# Texas's 21st congressional district

Texas's 21st congressional district of the United States House of Representatives serves the area north of San Antonio and a significant portion of Austin in the state of Texas. Towns entirely or partially in this district include Boerne, Fredericksburg, Ingram, Kerrville, Kyle, New Braunfels, and San Marcos. The current Representative from the 21st district is Chip Roy.

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | McCain 65% - 35% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 69% - 31% |
| 2014 | Senate | Cornyn 74% - 26% |
| 2014 | Governor | Abbott 69% - 31% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 61% - 33% |
| 2018 | Senate | Cruz 60% - 39% |
| 2018 | Governor | Abbott 65% - 33% |
| 2018 | Lt. Governor | Patrick 60% - 37% |
| 2018 | Attorney General | Paxton 59% - 38% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 59% - 39% |
| 2020 | Senate | Cornyn 62% - 36% |
| 2022 | Governor | Abbott 61% - 38% |
| 2022 | Lt. Governor | Patrick 60% - 37% |
| 2022 | Attorney General | Paxton 59% - 38% |
| 2022 | Comptroller of Public Accounts | Hegar 63% - 34% |
| 2024 | President | Trump 61% - 38% |
| 2024 | Senate | Cruz 59% - 39% |

## Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:
Bandera County (3)
    All 3 communities
Bexar County (8)
    Alamo Heights, Castle Hills, Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park, Olmos Park (part; also 35th), San Antonio (part; also 20th, 23rd, 28th, 35th; shared with Comal and Medina counties), Terrell Hills, Windcrest
Blanco County (3)
    All 3 communities
Comal County (8)
    Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Fair Oaks Ranch (part; also 23rd; shared with Bexar and Kendall counties), Garden Ridge, New Braunfels (part; also 15th, 28th, and 35th; shared with Guadalupe County), San Antonio (part; also 20th, 23rd, 28th, 35th; shared with Bexar and Medina counties), Schertz (part; also 28th and 35th; shared with Bexar and Guadalupe counties), Spring Branch
Gillespie County (3)
    All 3 communities
Hays County (12)
    Austin (part; also 10th, 35th, and 37th; shared with Travis and Williamson counties), Bear Creek, Belterra, Buda (part; also 35th), Driftwood, Dripping Springs, Hays, Kyle (part; also 35th), Mountain City, San Marcos (part; also 27th and 35th; shared with Caldwell and Guadalupe counties), Wimberley, Woodcreek
Kendall County (3)
    All 3 communities
Kerr County (3)
    All 3 communities
Real County (2)
    Camp Wood, Leakey
Travis County (2)
    Austin (part; also 10th, 35th, and 37th; shared with Hays and Williamson counties), Barton Creek

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District established January 3, 1935 |||||
| Charles L. South (Coleman) | Democratic | January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1943 | 74th 75th 76th 77th | Elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. [data missing] |
| O. C. Fisher (San Angelo) | Democratic | January 3, 1943 – December 31, 1974 | 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd | Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Retired. |
| Vacant | Vacant | December 31, 1974 – January 3, 1975 | 93rd | |
| Bob Krueger (New Braunfels) | Democratic | January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1979 | 94th 95th | Elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Tom Loeffler (Hunt) | Republican | January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1987 | 96th 97th 98th 99th | Elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. [data missing] |
| Lamar Smith (San Antonio) | Republican | January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2019 | 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th | Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Retired. |
| Chip Roy (Austin) | Republican | January 3, 2019 – present | 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |

## Recent election results

2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Lamar Smith (incumbent) | 209,774 | 61.5% | −11.4% |
| | Democratic | Rhett Smith | 121,129 | 35.5% | +10.2% |
| | Libertarian | Jason Pratt | 10,216 | 3.0% | +1.1% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 88,645 | 26.0% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 341,119 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | -10.8% | |

### 2006

In the case of League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry, 548 U. S. 399 (2006), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the configuration of Texas' 15th, 21st, 23rd, 25th and 28th congressional districts as drawn by the Texas Legislature violated the National Voting Rights Act of 1965. Replacement district boundaries for the 2006 election were subsequently issued for the five districts by the local federal district court, and on election day in November, these five districts had open primaries, with candidates being elected for receiving over 50 percent of the vote. Runoff elections were held in December to decide elections in which no candidate gained an absolute majority in November.
In the 2006 election, Lamar Smith defeated veteran and college administrator John Courage with 60% of the vote.
2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Lamar Smith (incumbent) | 122,486 | 60.1% | −1.4% |
| | Democratic | John Courage | 49,957 | 24.51% | −10.99% |
| | Democratic | Gene Kelly | 18,355 | 9% | |
| | Independent | Tommy Ray Calvert Jr | 5,280 | 2.59% | |
| | Libertarian | James Arthur Strohm | 4,076 | 2.0% | −1.0% |
| | Independent | James Lyle Peterson | 2,189 | 1.07% | |
| | Independent | Mark J. Rossano | 1,439 | 0.7% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 203,782 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

