U.S. House, Texas 12th Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Texas's 12th Congressional District?
Craig Goldman has the strongest record in Texas's 12th Congressional District. Craig Goldman scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Craig Goldman's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman (6 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Craig Goldman
On the ballot as CRAIG GOLDMAN
69 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
Democratic
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman
On the ballot as ANGELA "HELI" RODRIGUEZ PRILLIMAN
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 56
- 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.
Craig Goldman
- On the record2025-09-23
About two dozen constituents protested outside a September 2025 Fort Worth Chamber event, saying his office had not responded to requests for a town hall; his office did not comment.
- On the record2023-05-27
As a Texas House member, voted Yea on May 27, 2023 to impeach Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who later backed his 2024 congressional primary opponent.
Sources: Texas House Journal, 88th Legislature, May 27, 2023, Record 2191, Texas Tribune, April 20, 2024
- Credit2023
Was primary author of 19 bills enacted in the 2023 Texas House regular session, including HB 6 on fentanyl penalties and death certificates.
Source: Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 88th Legislature regular session
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman
- On the record2020 to 2021
Said in a 2026 candidate questionnaire that her nail salon and beauty school business closed during the pandemic and that her family and business went through bankruptcy in 2020 to 2021.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Craig Goldman. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed Aug. 13, 2026 after a Clerk extension, and FEC reports on file. No House Ethics Committee, FEC administrative fine or Texas Ethics Commission order found.
Sources: House Clerk annual financial disclosure, Filing ID 10074631, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, House Committee on Ethics site search for Goldman
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Craig Goldman. As a Texas House member, voted Yea on May 27, 2023 to impeach Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton; Paxton then backed his 2024 primary opponent and vowed political revenge on members who voted to impeach.
Sources: Texas House Journal, 88th Legislature, May 27, 2023, Record 2191, Texas Tribune, April 20, 2024
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Craig Goldman. No public record found.
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. Took part in a Feb. 12, 2026 candidate forum hosted by the Fort Worth Report, SteerFW and the League of Women Voters. No 2026 general election debate was found.
Source: Fort Worth Report, Feb. 12, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Craig Goldman. Served 12 years in the Texas House, including as chair of the Energy Resources Committee and the House Republican Caucus, and in Congress since 2025. No conduct finding found.
Sources: Texas Tribune, Nov. 3, 2023, Office site, About, House Committee on Ethics site search for Goldman
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. Entrepreneur who founded a nail salon and beauty school business and later advised business owners at a software company. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Heli Rodriguez Prilliman, Fort Worth Report, candidate survey, Oct. 4, 2026
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Craig Goldman. Took the oath of office as a Texas House member from 2013 and as a U.S. representative from 2025. No official finding of misuse of office; he was not in Congress for any electoral vote count objection.
Sources: Office site, About, GovTrack, missed votes
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Craig Goldman. Six terms in the Texas House of Representatives (2013 to 2025) and in the U.S. House since January 2025.
Sources: Office site, About, Texas Tribune, Nov. 3, 2023, GovTrack, missed votes
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. Founded and ran the Lacquerbar nail salon and beauty education business and worked with small business clients at the software company Fivestars. Has not held elected office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Heli Rodriguez Prilliman, Fort Worth Report, candidate survey, Oct. 4, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Craig Goldman. Serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee; chaired the Texas House Energy Resources Committee and the House Republican Caucus.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Texas Legislature Online, 88th Legislature member page, Texas Tribune, Nov. 3, 2023
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. Publishes positions in general terms (universal health care and child care, campaign finance, voting rights) and says she would pay for them with taxes on billionaires.
Sources: Fort Worth Report, candidate survey, Oct. 4, 2026, Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Craig Goldman. Publishes an e-newsletter and priority pages on his House site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey; no 2026 debate or questionnaire answers were found.
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. Answered the Fort Worth Report candidate questionnaire, publishes an issues page, and spoke at a primary candidate forum. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Fort Worth Report, candidate survey, Oct. 4, 2026, Campaign site, home page, Fort Worth Report, Feb. 12, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Craig Goldman. Fourth-generation Fort Worth native who lists his personal residence in Fort Worth. FEC by-state totals show about 85 percent of itemized individual contributions from Texas.
Sources: Office site, About, House Clerk annual financial disclosure, Filing ID 10074631, Texas Tribune, Nov. 3, 2023, FEC contribution totals by state
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. Raised in Stephenville; says she has lived in Texas 27 years and in District 12 for four years.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Heli Rodriguez Prilliman, Campaign site, home page, Fort Worth Report, candidate survey, Oct. 4, 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Craig Goldman. 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
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Craig Goldman. No Center for Effective Lawmaking score yet for his first Congress; GovTrack counts 1 enacted bill as primary sponsor. In the 2023 Texas House session he was primary author of 19 enacted bills, including HB 6 on fentanyl.
Sources: GovTrack, enacted legislation, Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 88th Legislature regular session
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Craig Goldman. Missed 3 of 676 roll call votes, 0.4 percent, from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Craig Goldman. Lists one district office in Fort Worth and offers help with federal agencies.
Source: Office site, home page
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Craig Goldman. No public record found.
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Craig Goldman. No public record found.
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman. 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 12th Congressional District?
Craig Goldman has the strongest record in Texas's 12th Congressional District. Craig Goldman scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Craig Goldman's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman (6 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Texas's 12th Congressional District in 2026?
CRAIG GOLDMAN (Republican, incumbent), ANGELA "HELI" RODRIGUEZ PRILLIMAN (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Craig Goldman a good candidate for Congress?
Craig Goldman scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman a good candidate for Congress?
Angela "Heli" Rodriguez Prilliman has public evidence on 6 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
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.