U.S. House, Texas 10th Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Texas's 10th Congressional District?
Chris Gober has the strongest record in Texas's 10th Congressional District. Chris Gober scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Caitlin Rourk at 53, as of October 5, 2026. Chris Gober's highest marks are communication and management. Caitlin Rourk's highest marks are communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Strongest record
Chris Gober
On the ballot as CHRIS GOBER
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 63
- Performance
- NR
Democratic
Caitlin Rourk
On the ballot as CAITLIN ROURK
53 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- 50
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Chris Gober
- On the record2024
Served as director and chief lawyer of Elon Musk's America PAC, which spent nearly $300 million in 2024 supporting Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
Sources: Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026, Houston Chronicle via Yahoo News, Sept. 28, 2026
- On the record2024-11-04
As America PAC's lawyer, told a Philadelphia judge on Nov. 4, 2024 that $1 million voter giveaway recipients were not chosen by chance; the judge let the giveaways continue.
Sources: PBS NewsHour (AP), Nov. 4, 2024, NPR (AP), Nov. 5, 2024, Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026
- Credit2022
Represented Sen. Ted Cruz in the campaign finance case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022.
Source: Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026
Caitlin Rourk
- Credit2026
Endorsed for the TX-10 general election by the Texas Forward Party, a party other than her own.
- Credit2016 to 2022
Served full time as a Texas Army National Guard military intelligence and public affairs officer at Joint Forces Headquarters in Austin from 2016 to 2022, then in the Army Reserve.
Sources: Williamson County Sun, July 31, 2025, Ballotpedia, Caitlin Rourk, Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Chris Gober. Candidate financial disclosures filed with the House Clerk on Dec. 31, 2025 and Aug. 13, 2026 (after filed extensions), and FEC reports on file through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or Texas Ethics Commission order found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10072680, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075539, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Caitlin Rourk. Candidate financial disclosure filed with the House Clerk on May 13, 2026, and FEC reports on file through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or Texas Ethics Commission order found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077217, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Chris Gober. No public record found.
Caitlin Rourk. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Chris Gober. Took part in a Feb. 1, 2026 primary candidate forum in Livingston. No 2026 general election debate was found.
Source: Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026
Caitlin Rourk. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Chris Gober. Career as a Justice Department lawyer and political law attorney, including director and chief lawyer of America PAC in 2024. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Houston Chronicle via Yahoo News, Sept. 28, 2026, Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026
Caitlin Rourk. Served full time as a Texas Army National Guard officer at Joint Forces Headquarters from 2016 to 2022, then in the Army Reserve, and later worked at Dell Technologies. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Williamson County Sun, July 31, 2025, Ballotpedia, Caitlin Rourk
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Chris Gober. Began his career at the U.S. Justice Department. No official finding of misuse of office and no action against certified results found.
Caitlin Rourk. Commissioned Army officer who served in the Texas Army National Guard and Army Reserve. No official finding of misuse of office and no action against certified results found.
Sources: Williamson County Sun, July 31, 2025, Ballotpedia, Caitlin Rourk, Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Chris Gober. Political law attorney with Texas A&M and Harvard Law degrees, early Justice Department service, a managing member of Lex Politica, and director of America PAC in 2024. Has not held elected office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Chris Gober, Houston Chronicle via Yahoo News, Sept. 28, 2026, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075539, Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026
Caitlin Rourk. Former Army National Guard military intelligence and public affairs officer, Dell Technologies communications professional, and earlier policy work in Washington. Has not held elected office.
Sources: Williamson County Sun, July 31, 2025, Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026, KBTX, Feb. 20, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Chris Gober. Publishes priorities in general terms (affordability, deregulation, border security) with some specifics on water and grid capacity, permitting and defense procurement.
Caitlin Rourk. Publishes positions in general terms with some specific items on health care (drug costs, surprise billing, pre-existing conditions) and district growth and infrastructure.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Caitlin Rourk, candidate survey, Community Impact, Sept. 16, 2026, candidate Q&A
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Chris Gober. Answered Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and Community Impact's general election questionnaire, publishes an issues page and spoke at a primary candidate forum.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Chris Gober, Community Impact, Sept. 16, 2026, candidate Q&A, Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026
Caitlin Rourk. Answered Ballotpedia's survey and Community Impact's general election questionnaire, publishes an issues page, and gave an on-camera interview to KBTX.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Caitlin Rourk, Community Impact, Sept. 16, 2026, candidate Q&A, KBTX, Feb. 20, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Chris Gober. No public record found.
Caitlin Rourk. Round Rock resident in 2025 per the Williamson County Sun; her campaign says she lives in TX-10 and has lived in Central Texas over a decade. FEC by-state totals show about 64 percent of itemized individual contributions from Texas.
Sources: Williamson County Sun, July 31, 2025, Campaign site, Meet Caitlin, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Chris Gober. Led Elon Musk's America PAC as director and chief lawyer in 2024, when it spent nearly $300 million, and is a managing member of the law firm Lex Politica. FEC reports on file; no administrative fine found.
Sources: Houston Chronicle via Yahoo News, Sept. 28, 2026, Texas Tribune via Houston Public Media, Feb. 12, 2026, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075539, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Caitlin Rourk. FEC reports on file through June 30, 2026, each received by its due date, and no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Chris Gober. No public record found.
Caitlin Rourk. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Chris Gober. No public record found.
Caitlin Rourk. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Chris Gober. No public record found.
Caitlin Rourk. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Chris Gober. No public record found.
Caitlin Rourk. Endorsed by the Texas Forward Party, a party other than her own, for the TX-10 general election.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Chris Gober. No public record found.
Caitlin Rourk. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 5, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Texas's 10th Congressional District?
Chris Gober has the strongest record in Texas's 10th Congressional District. Chris Gober scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Caitlin Rourk at 53, as of October 5, 2026. Chris Gober's highest marks are communication and management. Caitlin Rourk's highest marks are communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Texas's 10th Congressional District in 2026?
CHRIS GOBER (Republican), CAITLIN ROURK (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Chris Gober a good candidate for Congress?
Chris Gober scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 63 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Caitlin Rourk a good candidate for Congress?
Caitlin Rourk scores 53 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 55 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Texas race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Texas 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.