Mark Teixeira
Republican candidate for U.S. Representative, District 21, Bexar County, Texas · Open seat
Former Major League Baseball player; investor in small businesses, startups and real estate
Mark Teixeira is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees, and later worked as an ESPN analyst and investor. He won the March 3, 2026 Republican primary for Texas' 21st Congressional District outright with 60.9% of the vote against 11 other candidates, for the open seat held by U.S. Rep. Chip Roy. He faces Democrat Kristin Hook in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Where Teixeira stands
- Immigration and border security
- Supports stronger border enforcement and deportations.
- Federal spending and deficit
- Proposes expanding DOGE to cut what he calls wasteful federal spending, and calls for more auditing and oversight of public spending. Wants to reduce the deficit through spending cuts rather than raising tax rates.
- Taxes
- Opposes raising tax rates to address the deficit and supports spending cuts instead, according to the Austin American-Statesman editorial board's account of his position.
- Energy
- Proposes expanding Texas oil, gas and nuclear production to restore U.S. 'energy dominance' and lower costs for families. Supports federal support for grid modernization, research and infrastructure.
- Health care
- Says he wants to lower health care costs, expand consumer choice and reduce Washington's control over health care decisions. Proposes targeting fraud, waste and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid, limiting program care to eligible citizens, and opening insurance markets to more competition.
- Abortion
- Says elective abortion should be allowed only when the mother's life is threatened. Opposes taxpayer funding for abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, and supports enforcing the Comstock Act's ban on shipping abortion-inducing drugs across state lines.
- Education
- Supports school choice and empowering parents in education. Supports eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and returning control to states and communities.
- Gun rights
- His platform supports gun rights.
- Term limits
- Supports congressional term limits.
- Marriage and gender issues
- Says marriage is a union of one man and one woman. Agrees with the statement that physically or socially transitioning a child to the opposite sex is child abuse.
Background
- Republican nominee, U.S. House, Texas District 21 (won March 3, 2026 primary with 60.9%)
- Has not held elected office
- ESPN baseball analyst, 2017–2020
- Investor in small businesses, startups and real estate since retiring from baseball
- Has worked with the Texas Public Policy Foundation; advocate for school choice
- Education: business administration degree, Georgia Tech
- Endorsed by President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott
In the news
- Scientist Kristin Hook faces former baseball star Mark Teixeira for TX-CD21 Texas Public Radio, October 5, 2026
- Teixeira is the conservative choice for U.S. House 21 Austin American-Statesman, October 5, 2026
Also running for U.S. Representative, District 21
- Kristin Hook Democratic
Sources
- KUT: Mark Teixeira wins 21st Congressional District GOP primary
- Ballotpedia: Mark Teixeira
- San Antonio Report candidate questionnaire
- iVoterGuide candidate questionnaire
- Texas Public Radio: Hook vs. Teixeira
- Austin American-Statesman editorial endorsement
- FEC: Mark Teixeira for Congress committee
- Smarter.vote: Mark Teixeira
- The Conservative Ledger: Mark Teixeira
Last researched October 22, 2026. Written in neutral language from the sources above. Spot an error? See how to report it.