Benjamin Flores, a Democrat from Bay City, is running for Texas land commissioner in the Nov. 3 general election. He faces Republican Dawn Buckingham and Libertarian Neill Snider.

Asked why he is seeking the office, Flores said in our candidate questionnaire, "I believe the Texas General Land Office should work for everyday Texans, not special interests or political agendas." He added, "I am running because I want to protect the land and resources that belong to all Texans, strengthen support for our public schools and veterans, defend property owners, and make sure the General Land Office is focused on service rather than politics."

Candidate information

Party: Democrat

Family: "My wife An and my beautiful daughter Nadia," Flores said in our questionnaire.

Education: "I studied Geography at a university in Mexico before coming to the United States," Flores said in our questionnaire. "My education and professional development later shifted toward technology, and I am currently continuing my studies in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance."

Flores was born in Mexico City and came to the United States in 1996, according to the Texas Tribune.

Health: In June 2026, Flores was diagnosed with leukemia. Two weeks later, he announced he was in remission while addressing the Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi, according to the Texas Tribune. He stated he would remain in the race and was receiving treatment at MD Anderson in Houston.

Flores has stated that if elected, he would become the first Latino land commissioner in Texas history, according to the Texas Tribune.

Experience and public service

Flores described his background in our questionnaire: "I am a cybersecurity professional with roughly 30 years of experience in information technology and security." He continued, "My career began with working-class jobs, including at KFC, a car wash, and in hotel IT, before I built a long career in technology and cybersecurity."

He serves as a Bay City councilmember, according to the Texas Tribune. He was elected in 2023 on a campaign pushing for transparency in local government. He has also served on the Bay City Development Corporation board and the Houston-Galveston Area Council.

Flores originally declared his candidacy for governor before switching to the land commissioner race. He cited opposition to how the land commissioner used General Land Office resources to support border and immigration enforcement, according to the Texas Tribune.

On the issues

What sets him apart: Asked about critical differences between himself and other candidates, Flores said in our questionnaire, "I bring nearly 30 years of experience in cybersecurity, risk management, and technology, along with service as a city councilman and firsthand experience with agriculture and small-town Texas." He said, "I am not running to use the General Land Office as a political stepping stone. I am running to manage it professionally, protect public lands, support veterans, strengthen the Permanent School Fund, improve disaster recovery, and bring greater transparency and accountability to the office."

Education funding: Flores strongly opposes school vouchers, according to the Texas Tribune. On the Permanent School Fund, he said via his campaign, "I'll prioritize getting money to public schools that need it and school districts to help them lower your property taxes."

Veterans: Flores told the Texas Tribune he would advocate for a VA hospital in the Rio Grande Valley and a new assisted living home in the Coastal Bend region. Via his campaign, he said he would "improve and expand veteran home loan and support services and work to reduce the burden of traveling long distances to receive assistance or medical treatment."

Disaster recovery: Flores told the Texas Tribune he would streamline disaster response by accelerating debris removal and contract approvals and would create "a roster of pre-vetted Texas contractors ready to mobilize."

Energy: Flores said via his campaign, "I'll invite more solar and wind energy producers to join the oil and gas companies operating on state land."

Best advice: Asked about the best advice he ever received, Flores said in our questionnaire, "The best advice ever shared with me came from my mother: 'No seas agachado.'" He explained, "…she taught me not to shrink myself, stay silent, or back down when something was wrong."

The general election is Nov. 3.