ABOUT OZZIE OCHOA

Oziel “Ozzie” Ochoa Jr. is a lifelong Harlingen resident, proud Rio Grande Valley native, and a proven leader who has spent his career serving the people of South Texas.

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Born in 1985 at Dolly Vinsant Hospital, Ozzie graduated from Harlingen South High School in 2003 and grew up on a small family farm where he learned the value of hard work and community.

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He earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Texas–Pan American and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Lamar University. In 2024, he completed the Superintendent Certification Program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

ABOUT OZZIE OCHOA

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Texas–Pan American and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Lamar University. In 2024, he completed the Superintendent Certification Program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

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Ozzie has dedicated his career to public education, serving as a teacher, coach, principal, and now Director of Special Education. In these roles, he has worked directly with students, parents, and educators to improve schools, expand opportunity, and deliver real results for families across the Rio Grande Valley.

Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa Jr.

Oziel “Ozzie” Ochoa Jr. is an educator and lifelong Harlingen resident, husband, and father running this fall to flip a seat in the Texas House. Ozzie’s career is dedicated to public education, and he has served South Texas families as a teacher, coach, principal, and director of special education. If Ozzie is elected in November, he will fight to fully fund public schools, lower costs, expand access to healthcare, and restore effective leadership in Cameron and Willacy Counties.

Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa Jr.

Oziel “Ozzie” Ochoa Jr. is a lifelong Harlingen resident and Rio Grande Valley native. He earned a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology from the University of Texas–Pan American and a master's degree in educational leadership from Lamar University, and completed the Superintendent Certification Program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He is a husband and father.

Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa Jr. - Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

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Ozzie has dedicated his career to public education, serving as a teacher, coach, principal, and now Director of Special Education. In these roles, he has worked directly with students, parents, and educators to improve schools, expand opportunity, and deliver real results for families across the Rio Grande Valley.

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A proud husband and father, Ozzie believes leadership means working with others to get things done, not political showmanship. He is running to bring practical leadership, real experience, and a commitment to service to the people of House District 37.

Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa, Jr. currently works as a director of special education. He previously worked as a teacher, coach, and principal.

2026 Texas General Election

Ozzie will work to:

Raise the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour so hardworking Texans can keep up with the rising cost of living.

Reform property taxes and provide meaningful relief for working families and homeowners.

Support renters through fair housing practices and greater cost transparency.

ISSUES

Ozzie will work to:

Raise the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour so hardworking Texans can keep up with the rising cost of living.

Reform property taxes and provide meaningful relief for working families and homeowners.

Support renters through fair housing practices and greater cost transparency.

Promote small-business growth through local incentives, workforce development, and support for entrepreneurs.

Ozzie will work to:

Reform property taxes and provide meaningful relief for working families and homeowners.

Support renters through fair housing practices and greater cost transparency.

Promote small-business growth through local incentives, workforce development, and support for entrepreneurs.

Strengthen and protect our agricultural community, which remains a vital part of the Valley’s economy.

Ozzie will work to:

Support renters through fair housing practices and greater cost transparency.

Promote small-business growth through local incentives, workforce development, and support for entrepreneurs.

Strengthen and protect our agricultural community, which remains a vital part of the Valley’s economy.

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When we lift up working families, support small businesses, and invest in local industries, we strengthen the economy of District 37 and the future of the Rio Grande Valley.

Plans to raise the minimum wage to at least $15 per hour.

Plans to reform property taxes and provide relief for working families and homeowners.

Supports fair housing practices and greater cost transparency for renters.

Plans to promote small-business growth through local incentives, workforce development, and support for entrepreneurs.

Plans to strengthen and protect the Rio Grande Valley agricultural community.

- Plans to raise the minimum wage to at least $15 per hour.
- Plans to reform property taxes and provide relief for working families and homeowners.
- Supports fair housing practices and greater cost transparency for renters.
- Plans to promote small-business growth through local incentives, workforce development, and support for entrepreneurs.
- Plans to strengthen and protect the Rio Grande Valley agricultural community.

