Eddie Morales Wins Fourth Term as State Representative for District 74
By Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2026 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
State Representative Heriberto Eddie Morales Jr. won reelection to Texas House District 74 in the November 3, 2026 general election, defeating Republican challenger Robert Garza and securing a fourth consecutive term representing Eagle Pass and the surrounding region.
According to Associated Press results published by The Texas Tribune, Morales received 31,205 votes, or 64.6 percent, compared with Garza’s 17,066 votes, or 35.4 percent. The Associated Press projected Morales as the winner with an estimated 99 percent of votes counted.
The reported totals gave Morales a lead of 14,139 votes and a margin of 29.2 percentage points.
Morales, a Democrat from Eagle Pass, was first elected in November 2020 and took office on January 12, 2021. He had served nearly six years in the Texas House at the time of Tuesday’s election. His reelection will extend his service into a fourth two-year term beginning in January 2027.
Among his significant legislative efforts has been helping advance expanded access to four-year university education in Eagle Pass through Sul Ross State University and the Texas State University System.
Morales authored House Bill 1022 during the 2025 legislative session, removing restrictions that limited Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College to upper-level coursework at its Eagle Pass, Del Rio and Uvalde locations. The legislation authorized lower-division courses, opening the way for students to begin their university education locally rather than first completing those courses elsewhere.
The measure represented a major step toward allowing students to pursue a four-year degree through Sul Ross while remaining closer to their families, jobs and community.
Sul Ross President Carlos Hernandez credited Morales and State Senator César Blanco for their support of the expansion, describing the legislation as an opportunity to remove barriers for students in rural and underserved communities.
Morales also worked alongside university and system leaders on the broader effort to develop a comprehensive university campus in Eagle Pass. University planning documents identified him among the leaders who outlined goals for expanding academic programs, increasing enrollment and building toward eventual institutional independence.
The expansion involved both academic opportunities and plans for additional facilities.
Sul Ross announced an agreement to purchase 43 acres at the northeast corner of Foster Maldonado Boulevard and Main Street for a future SRSU International campus. The university identified a $4.5 million purchase price supported by Higher Education Fund revenue provided by the Legislature.
The Legislature also authorized $2.5 million annually to support the development of academic programs. University officials identified regional demand in areas including finance, engineering, information science, construction technology, computer information systems and health-related fields.
Those efforts supported a long-standing local goal of expanding university opportunities in Eagle Pass and reducing the need for residents to leave the region to pursue higher education.
During the 2025 legislative session, Morales served as vice chairman of the House Energy Resources Committee and as a member of the Transportation Committee and the Select Committee on Governmental Oversight.
His reelection will return him to Austin for the 90th Texas Legislature in January 2027 as the region continues pursuing expanded educational opportunities and investment in its growing university presence.
