Est. 2026Clarity Over Consensus

THE STOVALL REPORT

A Disciplined Daily Brief for Serious People

Stovall Report: TX-23

Daily local news and a civic brief for Texas’s 23rd Congressional District.

Last updated June 6, 2026(96 days ago)

Useful. Local. Verifiable.

Ranked by importance to residents

What Matters Most in TX-23

The district stories that affect the most people this week — council and school-board decisions, public safety, water, roads, taxes, elections — scored nightly and ranked. Sports and obituaries stay in the daily list below.

01Public safety · Sep 9 · NewsWest 9 (Midland-Odessa)

Reeves County Fire Emergency Services deployed to Ross Fire

Bottom lineReeves County Fire Emergency Services has been deployed to assist with the Ross Fire. The deployment involves local fire crews responding to the active wildfire incident.

Why it matters in TX-23This emergency response affects residents in Reeves County and surrounding West Texas areas facing wildfire risks. No specific meeting dates or deadlines were mentioned in the report.

02Economy · Sep 9 · Devine News (Medina County)

Medina County terminates 2021 tax deal with Microsoft

Bottom lineMedina County commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to terminate a 2021 economic development agreement with Microsoft, ending an 80 percent tax abatement for a local data center.

Why it matters in TX-23This change affects Medina County residents by ensuring Microsoft pays its full share of local property taxes rather than receiving an 80 percent break, following the company's earlier pledge to unwind existing tax incentives.

03Government · Sep 9 · 830 Times (Del Rio)

NEWS — Council approves city budget, holds tax rate steady and raises fees

Bottom lineThe Del Rio City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget with a 6-0 vote, keeping the property tax rate steady at $0.7070 per $100 of valuation while raising fees for the international bridge and water services.

Why it matters in TX-23Del Rio residents face no change in property taxes for 2026 but will pay higher tolls for bridge crossings and increased connection fees for new water and sewer services. The budget also includes a 2% salary adjustment for non-civil service employees.

04Elections · Sep 8 · Big Bend Sentinel (Marfa)

Democratic candidates visit county on Labor Day weekend

Bottom lineDemocratic candidates Eddie Morales and Clayton Tucker visited Shafter and Presidio on Labor Day weekend to oppose border wall projects and discuss water protection. They met with residents and local leaders to address concerns regarding the wall's impact on Big Bend's natural beauty and mining operations.

Why it matters in TX-23Residents in Presidio County and the Big Bend region are directly affected by potential border wall construction and mining expansions that threaten water supplies and local landscapes. The candidates' opposition highlights upcoming election choices on these critical infrastructure and environmental issues.

05Border · Sep 9 · Big Bend Sentinel (Marfa)

Head of Homeland Security to meet with area officials today on border wall issues

Bottom lineHomeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is scheduled to meet with area county judges today at 3 p.m. to discuss border wall projects. Two judges reported Mullin was a no-show for the meeting.

Why it matters in TX-23This meeting concerns border wall construction in Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park. A construction pause for these projects is currently in effect until September 30 to allow for public engagement.

06Public safety · Sep 9 · Uvalde Leader-News

AirLIFE Uvalde will fly injured K9s to emergency vets

Bottom lineAirLIFE Uvalde announced on August 25 that it will transport injured law enforcement K9s to 24-hour veterinary clinics in San Antonio. The service, effective August 24, covers over 200 dogs across Southwest Texas.

Why it matters in TX-23This change affects over 200 law enforcement dogs in the region, primarily with Customs and Border Protection, by reducing emergency transport times from over an hour to under an hour. Rapid access to specialized care aims to improve survival rates for canines working in remote areas.

Updated daily · Thursday, September 10

Latest in TX-23

Local news from district newspapers, radio, and regional outlets that cover our counties — gathered every morning, newest first, with a plain-language bottom line and what it means for the district. Headlines link to the original source.

Brief not updated this week

This hand-authored civic brief was last updated June 6, 2026 (96 days ago). Section titles may still say “This Week” — treat content as a snapshot from that date, not live district news.

Snapshot · last updated June 6, 2026

This Week in TX-23

Still no date set to fill the empty U.S. House seat

What changedMore than seven weeks after Rep. Tony Gonzales resigned, Gov. Greg Abbott has not announced a date for a special election to fill the TX-23 seat.

Why it mattersUntil the seat is filled, TX-23 has no voting member in the U.S. House — no one casting floor votes on the district's behalf.

Who's affectedAll ~800,000 district residents, and anyone with a case pending before a federal agency that was being handled by the congressional office.

