Donna Howard
Texas State Representative, District 48 since 2006. Ran in 11 elections between 2006 and 2024, winning 11. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
Texas State Representative, District 48Born 1951Nurse
- In office
- 20 yrs
- Since 2006
- Bills became law
- 30
- 161 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.6%
- Chamber median 4.4%
- With party
- 94%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +51.8
- 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.
- Higher Education · vice chair
- Appropriations
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
City Government--Land Use & Zoning (I0064) · Became law Jun 2025
AUDITOR, STATE (V4364) · Became law Jun 2025
ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY (U9017) · Became law Jun 2025
Civil Remedies & Liabilities (I0065) · Became law Jun 2025
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Howard sits in the Texas House of Representatives
Howard is closer to the center than 40% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Venton Jones, James Talarico, Charlene Ward Johnson
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:04 PM ET
With Howard’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats94%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills86%
Black tick: the average of Democrats 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: Howard’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Howard | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2025 | HB 18: Relating to a restriction on the acceptance of political contributions and the making of… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 82–42 |
| Aug 28, 2025 | SB 8: Relating to the designation and use of certain spaces and facilities according to sex;… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 80–48 |
| Aug 27, 2025 | HB 26: Relating to contracting with law enforcement agencies in certain counties. | No | No | Yes | Passed 95–29 |
| Aug 27, 2025 | HB 192: Relating to the funding of law enforcement agencies in certain counties. | Not voting | No | Yes | Passed 88–45 |
| Aug 26, 2025 | HB 8: Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of… | No | No | Yes | Passed 71–63 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Howard 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 48 | Won | D+51.8 | D+41.4 | +10.4 |
| 2024 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | D+66.0 | D+41.4 | +24.6 |
| 2022 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | D+59.2 | D+44.2 | +15.0 |
| 2020 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | D+40.2 | — | — |
| 2018 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2016 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | D+58.8 | — | — |
| 2014 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | D+56.2 | — | — |
| 2014 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 (primary) | Won | — | — | — |
| 2012 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | D+23.7 | — | — |
| 2010 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | Even | — | — |
| 2008 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | D+11.8 | — | — |
| 2006 | Texas House of Representatives, District 48 | Won | D+55.5 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Texas Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $207.1K
- Spent
- $277.9K
- Cash
- $72.6K
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.
| Donna S. Howard State | Active |
Source: Texas Ethics Commission filings through Oct 24, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 3:49 AM ET
Seats Howard has held
- Texas House of Representatives, District 48 · since 2006
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Howard has run against
- Anthony Gupta (R) · 2026 election, won
- McCarthy (L) · 2024 election, won
- Bill Strieber (R) · 2020 election, won
- Ben Easton (L) · 2016 election, won
- Robert Dartanian Thomas (R) · 2012 election, won
- Dan Neil (R) · 2010 election, won
- Pamela Waggoner (R) · 2008 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Texas Secretary of State (unofficial)
How we know Howard
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/349071fd-3c36-43c6-aaca-6d7f9d04322d
- Wikidata Q5296366
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET