Republican Nathaniel Moran wins reelection in Texas' 1st Congressional District
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Republican Nathaniel Moran won reelection to the U.S. House in Texas' 1st District with 68.5% of votes counted.
The East Texas seat has not been held by a Democrat since 2005.
Background
Nathaniel Moran is the Republican U.S. Representative for Texas' First Congressional District, a former Smith County judge first elected to Congress in November 2022. The district spans 17 counties in East Texas and serves nearly 767,000 residents, with congressional maps redrawn in 2025. He faced Democratic nominee Yolanda R. Prince, a Tyler native who has worked in university projects. A Democrat has not held the seat since Max Sandlin, who left office in 2005 after being defeated by Louie Gohmert.
How it unfolded
- Nov 2022Nathaniel Moran is elected to Congress; he begins his first term in January 2023.
- Jul 23, 2026Moran and Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) introduce the Shipbuilding Investment and Workforce Act, aimed at strengthening U.S. shipbuilding through Maritime Prosperity Zones.
- Oct 3, 2026Moran discusses AI guardrails, affordability and his reelection bid on East Texas Politics, where he is seeking reelection against Democratic nominee Yolanda Prince.
- Oct 30, 2026A report says Moran, a Ways and Means Republican, sponsored the House film tax credit bill filed early this fall; a score from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation is expected to shape its path.
- Nov 3, 2026As of 9 p.m., 39.41% of votes are counted; the Associated Press projects Moran the winner with 75,830 votes (68.5%) to Yolanda R. Prince's 34,950 (31.5%), per Texas Tribune reporting. Moran is in Tyler at Rick's on the Square for the Smith County Republican Party's watch party.
- Nov 4, 2026The Associated Press reports Moran wins reelection to the U.S. House in Texas' 1st Congressional District.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Moran said he understands East Texas values and wants to serve his constituents another term; his website states his values are conservative and his goal is to protect faith, family and freedom while ensuring East Texans' voices are heard.
- Analysts
- Reporting notes a Democrat has not held this seat since Max Sandlin left office in 2005 after being defeated by Louie Gohmert.
Still unverified
The cost of Moran's film tax credit bill is not yet clear, and a Joint Committee on Taxation score is still pending, according to reporting.