Economy

Ozzie will work to:

Support law enforcement with the funding, equipment, and training they need to serve and protect our communities.

Strengthen partnerships between local law enforcement, schools, and community organizations to improve safety across HD-37.

Expand access to mental health services through local programs, crisis response teams, and early intervention support for families.

Ozzie will work to:

Support law enforcement with the funding, equipment, and training they need to serve and protect our communities.

Strengthen partnerships between local law enforcement, schools, and community organizations to improve safety across HD-37.

Expand access to mental health services through local programs, crisis response teams, and early intervention support for families.

Promote prevention, rehabilitation, and community-based solutions that reduce crime and help people get back on the right path.

Ozzie will work to:

Expand access to mental health services through local programs, crisis response teams, and early intervention support for families.

Promote prevention, rehabilitation, and community-based solutions that reduce crime and help people get back on the right path.

Public safety requires both strength and compassion. By supporting our law enforcement and investing in the well-being of our communities, we can build a safer and stronger future.

Supports providing law enforcement with funding, equipment, and training.

Plans to strengthen partnerships among law enforcement, schools, and community organizations to improve safety in District 37.

Plans to expand mental-health services through local programs, crisis-response teams, and early intervention for families.

Supports prevention, rehabilitation, and community-based approaches intended to reduce crime.

- Supports providing law enforcement with funding, equipment, and training.
- Plans to strengthen partnerships among law enforcement, schools, and community organizations to improve safety in District 37.
- Plans to expand mental-health services through local programs, crisis-response teams, and early intervention for families.
- Supports prevention, rehabilitation, and community-based approaches intended to reduce crime.

Public Safety

Healthcare decisions are deeply personal and should be guided by families, doctors, and medical professionals, not politicians. As the father of a daughter, Ozzie Ochoa believes that women and families deserve the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions with the guidance of their physicians.

Ozzie will work to:

Protect the right of families to make private medical decisions with their doctors.

Expand access to healthcare services for families across Cameron and Willacy Counties.

Ensure women and all families have a voice in the policies that affect their health and well-being.

Ozzie will work to:

Expand access to healthcare and local medical services for veterans across Cameron and Willacy Counties.

Bring a state veterans cemetery to District 37 so families can honor their loved ones close to home.

Improve coordination between state and federal agencies to help veterans navigate benefits and claims more efficiently.

Ozzie will work to:

Bring a state veterans cemetery to District 37 so families can honor their loved ones close to home.

Improve coordination between state and federal agencies to help veterans navigate benefits and claims more efficiently.

Increase mental health services, job training, and transition support for veterans and their families.

​Our veterans answered the call to serve. Now we must answer the call to support them and ensure every veteran in District 37 receives the care, dignity, and respect they have earned.

Supports protecting families' ability to make private medical decisions with their doctors.

Plans to expand healthcare services for families in Cameron and Willacy Counties.

Plans to expand healthcare and local medical services for veterans in Cameron and Willacy Counties.

Plans to increase mental-health services, job training, and transition support for veterans and their families.

- Supports protecting families' ability to make private medical decisions with their doctors.
- Plans to expand healthcare services for families in Cameron and Willacy Counties.
- Plans to expand healthcare and local medical services for veterans in Cameron and Willacy Counties.
- Plans to increase mental-health services, job training, and transition support for veterans and their families.

Healthcare

Ozzie will work to:

Strengthen the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) so educators can retire with dignity and financial security.

Keep public funds in public schools and oppose voucher programs that divert resources away from neighborhood classrooms.

Reduce excessive standardized testing and restore valuable instructional time for teachers and students.

Ozzie will work to:

Keep public funds in public schools and oppose voucher programs that divert resources away from neighborhood classrooms.

Reduce excessive standardized testing and restore valuable instructional time for teachers and students.

Ensure fair, secular curriculum funding so every child receives a high-quality education regardless of their zip code.

Ozzie will work to:

Keep public funds in public schools and oppose voucher programs that divert resources away from neighborhood classrooms.

