Texas House District 41 candidates Gary Groves and Julio Salinas outline platforms
Related Story
Hidalgo County, TX (KRGV) — Voters in Texas House District 41 will soon have a new representative after Rep. Bobby Guerra announced last year he would not seek re-election.
Voters will have two candidates to choose from in the race for Texas House District 41. The district covers parts of Hidalgo County, including Edinburg and McAllen.
Republican Gary Groves is a former precinct chair in the Hidalgo County Republican Party. He holds a degree in economics and says he never expected to run for office.
“I've been involved in politics. We're here with the GOP for 10-plus years, and I kind of got selected for this. I've never run for office before,” Republican candidate Gary Groves said.
If elected, Groves says he wants to make living in The Valley more affordable.
“A reduction of property taxes to take the school tax portion off of their properties,” Groves said.
He also intends to help the trucking industry.
“Working on that to stop frivolous lawsuits that will bring the rate of insurance down that these companies have to pay, which will mean the prices of goods that trucking companies move will come down, and that will be great,” Groves said.
Democrat Julio Salinas brings experience working in the Texas Legislature, where he has worked since 2021 as a legislative director. He also holds degrees in government and economics.
“My experience in the Texas Legislature has really allowed me to figure out what the best avenues of figuring out how to work for the Rio Grande Valley,” Salinas said. “If I were to be elected, I'd be the youngest elected representative in the Texas House."
Salinas says healthcare is his top priority.
“We hope to expand Medicaid and cap prescription drug prices like insulin and EpiPens, fighting for healthcare prices to be lower,” Salinas said.
Salinas said he also wants to address housing costs and invest in the Valley's infrastructure.
“We would love to fight for a high-speed rail program that connects Monterrey with the rest of the Texas triangle going through here in the Rio Grande Valley, which would create massive investments before the first spike is even driven into the ground,” Salinas said.
Early voting begins Oct. 19, 2026. Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026.
Click here for more voting resources.
Watch the video above for the full story.
News
