Cole Hefner
Texas State Representative, District 5 since 2016. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 9 yrs
- Since 2016
- Bills became law
- 39
- 107 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 5.5%
- Chamber median 4.4%
- With party
- 89%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +53.9
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs · chair
- Congressional Redistricting Select
- General Aviation Select
- Redistricting
- Transportation
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Interim Studies (I0448) · Vetoed Sep 2025
LAW ENFORCEMENT, TEXAS COMMISSION ON (V0986) · Vetoed Sep 2025
LAW ENFORCEMENT, TEXAS COMMISSION ON (V0986) · Failed in the Senate Aug 2025
PERMITS (S0011) · Failed in committee Aug 2025
Charitable & Nonprofit Organizations (I0055) · Failed in committee Aug 2025
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Hefner sits in the Texas House of Representatives
Hefner is closer to the center than 52% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Mano DeAyala, Marc LaHood, Mark Dorazio
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:04 PM ET
With Hefner’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans89%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills31%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Hefner’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Hefner | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2025 | HB 18: Relating to a restriction on the acceptance of political contributions and the making of… | No | No | Yes | Passed 82–42 |
| Aug 28, 2025 | SB 8: Relating to the designation and use of certain spaces and facilities according to sex;… | No | No | Yes | Passed 80–48 |
| Aug 27, 2025 | HB 26: Relating to contracting with law enforcement agencies in certain counties. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 95–29 |
| Aug 27, 2025 | HB 192: Relating to the funding of law enforcement agencies in certain counties. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 88–45 |
| Aug 26, 2025 | HB 8: Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 71–63 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Hefner was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas House District 5 | Won | R+53.9 | R+65.2 | −11.3 |
| 2024 | Texas House of Representatives, District 5 | Won | R+97.6 | — | — |
| 2022 | Texas House of Representatives, District 5 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2020 | Texas House of Representatives, District 5 | Won | R+59.9 | — | — |
| 2018 | Texas House of Representatives, District 5 | Won | R+58.7 | — | — |
| 2016 | Texas House of Representatives, District 5 | Won | — | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Texas Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $622.9K
- Spent
- $295.2K
- Cash
- $393.7K
Source: Texas Ethics Commission filings through Oct 24, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 3:49 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Joseph Cole Hefner State | Active |
Source: Texas Ethics Commission filings through Oct 24, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 3:49 AM ET
Seats Hefner has held
- Texas House of Representatives, District 5 · since 2016
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Hefner has run against
- Hector Garza (D) · 2026 general, won
- Nichols (I) · 2024 election, won
- Lawyanda Prince (D) · 2020 election, won
- Bill Liebbe (D) · 2018 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Texas Secretary of State (unofficial)
How we know Hefner
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/43bbf34a-6bc4-41f9-9bdc-3e944c5b8495
- Wikidata Q28137188
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET