U.S. House, Texas 5th Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Texas's 5th Congressional District?
Lance Gooden has the strongest record in Texas's 5th Congressional District. Lance Gooden scores 62 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 5, 2026. Lance Gooden's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Chelsey Hockett (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
Lance Gooden
On the ballot as LANCE GOODEN
62 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 56
Democratic
Chelsey Hockett
On the ballot as CHELSEY HOCKETT
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- 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.
Lance Gooden
- Unresolved2026-07-27
The House Ethics Committee extended its review of a matter about him referred by the Office of Congressional Conduct on June 10, 2026; Gooden said it concerns spending and called the allegations baseless.
Where it stands: Under review. The committee said a referral does not indicate a violation and will announce its course of action on or before Nov. 9, 2026.
Sources: House Committee on Ethics, statement, July 27, 2026, Texas Tribune, July 27, 2026, Washington Examiner, July 27, 2026
- Unresolved2021-09-22
The Campaign Legal Center filed an ethics complaint saying he filed no periodic transaction reports for a dozen 2020 stock purchases; Gooden said no transaction exceeded the reporting threshold.
Where it stands: Complaint by a private watchdog group. No House Ethics Committee action on it has been published as of Oct. 5, 2026.
- On the record2023-02
Said on Fox News in February 2023 that he questioned Rep. Judy Chu's 'loyalty or competence'; Democratic leaders and the Republican chair of the House China committee criticized the remark.
Sources: Politico via Yahoo News, Feb. 26, 2023, Los Angeles Times via Yahoo News, Feb. 25, 2023
- On the record2020-12 to 2021-01
Signed the December 2020 House members' amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania and voted Yea on both objections to state electors on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021.
Sources: U.S. Supreme Court docket No. 155, Original, amicus brief filed Dec. 11, 2020, House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- Credit2024-12-23
Sponsored H.R. 7747, the Federal Judiciary Stabilization Act of 2024, whose provisions were enacted through the Senate bill S. 3998, signed Dec. 23, 2024; it had seven Democratic cosponsors.
- Credit2023 to 2024
Voted No on the Fiscal Responsibility Act on May 31, 2023 and Nay on the Ukraine supplemental on April 20, 2024, against the votes of the Speaker in each case.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, May 31, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 151, April 20, 2024
Chelsey Hockett
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Lance Gooden. 2025 annual financial disclosure filed Aug. 14, 2026 after an extension; 2024 stock trade reports filed within 45 days. No Ethics Committee finding or FEC fine found; a 2026 Ethics review is unresolved.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077981, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20025806, FEC administrative fines search, House Committee on Ethics, statement, July 27, 2026
Chelsey Hockett. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and House candidate financial disclosures were filed Oct. 19, 2025 and Sept. 21, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or Texas Ethics Commission order found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10072607, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Lance Gooden. Voted No on the Fiscal Responsibility Act on May 31, 2023, when Speaker McCarthy voted Aye, and Nay on the Ukraine supplemental on April 20, 2024 and the American Relief Act on Dec. 20, 2024, when Speaker Johnson voted Yea.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, May 31, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 151, April 20, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 517, Dec. 20, 2024
Chelsey Hockett. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Lance Gooden. No public record found.
Chelsey Hockett. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Lance Gooden. Served in the Texas House from 2011 to 2015 and 2017 to 2019 and in Congress since 2019. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee conduct finding found; a 2026 Ethics review is unresolved.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Lance Gooden, House Committee on Ethics, statement, July 27, 2026
Chelsey Hockett. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Lance Gooden. Voted Yea on both objections to state electors on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021 (Roll Calls 10 and 11). Listed as an amicus on the December 2020 House members' brief supporting Texas in Texas v. Pennsylvania.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, U.S. Supreme Court docket No. 155, Original, amicus brief filed Dec. 11, 2020
Chelsey Hockett. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Lance Gooden. In the U.S. House since January 2019, now seeking a fifth term. Served three terms in the Texas House, 2011 to 2015 and 2017 to 2019.
Chelsey Hockett. Ballotpedia lists work in restaurants, for airlines and as a stay-at-home parent, and a 2015 bachelor's degree from Texas Woman's University. No prior public office or documented organizational leadership role found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Chelsey Hockett
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Lance Gooden. Serves on the House Armed Services and Judiciary committees and their subcommittees. No chair or ranking post found. Sponsored a judgeship bill whose provisions were enacted in December 2024.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, GovTrack, H.R. 7747 (118th Congress)
Chelsey Hockett. Publishes an issues page with specific federal measures, including Medicare for All, universal child care, a $25 minimum wage and ending tariffs.
Source: Campaign site, Issues
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Lance Gooden. Publishes newsletters and issue pages on his House site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey. No debate or town hall record found.
Sources: Office site, Newsletters, Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Lance Gooden
Chelsey Hockett. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025 and publishes plain-language issue pages.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Chelsey Hockett, Campaign site, Issues
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Lance Gooden. Graduated from Terrell High School and represented Kaufman and Henderson counties in the Texas House; his district office is in Terrell. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 68 percent of itemized individual contributions from Texas.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Lance Gooden, Texas Tribune, July 27, 2026, Office site, Offices, FEC contribution totals by state
Chelsey Hockett. Says she lives in Terrell, the home city of the district's incumbent, and Ballotpedia ties her to the Kaufman County Democratic Party. FEC by-state totals show about 57 percent of itemized individual contributions from Texas.
Sources: Campaign site, About, Ballotpedia, Chelsey Hockett, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Lance Gooden. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Chelsey Hockett. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Lance Gooden. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.087 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.198, which the Center for Effective Lawmaking classes as meeting expectations. GovTrack counts one enacted bill as primary sponsor, the Federal Judiciary Stabilization Act of 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 7747 (118th Congress)
Chelsey Hockett. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Lance Gooden. Missed 46 of 3,869 roll call votes, 1.2 percent, from January 2019 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Chelsey Hockett. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Lance Gooden. Lists one district office, in Terrell, and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals or regular outreach schedule found.
Sources: Office site, Offices, Office site, home page
Chelsey Hockett. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Lance Gooden. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.07403 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 347 of 436, in the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Chelsey Hockett. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Lance Gooden. No public record found.
Chelsey Hockett. 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 5th Congressional District?
Lance Gooden has the strongest record in Texas's 5th Congressional District. Lance Gooden scores 62 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 5, 2026. Lance Gooden's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Chelsey Hockett (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 5th Congressional District in 2026?
LANCE GOODEN (Republican, incumbent), CHELSEY HOCKETT (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Lance Gooden a good candidate for Congress?
Lance Gooden scores 62 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 56 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Chelsey Hockett a good candidate for Congress?
Chelsey Hockett 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.