Republican candidate Trey Trainor, who previously served as Chairman of the Federal Election Commission from 2020 to 2025, has emphasized the urgent need for experienced leadership in Texas's 21st Congressional District. In a recent interview on the civic-focused series Vote Like a Texan, Trainor framed the 2026 primary as a defining decision point, particularly in a district where the Republican primary is likely to determine the next member of Congress. He warned that Texas is about to lose significant seniority and influence in Congress due to multiple open seats, stating the next representative must be ready to lead immediately.
Trainor discussed his tenure overseeing federal election law and campaign finance enforcement, stressing the importance of restoring accountability, transparency, and constitutional limits in Washington. He highlighted key issues including border security reimbursement to ensure federal dollars return directly to Texas communities, national security concerns in the Western Hemisphere, and the reassertion of American leadership. The candidate also addressed how federal leadership intersects with local realities such as water infrastructure, wildfire risk, flooding, law enforcement, and economic growth across the Hill Country's nine counties.
Unlike first-time candidates, Trainor emphasized that his career has been spent navigating the exact systems he seeks to reform, from advising national party leadership to testifying before Congress and confronting bureaucratic overreach. He positioned himself as a candidate prepared to immediately advocate for Texas interests, citing his long-standing relationship with former President Donald Trump and commitment to codifying policy reforms into lasting law to ensure continuity beyond any single administration. A central theme of the conversation was civic participation, with Trainor urging voters to recognize that in districts like CD-21, the primary election is often the decisive moment where the future representative is chosen.
The full episode of Vote Like a Texan featuring Trey Trainor provides voters with a comprehensive look at his background, priorities, and vision for Texas leadership in Congress. To learn more about Trey Trainor's campaign, visit https://www.trey4tx.com/.
