Candidate · November 3, 2026
Houston Gaines
On the ballot for U.S. House · Georgia's 10th District
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $2.8M
- cash on hand
- $1.1M
- issues with public statements
- 15
- outside spending for or against
- $1.5M
§1On the ballot
Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.
| Office | U.S. House · Georgia's 10th District1, |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Republican1, |
| Status | Open seat — no incumbent is running for this seat. |
| How it's decided | If no candidate wins a majority (more than half of the votes), the top two finishers meet in a runoff on December 1, 2026.4 |
| Also on the ballot |
|
§2Who they are
Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
His campaign website says Houston Gaines was born and raised in Athens and has served in the Georgia House of Representatives since 2019, representing Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties.5 It says he has spent his career helping grow small businesses and works with Carter Engineering, a small business in Oconee County.5 It says he served as student body president at the University of Georgia and was named one of the university’s 40 Under 40 in 2022.5 It says he has authored more than 20 bills that passed the Georgia legislature.5
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says he wants to take the fight he has led in the Georgia legislature to Washington and help President Trump continue to deliver for the American people.6
Websites and accounts
- Campaign websitehoustongaines.com6,
7 - Facebookfacebook.com/HoustonGaines6
- X (Twitter)x.com/houstongaines6
§3What they've said on the issues
Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.
Immigration
His campaign website says his state legislation ensured total cooperation with ICE and that he worked to put a stop to sanctuary policies in Georgia.5,
- Require full cooperation, with penalties for places that limit it
- Let each state, county or city decide
- Cooperate only in cases involving people convicted of serious crimes
- Bar police and jails from helping without a judge's warrant
His campaign website lists deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes among his priorities, and says deportations must continue and the border must stay secure.8
Crime, Policing and Prisons
His campaign website says the country needs to invest in public safety and help law enforcement, and that in Georgia he led the effort to stop the defund the police movement and passed legislation adding hundreds of millions of dollars in law enforcement support.8
- Increase police funding, for example to hire more officers
- Keep funding near current levels
- Shift some police funding to mental health, housing or other services
His campaign website says he carried legislation to stop cashless bail in Georgia.5
- Require bail or jail before trial for more charges
- Keep current bail rules
- End or reduce cash bail, with judges deciding release based on risk
Taxes and Budget
His campaign website says the country’s debt is out of control, that DOGE should keep rooting out wasteful spending, and that Congress should cut spending and cut taxes.8
- Increase overall federal spending
- Hold overall spending near current levels
- Cut overall federal spending
- Cut spending enough to balance the budget within 10 years
His campaign website says Congress should cut taxes, as he says he has done in Georgia.8
Foreign Policy and Defense
His campaign website says the country must continue to rebuild its military and that peace comes through strength.8
Courts, Rights and Civil Liberties
His campaign website says the military should refocus on what matters and not on DEI in the ranks.8
His campaign website says he voted for Georgia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.8
Agriculture and Rural Life
His campaign website says the Chinese Communist Party is trying to take over American farmland and that the country cannot let it.8
Education
His campaign website says he voted in Georgia to stop people born male from competing in women’s sports.8
- Require teams based on sex at birth
- Let each state decide
- Let schools or sports organizations set rules case by case
- Teams based on gender identity
Abortion and Reproductive Health
His campaign website says he is pro-life and voted for Georgia’s Heartbeat Bill.8
His campaign website says he will join President Trump and Congress to defund Planned Parenthood.8
- Bar public funds for abortions and for groups that provide them, including for their other services
- Bar public funds for most abortions, but let clinics that provide them be paid for other care
- Let Medicaid and other public programs cover abortion (ending the Hyde Amendment)
Guns
His campaign website says that in the Georgia legislature he has supported Constitutional Carry.8
- No permit needed for adults who can legally own a gun
- Require a permit, with a background check and training
- Require a permit and bar carrying in more places, such as parks, public transit and bars
Elections and Government Reform
His campaign website says he wants to put an end to insider trading in Congress immediately and restore ethics in Washington.8
§4Money
Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.
Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.9
| Raised | $2,816,583 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $1,754,505 |
| Cash on hand | $1,062,079 |
Where the money came from
Outside spending
Groups spending independently reported $1,533,041 supporting and $0 opposing Houston Gaines this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 20, 2026.10
| Group | Supporting | Opposing |
|---|---|---|
| DEFEND AMERICAN JOBS | $708,829 | — |
| Gets It Done PAC | $375,815 | — |
| AMERICAN MISSION | $261,555 | — |
| CONSERVATIVES FOR AMERICAN EXCELLENCE INC. | $107,435 | — |
| SAVE AMERICAN FREEDOM | $34,409 | — |
| Charter Schools Action PAC | $23,075 | — |
| GOPAC Election Fund | $21,924 | — |
Smaller expenditures that appear only on a group's regular monthly or quarterly report aren't in these totals, so the full amounts can be somewhat higher. When a group amends a report, only its latest version is counted.
§5Financial disclosures
Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.
- Candidate financial disclosure report11filed May 15, 2026
- Candidate financial disclosure report12filed Nov 26, 2025