Show Us the Money

Carmen María Montiel, a Republican challenger for Texas's 38th U.S. House District, has raised $147,355 in the 2026 election cycle, according to the latest FEC campaign finance report. Individual donors supplied $130,372 of that total. Political committees contributed $500. Montiel also invested $15,500 of her own money into her campaign. Through June, she has spent $142,376, leaving her with $5,422 in cash on hand. Her campaign also carries $11,555 in outstanding debts.

Montiel's fundraising breakdown reflects a grassroots approach with minimal organizational support. Individual contributions make up the vast majority of her receipts. Committee money has played virtually no role: she received just $500 from other political committees, and no party committee contributions were recorded. Her two authorized campaign committees, Carmen for Congress 2026 and Carmen Montiel for Congress, operate as the vehicles for all fundraising and spending activity.

Candidate Rankings

All candidates running for U.S. House seats in Texas combined raised roughly $903.7 million in the 2026 cycle. Montiel's $147,355 represents less than one-tenth of one percent of that statewide total. The state's political landscape features far larger fundraising operations: Democratic candidates statewide raised $107,432,926.96 collectively, while Republican candidates raised $103,319,089.15. With 158 Republican candidates competing in Texas, Montiel's modest haul underscores the financial challenges facing most House challengers.

Incumbents vs. Challengers

Across Texas, incumbents generally hold a significant financial edge over challengers and open-seat candidates. Montiel, running as a challenger, reflects a common pattern: non-incumbents often struggle to match the fundraising totals and cash reserves of sitting members of Congress. Her tight cash position of $5,422 heading into the primary illustrates the financial strain many challengers face in expensive statewide races.

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Source: Federal Election Commission (FEC), data current as of March 31, 2026.

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