U.S. House, Texas 20th Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Texas's 20th Congressional District?
Joaquin Castro has the strongest record in Texas's 20th Congressional District. Joaquin Castro scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Edgardo Rafael Baez at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Joaquin Castro's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Edgardo Rafael Baez's highest marks are communication and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Edgardo Rafael Baez
On the ballot as EDGARDO RAFAEL BAEZ
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Joaquin Castro
On the ballot as JOAQUIN CASTRO
68 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 63
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.
Edgardo Rafael Baez
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Joaquin Castro
- On the record2026-01-22
Voted against both Democratic leaders on the Fiscal Responsibility Act (2023), the Israel Security Supplemental (2024) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 152, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 45, 2026
- On the record2021-01-12
Named one of nine House impeachment managers for the second impeachment trial of President Trump in January 2021.
- On the record2021-01-07
Voted Nay on the House objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021.
- On the record2019-08-05
In August 2019 his campaign account posted the names and employers of 44 San Antonio maximum donors to President Trump; the FEC closed a complaint over it (MUR 7635), finding no reason to believe.
Sources: KSAT, Aug. 7, 2019, CNN, Aug. 6, 2019, FEC MUR 7635
- Credit2025-03
The Center for Effective Lawmaking ranked him the most effective House Democrat in the 118th Congress, with a Legislative Effectiveness Score of 4.70 against a 0.54 benchmark.
Sources: UVA Batten School, Center for Effective Lawmaking release, Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and House candidate financial disclosures were filed July 18, 2025 and April 15, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075672, FEC administrative fines search
Joaquin Castro. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC and no periodic transaction reports appear for 2019 to 2026. A 2019 FEC complaint over a donor-list post closed with no reason to believe, 6 to 0.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC MUR 7635, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. No public record found.
Joaquin Castro. Voted against both Democratic leaders on the Fiscal Responsibility Act in May 2023, the Israel Security Supplemental in April 2024 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 in January 2026.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, May 31, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 152, April 20, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 45, Jan. 22, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. No public record found.
Joaquin Castro. Spoke and took questions at a public town hall in McAllen in April 2025. No record found of 2026 general election debates accepted or declined.
Source: KRGV, April 27, 2025
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. Served in the Army from 1989 to 2002, including as a drill sergeant, and has practiced law in San Antonio for about 20 years. No conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Edgardo Baez, San Antonio Report, candidate Q&A
Joaquin Castro. In the Texas House 2003 to 2013 and in Congress since 2013, including service on a House Ethics investigative subcommittee in 2018. No censure, reprimand or ethics finding against him found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Joaquin Castro, House Committee on Ethics statement, Sept. 6, 2018
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. Served in the U.S. Army from 1989 to 2002. No official finding of misuse of office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Edgardo Baez, San Antonio Report, candidate Q&A
Joaquin Castro. Voted Nay on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021, and is not on the Texas v. Pennsylvania amicus list. No misuse-of-office finding.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. Army service 1989 to 2002 (combat medic, paratrooper, drill sergeant), then ICU nurse and an attorney in San Antonio for about 20 years; owns a law practice. Has not held public office.
Sources: San Antonio Report, candidate Q&A, Ballotpedia, Edgardo Baez
Joaquin Castro. In the U.S. House since 2013, seeking an eighth term, after ten years in the Texas House (2003 to 2013).
Sources: GovTrack, Joaquin Castro, Ballotpedia, Joaquin Castro
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. Published priorities on poverty, public safety and schools, plus a deficit target of 3 percent of GDP by 2030 and Social Security and Medicare changes, mostly stated as goals.
Joaquin Castro. Ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere Subcommittee and the Intelligence Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee; nine sponsored bills enacted.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025, answered the San Antonio Report's candidate questionnaire and publishes issue pages on his campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Edgardo Baez, San Antonio Report, candidate Q&A, Campaign site, home page
Joaquin Castro. Offers an email newsletter and issue pages and held a public town hall in 2025. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey; his San Antonio Report profile shows no questionnaire answers.
Sources: Office site, home page, KRGV, April 27, 2025, Ballotpedia, Joaquin Castro
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. Lives in San Antonio and has practiced law there for about 20 years; born in Puerto Rico. About 86 percent of itemized individual contributions for 2025 to 2026 came from Texas.
Sources: San Antonio Report, candidate Q&A, FEC contribution totals by state
Joaquin Castro. Born in San Antonio and a Thomas Jefferson High School graduate; represented San Antonio in the Texas House and Congress since 2003. About 80 percent of itemized individual contributions for 2025 to 2026 came from Texas.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Joaquin Castro, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. Owns a law practice; campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with $30,135 in reported committee debts. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, Ballotpedia, Edgardo Baez, FEC administrative fines search
Joaquin Castro. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no reported committee debt. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. No public record found.
Joaquin Castro. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 4.70 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.54, exceeds expectations; ranked first among House Democrats.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, UVA Batten School, Center for Effective Lawmaking release
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. No public record found.
Joaquin Castro. Missed 337 of 7,608 roll call votes, 4.4 percent, from January 2013 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. No public record found.
Joaquin Castro. Runs a San Antonio district office and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. No public record found.
Joaquin Castro. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.45380 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 217 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Edgardo Rafael Baez. No public record found.
Joaquin Castro. 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 20th Congressional District?
Joaquin Castro has the strongest record in Texas's 20th Congressional District. Joaquin Castro scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Edgardo Rafael Baez at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Joaquin Castro's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Edgardo Rafael Baez's highest marks are communication and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Texas's 20th Congressional District in 2026?
EDGARDO RAFAEL BAEZ (Republican), JOAQUIN CASTRO (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Edgardo Rafael Baez a good candidate for Congress?
Edgardo Rafael Baez scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Joaquin Castro a good candidate for Congress?
Joaquin Castro scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 63 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.