State · November 3, 2026 General Election
This race is on every Texas ballot. Texas Secretary of State — Offices up for Election in 2026 ↗
Runs the General Land Office: state-owned land and mineral rights, the Permanent School Fund that helps pay for public schools, and coastal and disaster-recovery programs.
What this office does
The land commissioner heads the General Land Office, which manages roughly 13 million acres of state land. It leases those lands and their minerals for oil, gas and other commercial uses, generating revenue for the Permanent School Fund — an endowment created from state lands that helps fund Texas public schools. The office also safeguards more than 3,400 miles of coastline through cleanups and storm recovery, allocates disaster recovery funding, runs veterans programs including home loans, care homes and state cemeteries, and operates the Alamo.
| What we compare | Dawn BuckinghamHolds this office | Benjamin Flores | Neil Snider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Now | Commissioner, Texas General Land OfficeTexas General Land Office – About the Commissioner ↗ | — | — |
| Before | Texas State Senate, District 24 (85th, 86th, and 87th Legislatures; Jan 10, 2017 – Jan 10, 2023)Texas Legislative Reference Library – Member Profile: Dawn Buckingham ↗ | — | — |
| Work | Oculoplastic Surgeon (M.D.)Texas General Land Office – About the Commissioner ↗ | — | — |
| Raised | $2.41M$2,411,979 in total receipts, through Jun 30, 2026 — Search the Texas Ethics Commission for Dawn Buckingham's filings | $27K$27,044 in total receipts, through Jun 30, 2026 — Search the Texas Ethics Commission for Benjamin Flores's filings | $694$694 in total receipts, through Jun 30, 2026 — Search the Texas Ethics Commission for Neil Snider's filings |
| Their words | “The General Land Office is the most important state agency that so many Texans have never heard of. As our state's first female Land Commissioner, my job is to manage, maximize, and protect the millions of acres of state lands that stretch from our beautiful coast to the Texas Panhandle, and everywhere in between.”Dawn Buckingham Campaign Website — self-reported ↗ | “I bring 30 years of professional experience in cybersecurity, risk management, governance, and compliance. These aren't just transferable skills; they're the foundation for transforming how the General Land Office operates.”Benjamin Flores for Land Commissioner – Q & A — self-reported ↗ | “I'm Neill Snider of Waco, Texas—a mechanical contractor, small cattle operation owner, and Libertarian candidate for Texas Land Commissioner.”Campaign website (neillsnider.com) — self-reported ↗ |
| Records check | 4 official registries searched for every candidate in this race on 28 July 2026 — nothing found. Texas Legislature (impeachment records) · Texas Ethics Commission (final orders) · State Bar of Texas (attorney discipline) · Texas State Securities Board (enforcement orders). | ||
| Full profile → | Full profile → | Full profile → | |
Money figures are as filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, and cover only the period each report covers — they are a snapshot, not a live total. Each candidate’s profile carries that filing’s own caveats.
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