U.S. House, Texas 11th Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Texas's 11th Congressional District?
August Pfluger has the strongest record in Texas's 11th Congressional District. August Pfluger scores 75 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Claire Reynolds at 56, as of October 6, 2026. August Pfluger's highest marks are accountability and relevant experience. Claire Reynolds's highest marks are accountability and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
August Pfluger
On the ballot as AUGUST PFLUGER
75 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 90
- Performance
- 81
Democratic
Claire Reynolds
On the ballot as CLAIRE REYNOLDS
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 58
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
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.
August Pfluger
- Mark against2021-08-02
Filed a periodic transaction report Aug. 2, 2021 for his and his wife's stock trades from January and March 2021, months past the STOCK Act deadline; he acknowledged the late filing.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20019227, Business Insider, Aug. 9, 2021
- On the record2021-01-06 to 2021-01-07
Voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021, three days after taking office.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- Credit2026
Led the Mystic Alerts Act, which passed the House unanimously April 20, 2026 and the Senate unanimously, and was sent to the president.
Source: KOSA First Alert 7, Oct. 1, 2026
- Credit2025 to 2026
His office won Congressional Management Foundation Democracy Awards in 2025 for constituent correspondence and outreach and in 2026 for innovation and modernization.
Sources: Office site, home page, Congressional Management Foundation, Democracy Awards (2026 winners)
- Credit2024-11-15
Elected chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the largest House conservative caucus, by a vote of 80 to 57 in November 2024.
Sources: The Hill via Yahoo News, Nov. 15, 2024, Office site, Committees and Caucuses
- Credit2024
Voted Nay on the FY2024 appropriations package and the Ukraine supplemental in 2024 while the House Majority Leader and Whip voted Yea.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 102, March 22, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 151, April 20, 2024
- Credit2021 to 2024
Rated above the Center for Effective Lawmaking benchmark in both the 117th and 118th Congresses.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress
Claire Reynolds
- On the record2026-10-05
Debated Rep. August Pfluger on Oct. 5, 2026 in Midland, the only general election debate in the race.
Source: KOSA First Alert 7, Oct. 5, 2026
- Creditto 2026
Spent about half of a 24-year legal career as an attorney in the State Bar of Texas office that prosecutes attorney misconduct, leaving in 2026 to run for Congress.
Sources: KOSA First Alert 7, Jan. 21, 2026, Permian Press, candidate Q&A
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
August Pfluger. Filed a periodic transaction report on Aug. 2, 2021 for stock trades by him or his wife from January and March 2021, past the STOCK Act's 45-day deadline; he acknowledged the late filing. Annual disclosures on file.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20019227, Business Insider, Aug. 9, 2021, House Clerk annual financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075620, House Committee on Ethics site search for Pfluger
Claire Reynolds. Candidate financial disclosure filed with the House Clerk on May 11, 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 10076507, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
August Pfluger. Voted Nay on the FY2024 appropriations package (March 22, 2024) and the Ukraine supplemental (April 20, 2024) while Majority Leader Scalise and Whip Emmer voted Yea.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 102, March 22, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 151, April 20, 2024
Claire Reynolds. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
August Pfluger. Debated his opponent in Midland on Oct. 5, 2026, the only general election debate reported, and holds open in-person community town halls across the district; his office counted the 112th in May 2026.
Sources: KOSA First Alert 7, Oct. 5, 2026, San Angelo LIVE!, May 1, 2026, Office site, press release, May 6, 2026
Claire Reynolds. Debated the incumbent on Oct. 5, 2026 in Midland, the only general election debate reported, and emceed a public town hall on data centers in San Angelo.
Sources: KOSA First Alert 7, Oct. 5, 2026, Austin Chronicle, July 2026 (Wayback Machine capture Oct. 3, 2026)
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
August Pfluger. Air Force fighter pilot and squadron commander who retired as a colonel in 2026, in Congress since 2021. No House Ethics Committee conduct record found.