What you can doCasework continues: the district office still helps residents with federal agencies under the House Clerk, and both U.S. senators serve all Texans. Contacts are in “Your Representation in Congress” below.

Your November ballot is set — on new district lines

What changedTX-23 will vote on Nov. 3 under Texas's new (2025) congressional map, which the U.S. Supreme Court allowed to take effect for 2026. Four candidates have qualified for the seat.

Why it mattersThe district's boundaries changed, so some residents are now in a different congressional district — and this is the next scheduled chance to elect a representative.

Who's affectedAll registered voters, especially residents near the district's edges whose lines may have shifted.

What you can doConfirm your registration and which district you're in at VoteTexas.gov. The registration deadline for the November election is Oct. 5, 2026.

Water rules stay tight as the region works through a long drought

What changedThe San Antonio Water System (SAWS) has held some of the strictest watering limits in its history through spring 2026, though recent rains have eased conditions somewhat.

Why it mattersWatering rules affect daily life in the district's most populous corner, while low rangeland moisture keeps pressure on ranchers across the rural counties.

Who's affectedSan Antonio–area households on the district's eastern edge, and ranchers and farmers district-wide.

What you can doCheck your current SAWS watering day before you water; rural producers can track conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Your Representation in Congress

U.S. House seat: VACANTVacant since April 14, 2026

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R) resigned effective April 14, 2026, amid a House Ethics Committee investigation.

TX-23 currently has no voting representative in the U.S. House. The district's congressional offices remain open and keep serving residents under the supervision of the Clerk of the House. By House rule, the vacant office can help with casework and explain the status of legislation, but cannot take policy positions, advocate, or cast votes.

What residents can still do

TX-23 district office (continuing under the House Clerk)
Del Rio office(830) 308-6200
Sen. John Cornyn
Washington(202) 224-2934
San Antonio(210) 224-7485
Sen. Ted Cruz
Washington(202) 224-5922
San Antonio(210) 340-2885
Contact federal agencies directly
Any federal agency (directory)usa.gov/agency-index

Next key dateNo special election has been scheduled. The next regularly scheduled U.S. House election is Nov. 3, 2026 (register by Oct. 5, 2026).

Local Items Worth Knowing

Supreme Court lets Texas use its new congressional map in 2026

The Texas Tribune · Apr 27, 2026

Included becauseThe ruling redrew TX-23's boundaries for this year's election.

Why it matters in TX-23Some residents are now in a different congressional district; it's worth checking which one is yours before November.

New bill would force states to fill U.S. House vacancies within 180 days

The Texas Tribune · Apr 30, 2026

Included becauseIt directly responds to long House vacancies, including TX-23's.

Why it matters in TX-23If it became law, districts like TX-23 wouldn't go many months without a voting representative the way this seat is now.

Border crossings in the Del Rio and Big Bend sectors remain far below their recent peak

U.S. Customs and Border Protection · 2025 data

Included becauseTX-23 covers the longest stretch of the U.S.–Mexico border of any congressional district.

Why it matters in TX-23Border activity shapes traffic at ports of entry, local law-enforcement workload, and federal resources in the district's border counties.

District Signals

U.S.–Mexico border
800+ miles

The longest stretch of the border of any U.S. House district.

Geography
W. San Antonio → Big Bend

Mostly rural Southwest Texas; includes part of San Antonio on its eastern edge.

Static baselineAs of 2026 map
Wikipedia — TX-23
Population
~806,000

District residents (under the 2022–2024 boundaries; see note).

AnnualAs of 2024
U.S. Census Bureau
Hispanic / Latino residents
~63%

A majority-Hispanic district (2022–2024 boundaries; see note).

AnnualAs of 2024
U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. House seat
Vacant

No voting representative since April 14, 2026.

CurrentAs of June 6, 2026
Clerk of the House
Next federal election
Nov 3, 2026

Register by Oct. 5, 2026 to vote.

CurrentAs of June 6, 2026
Texas Secretary of State

Population and demographic figures describe the district under its 2022–2024 boundaries. The lines changed for 2026 (see above); updated Census estimates for the new map are not yet available.

About This Page

This page is updated weekly for residents of Texas’s 23rd Congressional District. Items are included when they have a direct district connection or a clear local impact. We prioritize primary sources, local reporting, and practical usefulness over volume.

We include an item only if it answers at least one of these:

  • Does this directly mention TX-23 or a place inside it?
  • Does this affect residents’ representation, services, taxes, schools, roads, health care, land, water, energy, border crossings, farms, public safety, or elections?
  • Is there something residents can do, watch, verify, attend, or prepare for?