Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin

Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin is the Democratic candidate for the Texas House of Representatives, District 97, in the November 3, 2026 general election, after winning the May 26, 2026 Democratic primary runoff.[1][3] She is a longtime public school teacher who faces Republican incumbent John McQueeney.[1][2][3]

Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin was born in Portland, Oregon, and earned a bachelor's degree in French, German and political science from the University of Nebraska.[1] Her career experience includes teaching at Southwest High School.[1] In a 2018 Ballotpedia survey she said she taught in public schools for 32 years, 29 of them in House District 97, and in 2026 she described herself as a career public school teacher of more than three decades in Fort Worth.[1][2]

McLaughlin was the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 97 in 2018, when she lost the general election to incumbent Craig Goldman.[1] In 2026 she placed second to Diane Symons in the March 3 Democratic primary, with 30.4% of the vote, and then defeated Symons in the May 26 runoff, 56.4% to 43.6%.[1] In a 2026 Ballotpedia survey, she said her priorities included education funding, women's reproductive rights, campaign finance reform and opposing school vouchers.[2]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.