Reduce excessive standardized testing and restore valuable instructional time for teachers and students.

Ensure fair, secular curriculum funding so every child receives a high-quality education regardless of their zip code.

Increase public school funding to keep pace with inflation and support safe campuses, innovation, and modern learning environments.

Ozzie will work to:

Reduce excessive standardized testing and restore valuable instructional time for teachers and students.

Ensure fair, secular curriculum funding so every child receives a high-quality education regardless of their zip code.

Increase public school funding to keep pace with inflation and support safe campuses, innovation, and modern learning environments.

When we invest in education, we invest in every child’s future and in the long-term prosperity of the Rio Grande Valley.

Plans to strengthen the Teacher Retirement System so educators can retire with financial security.

Opposes school voucher programs and supports keeping public funds in public schools.

Plans to reduce excessive standardized testing and restore instructional time for teachers and students.

Supports fair, secular curriculum funding for public schools.

Plans to increase public-school funding to keep pace with inflation and support safe, modern learning environments.

- Plans to strengthen the Teacher Retirement System so educators can retire with financial security.
- Opposes school voucher programs and supports keeping public funds in public schools.
- Plans to reduce excessive standardized testing and restore instructional time for teachers and students.
- Supports fair, secular curriculum funding for public schools.
- Plans to increase public-school funding to keep pace with inflation and support safe, modern learning environments.

Education

As of July 22, 2026, Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa, Jr’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

Voting & Elections

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Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa, Jr

As of July 22, 2026, Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa, Jr.’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa, Jr.

Oziel “Ozzie” Ochoa Jr. officially announced his candidacy for Texas State Representative, District 37, in the upcoming Democratic Primary. A former Edinburg city council member, Ochoa has emphasized his experience in local government and his commitment to community issues. In a seat Democrats hope to flip, voters nominated educator Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa Jr. to face Rep. Janie Lopez, R-San Benito, in District 37 after he defeated law student Esmeralda "Esmi" Cantu-Castle in their runoff.

Ochoa announces run for State Rep. - San Benito News

Harlingen native joins District 37 race | KVEO-TV - Valley Central

Incumbent state Rep. Hubert Vo defeated in Democratic runoff

Advocates for raising the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour for Texans to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Supports reforming property taxes to provide meaningful relief for working families and homeowners.

Supports renters through fair housing practices and greater cost transparency.

Supports small-business growth through local incentives, workforce development, and support for entrepreneurs.

Commits to strengthening and protecting the agricultural community as a vital part of the Valley's economy.

Supports law enforcement with the funding, equipment, and training needed to serve and protect communities.

Advocates for strengthening partnerships between local law enforcement, schools, and community organizations to improve safety across HD-37.

Supports expanding access to mental health services through local programs, crisis response teams, and early intervention support for families.

For Candidate Oziel "Ozzie" Ochoa, Jr. on Issue public-safety:  
Supports promoting prevention, rehabilitation, and community-based solutions to reduce crime and help individuals reintegrate into society.

Supports expanding access to healthcare services for families across Cameron and Willacy Counties.

Supports ensuring women and families have a voice in healthcare policies that affect their health and well-being.

Opposes voucher programs that divert public funds away from neighborhood classrooms.

Supports reducing excessive standardized testing to restore instructional time for teachers and students.

Supports fair, secular curriculum funding to ensure every child receives a high-quality education regardless of their zip code.

Supports increasing public school funding to keep pace with inflation and enhance safety, innovation, and modern learning environments.

Buket Urgen

Isaac Brickman

Janie Lopez

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Texas House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Texas State Legislature
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws. 
- There are 150 members of the Texas House of Representatives, each representing a single district. Representatives must be at least 21 years old and reside in the state for at least two years before their election. 
- State representatives are elected to two-year terms during even-numbered years. There are no term limits. 
- State representatives make $7,200 annually in addition to a $221 payment per day during legislative sessions and mileage reimbursements.

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Texas House of Representatives.