### 2008

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Lamar Smith (incumbent) | 243,471 | 79.99% | +19.89% |
| | Libertarian | James Arthur Strohm | 60,879 | 20% | +18% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 182,592 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 304,350 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

### 2010

In the 2010 election, Lamar Smith defeated Lainey Melnick with 68.9 percent of the vote. Melnick, an Austin real estate broker, officially filed papers with the Federal Election Commission on June 23, 2009 to become a candidate.
2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Lamar Smith (incumbent) | 169,924 | 68.9 | −11.09% |
| | Democratic | Lainey Melnick | 65,834 | 27.9 | +3.39% |
| | Libertarian | James Arthur Strohm | 7,687 | 3.3 | −16.7% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96929 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 236,284 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |

### 2012

Incumbent Lamar Smith faced five challengers in the 2012 general election on November 6, 2012: Candace Duval (Dem), John-Henry Liberty (Lib), Fidel Castillo (Grn), Bill Stout (Grn), and Carlos Pena (Ind).
2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Lamar Smith (Incumbent) | 187,015 | 60.5 |
| | Democratic | Candace E. Duval | 109,326 | 35.4 |
| | Libertarian | John-Henry Liberty | 12,524 | 4.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 308,865 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Lamar Smith (Incumbent) | 135,513 | 71.8 |
| | Libertarian | Ryan Shields | 25,483 | 13.5 |
| | Green | Antonio Diaz | 27,782 | 14.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 188,778 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Lamar Smith (Incumbent) | 202,523 | 57.0 |
| | Democratic | Tom Wakely | 129,253 | 36.4 |
| | Libertarian | Mark Loewe | 14,698 | 4.1 |
| | Green | Tony Diaz | 8,520 | 2.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 354,994 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2018

Lamar Smith did not run for reelection in 2018.
On the Republican side, 18 candidates competed in the March 6 primary, in which no one received a majority. The first- and second-place finishers were, respectively, attorney Chip Roy, who served as chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and senior advisor to Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), and Matt McCall, owner of a business providing human tissue for American military hospitals. Roy and McCall advanced to a May 22 runoff, which Roy won with 52.7% of the vote.
On the Democratic side, four candidates ran to replace Smith: Joseph Kopser, entrepreneur and Army veteran; Derrick Crowe, activist; Elliott McFadden, executive director of Austin B-cycle; and Mary Street Wilson, pastor. No one received a majority in the March 6 primary, so the top two finishers, Wilson and Kopser, advanced to a runoff on May 22. Kopser flipped the primary result in the runoff against Wilson, winning the nomination with 58% of the vote.
2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Chip Roy | 176,913 | 50.3 |
| | Democratic | Joseph Kopser | 167,020 | 47.5 |
| | Libertarian | Lee Santos | 7,497 | 2.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 351,430 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2020

The incumbent, Chip Roy, was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Former state Senator Wendy Davis won the Democratic primary runoff. Tom Wakely was nominated by the Green Party caucus. The state Supreme Court allowed his inclusion after Wendy Davis tried unsuccessfully to have him removed from the ballot. Perennial candidate Arthur DiBianca was the Libertarian nominee; a last-minute lawsuit by Republicans to block DiBianca and 43 other Libertarian Party candidates from the ballot failed.

#### Primary results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Wendy Davis | 84,593 | 86.3 |
| | Democratic | Jennie Lou Leeder | 13,485 | 13.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 98,078 | 100.0 |

#### General election

Texas's 21st congressional district, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Chip Roy (incumbent) | 235,740 | 52.0 |
| | Democratic | Wendy Davis | 205,780 | 45.3 |
| | Libertarian | Arthur DiBlanca | 8,666 | 1.9 |
| | Green | Tom Wakely | 3,564 | 0.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 453,750 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2022

2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Chip Roy (incumbent) | 207,426 | 62.8 |
| | Democratic | Claudia Zapata | 122,655 | 37.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 330,081 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2024

The incumbent, Chip Roy (R, Dripping Springs), an attorney, ran unopposed and was nominated in the March 5, 2024 Republican primary. Dr. Kristin Hook (D, San Antonio), a biologist formerly employed as a biologist by US Government Accountability Office, ran unopposed and was nominated in the March 5, 2024 Democratic primary. Bob King (L, New Braunfels), a retired energy finance executive and nonprofit leader, ran unopposed and was nominated at the Libertarian district convention on March 23, 2024.
2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, District 21 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Chip Roy (incumbent) | 263,002 | 61.9 |
| | Democratic | Kristin Hook | 152,900 | 36.0 |
| | Libertarian | Bob King | 8,861 | 2.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 424,763 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |