Texas voters will decide who oversees millions of acres of public land, billions of dollars in education funding, disaster recovery programs and some of the state's most treasured historic sites in the November 2026 election.
Republican incumbent Dawn Buckingham is seeking another four-year term as Texas land commissioner, facing Democratic challenger Benjamin Flores and Libertarian candidate Neill Snider.
Although the land commissioner's race doesn't always attract the attention given to contests for governor or attorney general, the office has considerable influence over issues affecting Texans, from hurricane recovery and veterans' benefits to energy development and the preservation of the Alamo.
The three candidates bring different backgrounds and competing visions for how the Texas General Land Office should operate.
Here's what voters need to know before heading to the polls.
What Does the Texas Land Commissioner Do?
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) is the oldest state agency, dating back to 1836, when Texas became an independent republic.
Originally responsible for land records, surveys, property titles and settlement, the agency has grown into one of the state's most influential institutions.
Today, the GLO manages approximately 13 million acres of state land, including coastal property, mineral rights and thousands of miles of shoreline.
One of its most important responsibilities involves generating revenue for public education through the Permanent School Fund, which holds more than $57 billion in assets and distributes more than $2.4 billion annually to Texas public schools.
The agency also administers disaster recovery funding, oversees the Veterans Land Board and manages the Alamo.
Through the Veterans Land Board, eligible veterans can access land loans of up to $150,000 and home loans of up to $766,550.
The land commissioner serves a four-year term and helps determine how these resources are managed.
Why the 2026 Election Matters
The next commissioner will face decisions involving disaster preparedness, public education funding, energy production, immigration enforcement and the future of state-owned property.
Disaster recovery remains a particularly sensitive responsibility.
The GLO previously faced allegations of discrimination in distributing Hurricane Harvey recovery funds, particularly involving communities of color in Houston. A federal investigation initially supported those concerns, but federal officials later reversed their findings and closed the case, describing the earlier discrimination conclusions as flawed.
The Alamo has also become a political flashpoint.
Buckingham's criticism of an Indigenous Peoples' Day social media post by the Alamo Trust in 2025 sparked controversy over how the historic site's story should be presented. An investigation followed, and the organization's chief executive was forced out.
Those disputes highlight the broader differences between the candidates over the proper role of the land commissioner's office.
Dawn Buckingham: Republican Incumbent
Dawn Buckingham is running for reelection after becoming the first woman elected Texas land commissioner in 2022.
A ninth-generation Texan, Buckingham previously worked as a surgeon specializing in cosmetic and functional eyelid reconstruction.
She earned degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
Her political career includes service in the Texas Senate, where she made history in 2016 as the first Republican elected to represent Travis County in the chamber and the first woman to represent Senate District 24.
Buckingham entered the 2026 election without a Republican primary opponent.
Buckingham's Priorities
Buckingham has positioned herself as a strong conservative who supports Texas' oil and gas industry, border security, gun rights and limited government.
Her administration has emphasized using state-owned land to strengthen energy production and generate revenue for public education.
The GLO has also explored expanding geothermal energy, small modular nuclear reactors and natural gas power generation on state property.
Immigration enforcement has become another major priority.
Buckingham has supported border wall construction and launched the Jocelyn Initiative, committing available GLO resources to assisting efforts to detain and deport immigrants described by the initiative as criminal illegal immigrants.
However, she has also challenged federal border construction activity when it threatened state property.
In one dispute involving land near Big Bend, Buckingham ordered federal contractors to stop clearing a state-owned border tract following concerns raised by Presidio-area leaders about potential environmental damage.
Buckingham has also emphasized disaster recovery and veterans' programs.
According to her campaign, the GLO has distributed more than $9 billion in disaster recovery funding and another $1 billion for flood mitigation projects during her tenure.
Her campaign also credits the agency with contributing nearly $6 billion to public education and delivering more than $1.5 billion to help veterans purchase, renovate or improve homes and property.
Those figures are campaign-reported accomplishments.
At the Alamo, Buckingham has prioritized restoration efforts while opposing historical interpretations she believes undermine traditional accounts of Texas history.
Buckingham's Campaign Finances
Buckingham enters the general election with a substantial financial advantage.
As of June 30, her campaign reported approximately $3.22 million in cash on hand after raising $646,865 during the first six months of 2026.
Major contributors included energy industry executives, property developers and political organizations.
Her largest listed contribution came from Ron Amini of Sage Energy Company, who donated $100,000.
Buckingham's fundraising advantage gives her considerably more resources for advertising, voter outreach and other campaign activities.
Benjamin Flores: Democratic Challenger
Democrat Benjamin Flores is challenging Buckingham with a campaign focused on government accountability, disaster preparedness, public education and affordable housing.
Flores initially entered the 2026 governor's race before switching to the contest for land commissioner.
He subsequently defeated veteran and labor leader Jose Loya in the Democratic primary.
