I’m Chris Oldham!  A native Texan, a father, and a proud resident of Mansfield. While I have lived in West, Central, and North Texas, I chose Mansfield as my home in 2019, and I am committed to preserving the quality of life that makes our community special.

About Chris Oldham | Oldham for Texas

I carried that spirit of service into Angelo State University, where I earned my B.B.A. and served as a Program Director for the United Campus Ministries. Working with students from various denominations taught me that we achieve more when we focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.

Chris Oldham is a native Texan. He earned a B.B.A. from Angelo State University and served as a program director for the United Campus Ministries. He is a father and has lived in Mansfield since 2019.

I spent my professional career at Verizon, serving 30 years in roles ranging from Purchasing to Systems Management. Whether I was supervising teams, managing budgets, or implementing complex technical systems, my focus was always on efficiency and accountability. I retired in 2024, and now I am ready to apply those decades of business experience to work for you.

Chris retired from Verizon after a 30-year career in roles ranging from purchasing to systems management.

Chris Oldham - Ballotpedia

Chris is a first-time candidate for political office.

2026 Texas General Election

The Solution: The Oldham "Fair-Share" Alternatives

We don’t need a shell game; we need a system that is stable, fair, and keeps its promises to Texans.

Protect the $200,000 Senior Homestead Exemption

In 2026, thanks to the $200,000 Senior Exemption, your school tax bill is likely lower than it has been in decades. It is capped, predictable, and protected. I will fight to keep it that way. Don't trade your frozen tax cap for a "Grocery Tax" that rises with inflation.

Property Tax Relief | Oldham for Texas

Use the Surplus as a Shield
Texas has a multi-billion dollar surplus. We should use it to further compress property taxes now to shield families from war-time inflation—without creating a new state tax bureaucracy.

Supports retaining the $200,000 senior homestead exemption for school property taxes.

Advocates using Texas's budget surplus to further reduce property taxes without creating a new state tax bureaucracy.

- Supports retaining the $200,000 senior homestead exemption for school property taxes.
- Advocates using Texas's budget surplus to further reduce property taxes without creating a new state tax bureaucracy.

Economy

Pillar 2: Intermediary Care Centers (Jail Diversion)

A jail cell is not a treatment room. For those who do reach a point of crisis, we need a "third option" for law enforcement.

Healthcare Reform | Oldham for Texas

The Law Enforcement Relief Act: Instead of spending hours booking a mentally ill citizen into jail, officers can drop them off at an Intermediary Care Center in minutes.

Stabilization vs. Incarceration: These centers focus on medical stabilization and transition back to community care, significantly reducing recidivism and the "revolving door" of the county jail.

Calls for intermediary care centers as an alternative to jail for people experiencing mental-health crises.

- Calls for intermediary care centers as an alternative to jail for people experiencing mental-health crises.

Public Safety

Restoring Texas Common Sense and Personal Freedom

Government overreach isn't just about taxes—it's about our personal lives. I believe in a Texas where medical decisions are made by women and their doctors, not by politicians in Austin. I will fight to restore reproductive freedoms and expand healthcare access so no Texan has to choose between a doctor’s visit and their mortgage.

Oldham for Texas Families — Join Us Today

Medicaid Expansion for Texans  

It is time to bring our federal tax dollars home! Expanding Medicaid in Texas will stabilize our local hospitals, lower insurance premiums for all of us, and provide the sustainable funding needed for mental health networks.

Pillar 1: Reviving the "Proactive Care" Network

We will re-establish the proactive community outreach system within our Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHA). Our neighbors facing chronic mental health challenges deserve consistent support—not just a response when there is a crisis.

Preventative Wellness Checks: By funding "Roving Nurses" and peer specialists to visit individuals in their homes, we ensure medication stability and provide a consistent human connection.

Early Intervention: This model allows healthcare professionals to identify and address issues during routine checks, adjusting treatment plans long before a 911 call becomes necessary.

Advocates restoring reproductive freedoms and expanding healthcare access, with medical decisions made by women and their doctors.

Supports expanding Medicaid in Texas to provide funding for local hospitals and mental-health networks.

Plans to re-establish proactive community outreach through Local Mental Health Authorities.

Supports funding home visits by roving nurses and peer specialists for people with mental-health needs.

- Advocates restoring reproductive freedoms and expanding healthcare access, with medical decisions made by women and their doctors.
- Supports expanding Medicaid in Texas to provide funding for local hospitals and mental-health networks.
- Plans to re-establish proactive community outreach through Local Mental Health Authorities.
- Supports funding home visits by roving nurses and peer specialists for people with mental-health needs.

