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Union-First Candidate Marcos Vélez Advances to Primary Runoff for Lieutenant Governor

Texas AFL-CIO
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TEXAS – Today, the Texas AFL-CIO released the following statement on United Steelworkers (USW) member Marcos Vélez heading to the runoff for Texas Lieutenant Governor.

“Marcos understands what Texas families are going through because he’s worked for everything he has,” said Texas AFL-CIO President Leonard Aguilar. “He’s ready to fight to raise wages, lower health care costs, and fully fund our public schools. It’s time to give Dan Patrick the boot, and the first step is to elect Marcos Vélez in the May runoff. He won’t just fight for workers — he’ll fight alongside us.”

Raised in Houston by a single mother, Vélez learned the value of hard work as a teenager working in his grandfather’s diesel shop. After high school, he went to work in Texas refineries, first pulling wrenches and later serving as an area operator. He knows the realities of shift work, long nights, and the responsibility that comes with keeping industrial plants running safely. Eventually, Vélez joined the United Steelworkers (USW), where he has spent more than a decade bargaining with major corporations for safer conditions, fair pay, and stronger benefits.

Early voting for the May 26, 2026 Primary Runoff will be from May 18 to May 22.

Union-first candidates in the May 26 runoff election: 

  • Texas Lieutenant Governor: Marcos Vélez, Assistant Director of United Steelworkers (USW) District 13
  • Texas House, District 49 (Austin): Montserrat Garibay, Former Texas AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer; Member of Education Austin
  • Texas House, District 125 (San Antonio): Adrian Reyna, Member of San Antonio Alliance

Union-first candidates heading to the General Election: 

  • Texas Supreme Court, Place 1: Maggie Ellis, Member of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) 1624 and Texas State Employees Union (TSEU), Communications Workers of America (CWA) 6186
  • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9: Holly Taylor, Member of AFSCME Texas Retiree Chapter 12
  • U.S. House, District 19 (Lubbock): Kyle Rable, Member of TSEU (CWA 6186)
  • U.S. House, District 27 (Victoria/Austin): Tanya Lloyd, Member of Texas AFT
  • Texas Senate, District 9 (Fort Worth): Taylor Rehmet (incumbent), President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Texas State Council
  • Texas House, District 28 (Richmond): Sandy Ibáñez, Member of Fort Bend AFT
  • Texas House, District 47 (Austin): Pooja Sethi, Member of TSEU (CWA 6186)
  • Texas House, District 70 (Dallas): Mihaela Plesa (incumbent), Member of TSEU (CWA 6186)
  • Texas House, District 146 (Houston): Lauren Ashley Simmons (incumbent), Member of TSEU (CWA 6186) & CWA 1180

Other statewide Texas AFL-CIO endorsement wins included Gina Hinojosa for Governor and Sarah Eckhardt for Comptroller of Public Accounts, both members of TSEU (CWA 6186). The Texas AFL-CIO also endorsed Nathan Johnson for Attorney General, who is also headed to a runoff.

Background: 

In June 2025, union delegates passed a resolution calling for the Texas AFL-CIO to recruit, equip, and empower Texas union members to run for office. In Oct. 2025, the organization graduated its first class of 16 members, which included Montserrat Garibay who's running for Texas House District 49. 

State Senator Taylor Rehmet, a veteran and the president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Texas State Council, kicked off this wave of union candidates in January when he became the first rank-and-file member to ever serve in the Texas Senate. Rehmet is a graduate of the Texas AFL-CIO’s Ruth Ellinger Leadership Academy.

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The Texas AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) is the state labor federation consisting of more than 250,000 affiliated union members and advocates for working people in Texas. Learn more at texasaflcio.org