Flores brings approximately 30 years of experience in cybersecurity and regulatory compliance, including work protecting county government systems from fraud and administrative errors.
Born in Mexico, Flores came to the United States in 1996.
He later lived in California, where he gained disaster response experience as a Community Emergency Response Team member.
In 2016, Flores and his family moved from Austin to Bay City, where they established a 10-acre farming operation raising heritage-breed pigs.
He was elected to the Bay City Council in 2023 after campaigning on government transparency.
Flores also serves on the Bay City Development Corporation and represents his community on the Houston-Galveston Area Council.
Flores' Priorities
Flores argues that the GLO should focus more heavily on its traditional responsibilities rather than immigration enforcement.
He has criticized Buckingham's use of agency resources to acquire and transfer land for border security operations.
Public education is another central issue in his campaign.
Flores wants to protect revenue generated through the Permanent School Fund and opposes school voucher programs, which he argues undermine the purpose of public land supporting public schools.
He has also proposed using state-owned property to encourage economic development.
His ideas include leasing land to data center developers and arranging land swaps designed to encourage affordable housing construction.
Disaster recovery is another major focus.
Flores wants to accelerate debris removal, simplify contract approvals and get recovery funding to communities more quickly after hurricanes, floods and other emergencies.
His proposal includes establishing a roster of qualified Texas contractors who could respond immediately following disasters.
Flores has also called for expanding services for veterans, including efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, improve childcare access and advocate for additional medical and assisted living facilities.
He supports establishing a Veterans Affairs hospital in the Rio Grande Valley and another assisted living home in the Coastal Bend.
On the Alamo controversy, Flores opposed the removal of former Alamo Trust President and CEO Kate Rogers following criticism of the Indigenous Peoples' Day post.
He has emphasized freedom of speech and the importance of allowing historical discussions without political interference.
Flores' Campaign Finances
Flores faces a significant fundraising challenge.
His campaign reported $3,001 in cash on hand as of June 30, after raising $8,139 during the first half of 2026.
His major listed contributors included Bill Naso of Strategic Messages, who provided $2,500 in in-kind support, and attorney Domingo Garcia, who contributed $1,000.
The financial gap between Flores and Buckingham could make it difficult for the Democratic nominee to compete through traditional statewide advertising.
Neill Snider: Libertarian Candidate
Neill Snider is offering voters a third option in the land commissioner's race.
A mechanical contractor and small cattle operation owner from Waco, Snider has spent approximately four decades working in trade industries.
His professional background includes managing projects, meeting payroll and dealing with government regulations.
Snider's campaign reflects the Libertarian Party's emphasis on individual rights, limited government and private property.
Snider's Priorities
Snider wants the General Land Office to operate more efficiently while reducing the financial burden on taxpayers.
His proposals include maximizing profits from state-owned land and potentially selling certain properties to generate revenue.
He also supports responsible energy production and fair leasing practices.
Transparency is another priority, with Snider calling for greater accountability in how the agency conducts business.
His approach differs from both major-party candidates by emphasizing a smaller government role in managing public resources.
Snider's Campaign Finances
Snider's campaign reported no cash on hand as of June 30.
He received $694 in in-kind contributions from the Libertarian Booster PAC during the first six months of 2026.
Like Flores, Snider faces the challenge of reaching voters without the financial resources available to the Republican incumbent.
Three Different Visions for Texas Public Lands
The candidates' differences become especially clear when examining how they would use state property.
Buckingham favors expanding energy development, supporting border security operations and maintaining conservative oversight of the Alamo.
Flores wants greater emphasis on public education, affordable housing, disaster response and environmental resilience.
Snider supports maximizing financial returns from public land while reducing government involvement wherever possible.
Their positions also reflect different approaches to the relationship between economic development and public responsibility.
Buckingham sees energy production as an important driver of Texas' economic strength and national security.
Flores argues that public lands should be managed with greater attention to long-term community needs, including climate-related risks along the Texas coast.
Snider emphasizes private enterprise, property rights and reducing unnecessary government restrictions.
What Should Voters Watch?
Several issues could shape the final weeks of the campaign.
Disaster recovery remains important for communities still dealing with damage from past storms and preparing for future emergencies.
Public school funding could also receive increased attention as candidates debate how to generate and distribute revenue from state-owned property.
Energy development presents another dividing line, particularly as Texas considers new technologies and growing electricity demand.
And the continuing debate over the Alamo could keep questions about Texas history and cultural preservation in the political spotlight.
The financial imbalance between the campaigns is also striking, with Buckingham holding millions of dollars while her opponents report comparatively limited resources.
Ultimately, the election will determine who manages one of Texas' oldest agencies and how its considerable resources will be used over the next four years.
For voters, the choice extends far beyond public land management. It touches public schools, veterans, disaster recovery, energy production and the preservation of Texas history.
