State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, is running for reelection to the Texas House of Representatives for District 40.

State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, is running for reelection to the Texas House of Representatives for District 40.

Canales announced his reelection campaign in a July 4 news release.

“This past year has brought serious challenges—not just in public life, but personally. I’ve faced health issues, and several members of my family have as well,” Canales said in the announcement. “Through it all, I’ve felt the strength of my community and the deep responsibility that comes with public service. That’s why I’m running for re-election.”

Canales was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2013.

“Serving as a state representative is one of the greatest honors of my life. But it comes with great sacrifice—not just for me, but for my wife and our five beautiful children,” Canales said. “Still, we know this work matters. The Rio Grande Valley is changing. Texas politics is changing. And we need steady, effective leadership more than ever.”

In highlighting his tenure, Canales said he is the first Latino to chair the powerful House Transportation Committee. He also said he has a reputation for bipartisan leadership and has delivered results for District 40.

Canales said he has been successful in Austin by expanding infrastructure investment across the Valley and securing highway funding; for championing water infrastructure and flood mitigation in underserved regions; by advocating for fair funding in public education; for fighting for access to health care and mental health services in low-income communities and for helping to pass open government and transparency reforms to make public records more accessible.

In the release, Canales said there is much more work to do in the Texas Legislature.

“We still have families who can’t access clean drinking water. We still have rural communities being left out of broadband and economic opportunity,” Canales said. “Our teachers are overworked and underpaid. And our health care system is strained and underfunded. The work is far from finished.

If he’s reelected, Canales said he will focus on investing in infrastructure and mobility to meet the needs of a fast-growing Valley; to protect public schools from political attacks and funding cuts; by ensuring South Texas has a seat at the table in water, energy and border security debates; and by fighting for the rights of underserved communities, small businesses and working families.

Now more than ever, the Valley deserves leaders who show up, speak up, and deliver,” Canales said. “I’m proud of what we’ve done—but I’m even more driven by what we still need to accomplish.”

Originally published at MyRGV.com: https://myrgv.com/featured/2025/07/15/edinburg-lawmaker-announces-reelection-campaign-to-texas-house-seat/