2026 Texas Commissioner of Agriculture election
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The 2026 Texas Commissioner of Agriculture election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the agriculture commissioner of Texas. The primary election took place on March 3, 2026.[1] Incumbent commissioner Sid Miller ran for re-election to a fourth term in office, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Nate Sheets.[2] Sheets will face Democratic nominee Clayton Tucker in the general election.
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November 3, 2026
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Republican primary
Incumbent commissioner Sid Miller has frequently been the subject of critiques and scandal during his tenure.[3] Miller faced vocal opposition from other statewide officials and members of the legislature who accused his office of corruption and ineptitude, including Governor Greg Abbott who endorsed his primary opponent, Nate Sheets.[4] President Donald Trump, who had been a longtime supporter of Miller, renewed his endorsement the week before the election, but on election day Sheets won the primary with about 53% of the vote.[5]
Candidates
Nominee
- Nate Sheets, beekeeper and small business owner[6]
Eliminated in primary
- Sid Miller, incumbent agriculture commissioner[6]
Endorsements
- Executive branch officials
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[7]
- U.S. representatives
- Michael McCaul, TX-10 (2005–present)[8]
- Troy Nehls, TX-22 (2021–present)[8]
- Beth Van Duyne, TX-24 (2021–present)[8]
- Statewide officials
- Wayne Christian, railroad commissioner of Texas (2017–present)[9]
- State legislators
- Gary Gates, state representative from the 28th district (2020–present)[9]
- Don McLaughlin, state representative from the 80th district (2025–present)[9]
- Individuals
- Ted Nugent, guitarist[9]
- Executive branch officials
- Susan Combs, former assistant secretary of the interior (2019–2020)[10]
- Ronny Jackson, TX-13 (2021–present) and former physician to the President (2013–2018)[11]
- U.S. senators
- Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania (1995–2007)[12]
- Statewide officials
- Greg Abbott, governor of Texas (2015–present)[13]
- Dawn Buckingham, land commissioner of Texas (2023–present)[8]
- State legislators
- Angela Paxton, former majority leader of the Texas Senate (2023–2025) from the 8th district (2019–present)[12]
- Charles Perry, president pro tempore of the Texas Senate (2025–present) from the 28th district (2014–present)[8]
- Kevin Sparks, state senator from the 31st district (2023–present)[8]
- Individuals
- Jim McIngvale, businessman[14]
- Mark Meckler, conservative activist[14]
- Organizations
- Gun Owners of America[15]
- Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association[16]
- Texas Eagle Forum[17]
- Texas Farm Bureau[8]
- Texas Gun Rights[18]
- Veterans for America First[19]
- Newspapers
Debates
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Sid Miller |
Nate Sheets |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Houston/YouGov[25] | January 20–31, 2026 | 550 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 48% | 18% | 34% |
Results
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Nate Sheets | 1,044,698 | 52.7 | |
| Republican | Sid Miller (incumbent) | 938,857 | 47.3 | |
| Total votes | 1,983,555 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Clayton Tucker, rancher and founder of the Texas Progressive Caucus[12]
Endorsements
- U.S. representatives
- Lloyd Doggett, TX-37 (1995–present)[9]
- Greg Casar, TX-35 (2023–present)[9]
- Jamie Raskin, MD-08 (2017–present)[9]
- Statewide Officials
- Jim Hightower, former Texas Agriculture Commissioner (1983–1991)[9]
- Labor unions
- Texas AFL-CIO[26]
- Texas American Federation of Teachers[27]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Clayton Tucker | 1,928,300 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 1,928,300 | 100.0 | ||
Third parties
Libertarian convention
The Libertarian convention took place on April 12, 2026, with ecologist Austin Kelly securing the party's nomination unopposed.[1][29]
Green convention
The Green convention took place on April 11, 2026 and Alfred Molison was nominated.[1][30]
Candidates
- Austin Kelly, ecologist (Libertarian)[29]
- Alfred Molison, candidate for land commissioner of Texas in 2022 (Green)[30]
General election
The construction boom of data centers caused by the developmen of A.I. systems has become a major issue in the campaign. There are hundreds of sites planned for construction in rural areas of the state which has led to Texas having one of the highest number of data centers in the country.[31] Critics of these projects express concerns over the energy, water, and other resources that are consumed by the centers are placing a strain on local infrastructure. Incumbent Commissioner Sid Miller has been vocal about his concerns with the rapid expansion and has called for a moratorium on new construction.[32][33] Miller has also requested that Governor Abbott call a special legislative session on the issue.[34] Democratic nominee Clayton Tucker has made a moratorium on the construction of new data centers a main plank of his campaign. Tucker and Miller both attended a forum in Matagorda County against data centers with Miller saying of Tucker “I’d never endorse a Democrat, I’ve never campaigned for a Democrat, but this guy, he’s right on the issue."[35]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Nate Sheets | ||||
| Democratic | Clayton Tucker | ||||
| Libertarian | Austin Kelly | ||||
| Green | Alfred Molison | ||||
| Total votes | |||||
Notes
- Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear