Don McLaughlin
Texas State Representative, District 80 since 2024. Lost re-election in 2026; leaves office in January 2027. Ran in 1 election in 2024, winning 1.
- In office
- 1 yr
- Since 2024
- Bills became law
- 9
- 62 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 4.4%
- Chamber median 4.4%
- With party
- 75%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- −5.5
- Lost 2026
- Elections
- 2
- 2024–2026
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Agriculture and Livestock
- Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
No bills in this list for the 2025–2026 session.
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where McLaughlin sits in the Texas House of Representatives
McLaughlin is closer to the center than 61% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Gary Gates, Cecil Bell, John Smithee
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:04 PM ET
With McLaughlin’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans75%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills33%
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: McLaughlin’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | McLaughlin | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2025 | HB 18: Relating to a restriction on the acceptance of political contributions and the making of… | Yes | No | Yes | Passed 82–42 |
| Aug 28, 2025 | SB 8: Relating to the designation and use of certain spaces and facilities according to sex;… | Yes | 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 McLaughlin 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 of Representatives, District 80 | Lost | D+5.5 | R+23.5 | −29.0 |
| 2024 | Texas House of Representatives, District 80 | Won | R+19.0 | R+23.5 | −4.5 |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Texas Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $1.3M
- Spent
- $719.7K
- Cash
- $95.3K
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.
| Don E. McLaughlin State | Active |
Source: Texas Ethics Commission filings through Oct 24, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 3:49 AM ET
Seats McLaughlin has held
- Texas House of Representatives, District 80 · since 2024
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who McLaughlin has run against
- Cecilia Castellano (D) · 2026 election, lost
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Texas Secretary of State (unofficial)
How we know McLaughlin
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/0941f4bf-2ac8-48d0-8675-191514e06850
- Wikidata Q131189792
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET