Show Us the Money

Democrat John Lira has raised nearly $145,000 in his campaign for Texas's 35th U.S. House District, according to the latest federal campaign finance records. Lira's principal campaign committee, Texans for John Lira, reported total receipts of $144,966 through March 31. Individual donors contributed $102,262 of that total. Lira himself put in $41,704 in candidate contributions, making his own money a significant share of the campaign's funding.

Outside organizational money has played a small role so far. Political committees contributed $1,000 to Lira's campaign. No party money, loans, or debt was reported. The campaign spent all of what it raised (total disbursements matched total receipts at $144,966), leaving zero cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.

Lira's fundraising breakdown reveals a lean operation heavily dependent on personal investment. Individual contributions account for roughly 70 percent of his total receipts. Committee money represents just under one percent. The candidate's own contributions comprise 29 percent of the total, underscoring his reliance on self-funding as a challenger candidate.

Candidate Rankings

Texas is one of the most expensive campaign battlegrounds in the country. All candidates running for federal office in the state have combined to raise more than $903 million in the 2026 cycle. Lira's $144,966 represents less than two-hundredths of one percent of the statewide total.

The state's top fundraisers are significantly ahead. James Talarico leads all Texas candidates with $40.3 million raised and $9.9 million in ending cash. Jasmine Crockett, running in District 00, raised $11.1 million. John Cornyn brought in $7.9 million, while Jasmine Crockett's District 30 campaign raised $7.9 million and Colin Allred collected $7.6 million.

Lira's position illustrates the vast fundraising gap between top-tier and grassroots campaigns in a state where congressional candidate donations in Texas can range from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars.

Contributors

Political committees and outside groups have largely stayed out of Lira's race. His campaign received $1,000 from other political committees. No outside spending committees have spent money on his campaign during the 2026 election cycle, either in support or in opposition.

Incumbents vs. Challengers

Across Texas federal races, incumbents are generally outraising challengers and open-seat candidates by wide margins. Lira, running as a challenger with no cash on hand, faces a steep financial climb heading into the next reporting period.

The pattern holds across party lines. Democratic candidates in the state have raised $107.4 million total, while Republicans have raised $103.3 million. The distribution favors those already holding office, a trend common in congressional elections nationwide.

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

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