Who Melissa is
Melissa McDonough has sold real estate in the Houston area for about 30 years while also volunteering as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill for two decades.
About Melissa
McDonough is a longtime Harris County realtor, mother, and community organizer who won the Democratic nomination outright in the March 2026 primary with 51.6% of the vote. She describes her campaign around finding a "purple solution" and common ground, focusing on healthcare costs, public education funding, and housing affordability.
Where they stand
- Reproductive RightsAgree
- Immigration & BorderDisagree
- Housing & AffordabilityAgree
- Public EducationAgree
- Election IntegrityAgree
- HealthcareDisagree
- Social Security & MedicareAgree
- Gun PolicyDisagree
- Climate & EnergyDisagree
Also on the ballot for U.S. House • District 38
Every candidate on this ballot line appears here, in alphabetical order. Tap a name to read more.
Alex McMenemyAlex McMenemy, a 27-year-old Green Party candidate from Tomball, rides a custom recumbent bicycle he calls 'The Blue Blazer' and can play six musical instruments.
About Alex
McMenemy grew up in a low-income family as the youngest of three brothers, studied theatre before switching to accounting in college (which he couldn't finish due to money troubles), and now campaigns as a democratic socialist and vegan. His family's own struggle paying for his brother's cancer treatment shapes his push for free universal healthcare, and he refuses corporate campaign donations.
Jon BonckJon Bonck has spent over two decades helping Houston-area families get home loans, and on Sundays he teaches Bible study as a deacon at Second Baptist Church.
About Jon
Bonck is a mortgage lending manager from the Houston area who built his career helping families buy homes. He ran for the newly drawn TX-38 seat with an endorsement from President Trump and won the Republican runoff after finishing first in the March primary. He's campaigning as a Christian conservative focused on border security, opposing what he calls 'woke curriculum' in schools, and protecting gun rights.