Sources: Office site, Biography, House Committee on Ethics site search for Pfluger
Claire Reynolds. About 12 years as an attorney in the State Bar of Texas office that prosecutes attorney misconduct. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: KOSA First Alert 7, Jan. 21, 2026, Permian Press, candidate Q&A
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
August Pfluger. Voted Yea on both objections to state electors on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021 (Roll Calls 10 and 11). Took office in January 2021 and was not on the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
Claire Reynolds. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
August Pfluger. In the U.S. House since Jan. 3, 2021, seeking a fourth term, after 26 years as an Air Force officer.
Sources: GovTrack, Texas 11th District, Office site, Biography
Claire Reynolds. Attorney for 24 years, about half of it at the State Bar of Texas attorney discipline office. Has not held elected office.
Sources: Permian Press, candidate Q&A, KOSA First Alert 7, Jan. 21, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
August Pfluger. Chairs the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence and was elected chairman of the Republican Study Committee in November 2024; primary sponsor of three enacted bills.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, Committees and Caucuses, The Hill via Yahoo News, Nov. 15, 2024
Claire Reynolds. Publishes positions in general terms on health care, immigration, public education and government accountability.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
August Pfluger. Holds community town halls and telephone town halls, publishes a newsletter, and took part in the Oct. 5, 2026 televised debate.
Sources: Office site, press release, May 6, 2026, Office site, home page, KOSA First Alert 7, Oct. 5, 2026
Claire Reynolds. Answered Ballotpedia's survey and the Permian Press questionnaire, publishes an issues page and took part in the Oct. 5, 2026 televised debate.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Claire Reynolds, Permian Press, candidate Q&A, KOSA First Alert 7, Oct. 5, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
August Pfluger. Grew up in San Angelo and lives there today. FEC by-state totals show about 75 percent of itemized individual contributions from Texas.
Sources: Office site, Biography, KOSA First Alert 7, Oct. 5, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Claire Reynolds. Lives at the edge of North Austin in an area moved into TX-11 by the 2025 map; moved to Texas in 2007. FEC by-state totals show about 69 percent of itemized individual contributions from Texas.
Sources: Austin Chronicle, July 2026 (Wayback Machine capture Oct. 3, 2026), Campaign site, home page, Ballotpedia, Claire Reynolds, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
August Pfluger. Runs a House office with six district offices that the Congressional Management Foundation named a 2026 Democracy Award winner for innovation and modernization. FEC reports on file; no administrative fine found.
Sources: Office site, home page, Congressional Management Foundation, Democracy Awards (2026 winners), FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Claire Reynolds. 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.
August Pfluger. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 2.645 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.460, which the Center for Effective Lawmaking classes as exceeding expectations (also exceeded in the 117th). GovTrack counts 3 enacted bills as primary sponsor.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Claire Reynolds. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
August Pfluger. Missed 38 of 2,915 roll call votes, 1.3 percent, from January 2021 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Claire Reynolds. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
August Pfluger. Lists six district offices, offers federal agency help, holds regular community town halls, and won Congressional Management Foundation Democracy Awards in 2025 (constituent correspondence and outreach) and 2026.
Sources: Office site, home page, Congressional Management Foundation, Democracy Awards (2026 winners), Office site, press release, May 6, 2026
Claire Reynolds. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
August Pfluger. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.51603 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 226 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Claire Reynolds. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
August Pfluger. No public record found.
Claire Reynolds. 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 6, 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 11th Congressional District?
August Pfluger has the strongest record in Texas's 11th Congressional District. August Pfluger scores 75 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Claire Reynolds at 56, as of October 6, 2026. August Pfluger's highest marks are accountability and relevant experience. Claire Reynolds's highest marks are accountability and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Texas's 11th Congressional District in 2026?
AUGUST PFLUGER (Republican, incumbent), CLAIRE REYNOLDS (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is August Pfluger a good candidate for Congress?
August Pfluger scores 75 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 90 of 100, performance 81 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Claire Reynolds a good candidate for Congress?
Claire Reynolds scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 58 of 100, qualifications 55 of 100, performance no record. 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.