The Texas House District 94 election on November 3, 2026, is an open-seat contest between Republican Cheryl Bean and Democrat Katie O’Brien Duzan, following six-term Republican Tony Tinderholt’s decision not to seek reelection. Bean won the March 2026 Republican primary outright with roughly 54% of the vote, and Duzan secured the Democratic nomination for the Tarrant County seat, which covers parts of Arlington, Hurst, Bedford, Euless, and east Fort Worth.1Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Texas House District 94 Primary Results2Multistate. Texas House District 94 Election
The Candidates
Cheryl Bean (Republican)
Bean is a businesswoman and engineer who spent 20 years in the aerospace and defense industry before starting a design-and-build general contracting company she has run for 15 years. She holds a master’s degree, has served as president of the Greater Fort Worth Builders Association, and sits on the board of the Texas Association of Builders and a local charter school.3Cheryl Bean for Texas. About Cheryl Bean She previously ran for nearby House District 97, where she narrowly lost a primary runoff to John McQueeney.4Fort Worth Report. Cheryl Bean, John McQueeney Trade Barbs in House District 97 Race
Her general election platform emphasizes border security, low taxes, school safety, election integrity, and energy reliability. At a Republican forum during the primary, she also positioned herself against legalized gambling, citing a successful effort to block a proposed casino in Irving.5The Texan. Tarrant County Candidates for Open Texas House Seat Outline Campaign Platforms at GOP Forum Her endorsements include outgoing Rep. Tinderholt, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, and several conservative state legislators.1Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Texas House District 94 Primary Results
Katie O’Brien Duzan (Democrat)
Duzan, 43, is a vice president of marketing at Veeva Systems. She grew up in the district and graduated from Martin High School in Arlington ISD, and she holds an MBA from TCU’s Neeley School of Business.6Fort Worth Report. Katie O’Brien Duzan, Democratic Candidate for Texas House District 94 She has not held elected office but spent about a decade in community advocacy, including serving on a citizens bond oversight committee for Arlington ISD.
Her campaign centers on affordability, public education funding, and representation for working families. She supports lowering property taxes through appraisal reform, fully funding public schools with higher per-student allotments and teacher pay raises, and she opposes school voucher programs. She favors regulating THC products rather than banning them, is open to legalized casino gambling with transparency requirements, and supports local control over data-center development.6Fort Worth Report. Katie O’Brien Duzan, Democratic Candidate for Texas House District 94 The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has listed the race among its targets.7DLCC. Katie O’Brien Duzan
Why the Seat Is Open
Tinderholt announced on June 2, 2025, the final day of the legislative session, that he would not seek reelection. He told colleagues from the House floor, “To my wonderful wife Bethany, and my children Tyler and Brennan, I’m coming home. I get to be a dad.”8NBC DFW. Tony Tinderholt Leaves Texas House, Will Run for Tarrant County Commissioners Court He first won the seat in 2014 and will finish his current term, which runs through January 12, 2027.9Texas Tribune. Tony Tinderholt, Republican, Retires From Texas House
The day after his retirement announcement, Tinderholt declared his candidacy for Tarrant County Commissioner, Precinct 2, currently held by Democrat Alisa Simmons. He won the Republican primary for that seat with roughly 81% of the vote and will face former Fort Worth city council member Jared Williams in November 2026.10Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Tarrant County Commissioner Precinct 2 Race
Where the District Is and Who Lives There
District 94 sits entirely within Tarrant County. Under boundaries effective January 2026, it takes in portions of Arlington, Hurst, Bedford, Euless, east Fort Worth, and smaller communities including Pantego, Dalworthington Gardens, Richland Hills, and parts of North Richland Hills, Colleyville, and Kennedale.11Texas Legislative Council. House District 94 Municipality List The district spans about 64 square miles and is crossed by Interstate 20, Loop 820, State Highway 360, and the Airport Freeway corridor along SH 121 and SH 183.12Tarrant County. State Representative District 94 Map
According to 2020 Census data, the district has a total population of roughly 185,756. Its racial composition is 54.2% Anglo, 22.8% Hispanic, 14.7% Black, and 6.2% Asian.13Texas Legislative Council. House District 94 Demographic Profile American Community Survey estimates put the median household income at approximately $85,286, the median age at 38.7, and the share of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher at 38.1%.14Census Reporter. State House District 94, TX
How Competitive Is the Race
The district leans Republican. In the 2024 presidential race, Donald Trump carried it with 53.9% to Kamala Harris’s 44.3%, a margin of about 9.6 points.15Texas Legislative Council. House District 94 Election Report, 2024 General Election House margins have varied. In 2020, Tinderholt won reelection with 51% against Democrat Alisa Simmons at 46% and a Libertarian candidate.8NBC DFW. Tony Tinderholt Leaves Texas House, Will Run for Tarrant County Commissioners Court By 2024, he defeated Democrat Wilkerson 55.6% to 44.4% on turnout of 81,583 voters.
The Republican primary drew five candidates. Bean’s closest challenger, Jackie Schlegel, the executive director of Texans for Medical Freedom and endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott, finished with about 25%. Susan Valliant placed third with roughly 10%.1Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Texas House District 94 Primary Results Schlegel’s campaign was complicated by a January 2026 jury verdict in Tarrant County in which her former employer, Texans for Vaccine Choice, won a lawsuit against her for trademark violations and breach of fiduciary duties, resulting in a damages award of over $767,000.16Texas Scorecard. Texans for Vaccine Choice Handed Legal Win Against Former Executive Director
The R+9.6 partisan lean gives Bean a structural advantage heading into November. But the open-seat dynamic and the district’s history of tighter races, including Tinderholt’s five-point win in 2020, keep it on Democratic target lists. Bean enters with strong conservative endorsements and a decisive primary win. Duzan is running on an economic and education message aimed at moderate suburban voters in a fast-changing corner of Tarrant County.