Voted against the Inner Harbor desalination contract in September. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Caller-Times, Caller-Times, Nueces County GOP
David Ainsworth Sr.
Compromised NonpartisanHas not served on the council. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: KEDT, Nueces County GOP
Chelise Hyatt
Not enough info NonpartisanA development executive for Scouting America who moved to Corpus Christi from Missouri in 2021 and has not served on the council. Her KEDT interview is audio only, and we found no written platform.
Sources: KEDT, Caller-Times
John Calkusic
Not enough info NonpartisanA business owner who got under 1% for mayor in 2024. Declined KEDT's candidate interview, and we found no platform.
Sources: City of Corpus Christi, KEDT, Caller-Times
Dave Heasley
Not enough info NonpartisanLists himself as self-employed. Declined KEDT's candidate interview, and we found no platform or record.
Sources: KEDT, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
City Council, At-Large
Vote for threeThree seats; the top three win. Incumbent Roland Barrera isn't running. We pick only Vera: the incumbents and three others sought the county GOP's endorsement, and we found too little on the rest to recommend them. Jennifer Gracia is a registered write-in candidate.
Nancy Vera
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) NonpartisanLeads the union that represents teachers in Corpus Christi ISD and nearby districts. A Del Mar College graduate who taught at several CCISD schools.
Sources: The Foghorn (Del Mar College), City of Corpus Christi
Carolyn Vaughn
Compromised NonpartisanTopped the at-large field in 2024. Voted against the Inner Harbor desalination contract in September. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Caller-Times, Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
Mark Scott
Compromised NonpartisanOne of three council members who voted for the Inner Harbor desalination contract in September. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Caller-Times, Nueces County GOP
Scott F. Corliss
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
Michael Miller
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
Richard Shelton
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
Joshua Fraedrick
Not enough info NonpartisanOwns CC-TX Lawn Care. Ran for mayor in 2024 and opposed the desalination plant at a KRIS 6 forum; we found nothing on his 2026 platform.
Sources: KRIS 6, City of Corpus Christi, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Dan McQueen
Not good people NonpartisanResigned as mayor in 2017 after 37 days, amid reports that his $$61,000-a-year chief of staff lived at his address and that a degree he claimed could not be verified. The Caller-Times editorial board called him "dictatorial and heavy-handed with fellow Council members."
Sources: San Antonio Report, Fox News, KSAT, Caller-Times
Alex Johnston
Not enough info NonpartisanA software developer. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Anthem Powers
Not enough info NonpartisanA plumber who got about 1% for mayor in 2024. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: City of Corpus Christi, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Willie Morales Jr.
Not enough info NonpartisanRetired. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Sammy Gonzales
Not enough info NonpartisanA CVS shift supervisor. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Zoraida Basaldu
Not enough info NonpartisanA chemical engineer. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Julian Jacob Hernandez
Not enough info NonpartisanAn outage planner. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Merida Nardone Mendoza
Not enough info NonpartisanLost the 2024 District 4 runoff to Kaylynn Paxson. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: City of Corpus Christi
City Council, District 1
Vote for oneOpen seat. No pick: three candidates sought the county GOP's endorsement, and we found too little on the other two.
Billy Lerma
Not enough info NonpartisanA Marine Corps veteran and retired postal worker who said in 2020 he had served more than 25 years as a school board trustee. Trailed Everett Roy by two votes on election night in the 2024 runoff; Roy isn't running again. We found no 2026 platform.
Sources: KIII 3, KRIS 6, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
John Garcia
Not enough info NonpartisanA tourism executive who got about 17% in the 2024 District 1 race; in a 2020 at-large run he named fixing city streets as his top issue. We found no 2026 platform.
Sources: KIII 3, City of Corpus Christi, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Vidal "Cowboy" Conde
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
John M. Cudd
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
Tracy McCall
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
City Council, District 2
Vote for oneOpen seat; Sylvia Campos isn't running.
Isabel Araiza
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) NonpartisanRan for mayor in 2024 and got 11%, opposing the Inner Harbor desalination plant at a KRIS 6 forum.
Sources: KRIS 6, City of Corpus Christi
Jen Allende
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no platform or public record.
Sources: City of Corpus Christi
Laura Flores Commons
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
Selena Guerra
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
City Council, District 3
Vote for oneEric Cantu
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) NonpartisanLists public safety, water access for all residents and no-kill animal shelters as priorities. Voted against the Inner Harbor desalination contract; EDF Action, an environmental group, spent $25,000 backing him in 2024.
Sources: KRIS 6, EDF Action, Caller-Times
Robert Rocha
Not enough info NonpartisanA public safety consultant. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Jessica Villarreal
Not enough info NonpartisanWe found no platform or public record.
Sources: City of Corpus Christi
City Council, District 4
Vote for oneOpen seat (Padre Island, Flour Bluff and the Bay Area); Kaylynn Paxson is running for mayor. No pick: we found nothing public on three candidates, and the fourth sought the county GOP's endorsement.
Kristina Nelson
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
Dan Herrington
Not enough info NonpartisanA banker. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Joshua Anderson
Not enough info NonpartisanA professor and nurse practitioner. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Stacie Garrecht
Not enough info NonpartisanA small business owner. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
City Council, District 5
Vote for oneOpen seat; Gil Hernandez is term-limited and running for mayor. No pick: two candidates sought the county GOP's endorsement, and we found nothing on the other three.
David Pena
Compromised NonpartisanGot 46% against Gil Hernandez in 2024. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: City of Corpus Christi, Nueces County GOP
John Hanzalik
Compromised NonpartisanApplied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.
Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi
Merida Gonzalez Forrest
Not enough info NonpartisanWorks in sales and accounting. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Kusumakar Sooda
Not enough info NonpartisanA doctor. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Joseph Borkouski
Not enough info NonpartisanA retired insurance agent. We found no platform or public record.
Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi
Also on your ballot
Every Nueces County voter also picks in these races. Full write-ups on the Nueces County page.
- County Judge: Aidee Hernandez Seems like good people, Connie Scott Not enough info
- County Commissioner, Precinct 2: Isabel Noyola-Martin Not enough info, Ed Bennett Not enough info
- County Clerk: Leanna Gutierrez Gonzales Not enough info, Kara Sands Not enough info
- District Clerk: Maria Carolina "Kina" Ventura Not enough info, Anne Lorentzen 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 27: Tanya Lloyd Seems like good people, Michael Cloud Not good people
- U.S. Representative, District 34: Vicente Gonzalez Not good people, Eric Flores Not good people, Eddie Espinoza Not enough info, Chris Royal Not enough info
- State Representative, District 32: Gabriel "Gabe" Lozano Marroquin Not enough info, Todd Hunter Not good people
- State Representative, District 34: Stephanie Guerrero Saenz Seems like good people, Denise Villalobos Compromised