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John R. Carter

U.S. House · TX-31 · Republicans · since 2025

also

Candidate for U.S. House · TX-31

Target John

Biography

Overview

John R. Carter is a Republican U.S. Representative from Texas's 31st congressional district, serving since 2003. The district includes the northern suburbs of Austin and Fort Hood. Before his election to Congress, Carter was a judge of the 277th District Court of Williamson County for 20 years, and he previously worked as a lawyer, including as the first general counsel to the Texas House of Representatives' Agriculture Committee.

Career

Carter sponsored the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, which was signed into law in 2004. He has championed military and veterans benefits legislation, including the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act and bills supporting Fort Hood victims. As chair of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee since 2018, he leads oversight of defense construction and veterans healthcare appropriations. He also co-chairs the House Army Caucus and serves as Secretary of the House Republican Conference.

Prior political experience

Carter first ran for Congress in 2002 in the newly created 31st District, finishing second in the Republican primary before winning a runoff against Peter Wareing. In 2016, he was reelected with 166,060 votes (58.4%) over Democratic nominee Mike Clark and Libertarian Scott Ballard. In 2018, he defeated Democratic nominee MJ Hegar with 144,680 votes (50.6%) to her 136,362 (47.7%), marking his smallest victory margin. He was reelected to his 13th term in Congress in 2024.

Biographical material adapted from the Wikipedia article (retrieved April 29, 2026), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Ideology

Liberal–Conservative (DW-NOMINATE dim 1)

Liberal
Conservative
119th Congress+0.487

Secondary axis (DW-NOMINATE dim 2)(?)

−1
+1
+0.547
Source: Voteview DW-NOMINATE · 342 scored votes

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Officeholding history

TermSeatTerm datesTerminationPredecessorSuccessor
12thU.S. House TX-312025–presentIn progressJohn R. Carter—
11thU.S. House TX-312023–2025Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
10thU.S. House TX-312021–2023Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
9thU.S. House TX-312019–2021Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
8thU.S. House TX-312017–2019Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
7thU.S. House TX-312015–2017Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
6thU.S. House TX-312013–2015Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
5thU.S. House TX-312011–2013Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
4thU.S. House TX-312009–2011Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
3rdU.S. House TX-312007–2009Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
2ndU.S. House TX-312005–2007Term endedJohn R. CarterJohn R. Carter
1stU.S. House TX-312003–2005Term ended—John R. Carter

Committee assignments

  • Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
    HouseChair· 2025–present
  • Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
    House· 2025–present
  • House Committee on Appropriations
    House· 2025–present
  • Defense
    House· 2025–present

Current term legislation

Bills sponsored this term4

Bills cosponsored this term10

Elections

YearSeatResultVote shareField
——Pending——