Jessi Cowart, a Libertarian and lifelong Montgomery County resident, is running for Texas House District 15 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Cowart said she entered the race because the political landscape in Texas and across the country has become "toxic." She said she wants to bring "fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, and common sense back to Austin."
The following profile is based on Cowart's responses to a candidate questionnaire and her campaign materials.
Candidate information
Party: Libertarian
Education: Bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, 2003, graduating with honors
Occupation: Cowart said she is a certified Project Management Professional and works as a senior project manager specializing in software implementations. She said she has experience in human resources and integrated workplace management systems.
Family: Cowart and her husband, Bobby, met at Oak Ridge High School, where both graduated. Their children are also Oak Ridge graduates and are working toward bachelor's degrees at Sam Houston State University. Cowart's family has lived in Montgomery County for three generations, since her grandfather built his first home there in 1970, before The Woodlands was founded.
Family in politics or government: None, according to Cowart's questionnaire response.
Experience and public service
Cowart holds several roles within the Libertarian Party. She has served as chair of the Libertarian Party of Montgomery County since 2021. In April 2026, she was again elected to the executive committee of the Libertarian Party of Texas, where she has served several terms, including one as vice chair.
She previously served on the Libertarian National Committee. There she was elected chair of the Financial Standard Committee and served on the Employment Policy and Compensation Committee.
Cowart wrote in her questionnaire that her project management background translates to the Legislature because both require "managing complex issues, competing priorities, budgets, deadlines, and diverse stakeholders."
On the issues
Property taxes: Cowart's campaign says Texans deserve to own their homes, not "rent from the government." She supports using the state surplus to reduce school taxes and moving Texas toward eliminating property taxes.
Government spending: Cowart supports reducing the size of government and stopping overspending. She said she is not beholden to political action committees or "megadonors." She said most of her campaign donations have come from individuals rather than corporations or other entities.
Criminal justice: Cowart supports ending the jailing of nonviolent offenders. She said she would push for "smarter, fairer justice policies that protect liberty and safety."
Civil asset forfeiture: Cowart supports abolishing civil asset forfeiture, saying no Texan should lose property without being convicted of a crime.
National Guard: Cowart supports Defend the Guard legislation, which would keep the Texas National Guard under state authority unless Congress formally declares war.
Political reform: Cowart said that, unlike Republicans and Democrats, she supports both economic freedom and personal freedom. In her candidacy announcement on Woodlands Online, she said, "Folks are fed up with the old parties and looking for something better, something that represents them."
