The Winner

If you live in Texas’ 31st Congressional District, Rep. John Carter (R-TX) will keep representing you after winning a 13th term. The Associated Press called the race for Carter at 11:37 p.m. Central time on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 3. ​

Carter has 164,012 votes (53.8%) to 136,734 (44.8%) for Democrat Justin Early, a margin of about 9 points, with an estimated 99% of votes counted, according to Associated Press election results. Green Party candidate Greg Stoker has 1.4%, and Carter returns to a House where Republicans will be in the minority.

The Race

Carter won a 10-candidate Republican primary on March 3 with 59.7%, while Early, a cybersecurity professional, beat Stuart Whitlow 57.6% to 42.4% for the Democratic nomination, according to Ballotpedia’s race page. Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated the race Solid Republican, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Republican.

Carter’s share fell from the 64.4% he won in 2024, though that race was held under the old lines. This was the first election under the congressional map Texas enacted in August 2025, according to Ballotpedia News.

Under the new lines, the district takes in Central Texas communities including Killeen, Round Rock, Temple and Georgetown, according to FOX 7 Austin. About 843,900 people live there, and 24.2% of residents are Hispanic.

The median household income is $96,000, and the median age is 37. Of adults, 38.6% hold at least a bachelor’s degree, unemployment is 4.3% and 8.6% of residents live below the poverty line.

What’s Next

Carter’s new term begins Sunday, Jan. 3. He chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee that funds military construction and veterans affairs and also sits on its defense subcommittee, according to his AllCiv committee profile, and Democrats will take over that gavel in the new Congress.

Carter has made Fort Hood, next to Killeen, a focus. In an August statement, he said he pushed for the base’s selection for the Army’s Janus Program, which will put a nuclear microreactor there to supply the post with secure power.

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