Healthcare

Adjustment of the Basic Allotment: The current basic allotment has failed to keep pace with the 23%+ inflation seen since 2019. I will fight to raise the Basic Allotment significantly to ensure districts can cover rising costs in utilities, transportation, and insurance without draining their reserves.

Public School Policy | Oldham for Texas

Opposing the "Shell Game": I am adamantly opposed to replacing stable local property tax revenue with volatile "Rainy Day" or state surplus funds. We must protect the local tax base to avoid a repeat of the 2011 funding crisis.

Empowering Local Boards: Decisions about curriculum, safety, and staffing are best made by the locally elected trustees who answer to our neighbors, not by state-level appointees.

Opposing Unfunded Mandates: I will vote against any new state requirements (such as armed security or technology mandates) that do not come with 100% state-funded allotments to cover their implementation.

3. Protecting Public Dollars (Anti-Voucher/TEFA)

Opposition to TEFA: I am 100% opposed to the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) and any other voucher/ESA program that siphons taxpayer dollars to private entities.

Sustainable Pay Raises: I will champion permanent, formula-based salary increases for all school personnel, ensuring that educators in rural and suburban districts remain competitive with major metropolitan areas.

Removing Barriers: I support funding for teacher certification fees and streamlining pathways for those entering the profession to address the critical shortage in SPED and secondary math/science.

Vocational & Trade Excellence: We will ensure that high-demand, high-paying jobs are accessible to every student, recognizing that a four-year degree is just one of many paths to a secure middle-class life.

Plans to significantly raise the basic allotment for school districts to cover rising operating costs.

Opposes replacing stable local school property-tax revenue with state surplus or Rainy Day funds.

Supports leaving school curriculum, safety, and staffing decisions to locally elected school trustees.

Pledges to vote against new state school requirements unless the state fully funds their implementation.

Opposes Texas Education Freedom Accounts and other private-school voucher or education savings account programs.

Advocates permanent, formula-based salary increases for all school personnel.

Supports funding teacher certification fees and streamlining entry pathways for special education and secondary math and science teachers.

Plans to make high-demand, high-paying jobs accessible to students through pathways beyond four-year degrees.

- Plans to significantly raise the basic allotment for school districts to cover rising operating costs.
- Opposes replacing stable local school property-tax revenue with state surplus or Rainy Day funds.
- Supports leaving school curriculum, safety, and staffing decisions to locally elected school trustees.
- Pledges to vote against new state school requirements unless the state fully funds their implementation.
- Opposes Texas Education Freedom Accounts and other private-school voucher or education savings account programs.
- Advocates permanent, formula-based salary increases for all school personnel.
- Supports funding teacher certification fees and streamlining entry pathways for special education and secondary math and science teachers.
- Plans to make high-demand, high-paying jobs accessible to students through pathways beyond four-year degrees.

Education

Protect Private Property and Water Rights
Stand up for the concerns of agricultural producers, landowners, and homeowners in Johnson and Somervell counties

Protecting the private property rights and water resources of District 58 is non-negotiable. Whether it is fighting against eminent domain abuse or securing our water supply for future growth in our cities and farms, I will be a staunch defender of individual Texans against government overreach.

Opposes eminent-domain abuse affecting private property in District 58.

Plans to secure water supplies for future growth in District 58 cities and farms.

- Opposes eminent-domain abuse affecting private property in District 58.
- Plans to secure water supplies for future growth in District 58 cities and farms.

Energy & the Environment

As of July 22, 2026, Chris Oldham’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Voting & Elections

Chris Oldham

Chris is from Mansfield, Texas. He attended Angelo State University. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Angelo State University. He lives with his life partner, Mike, in Mansfield.

TX voter guide for the General election on Nov 03, 2026. - iVoterGuide

Chris is a retired systems manager. He worked at Verizon for 30 years in roles ranging from purchasing to systems management.

Supports vocational and trade school opportunities for students.

Believes that reducing "uncompensated care" costs will lower local county hospital taxes.

Supports the Law Enforcement Relief Act, which allows police to drop off mentally ill citizens at an Intermediary Care Center instead of jailing them.

Supports abortion and wants to expand healthcare access.

Supports expanding Medicaid in Texas to stabilize hospitals, lower insurance premiums, and provide sustainable funding for mental health networks.

Believes the "reactive" model of mental health care in Texas is costly for taxpayers and advocates for a return to the proactive community model of the 80s and 90s to save money and lives.

Opposes school voucher programs that use public funds for private schools.

Opposes unfunded mandates, saying "I will vote against any new state requirements (such as armed security or technology mandates) that do not come with 100% state-funded allotments to cover their implementation."

Opposes the use of public funds for private schools.

Supports "permanent, formula-based salary increases for all school personnel, ensuring that educators in rural and suburban districts remain competitive with major metropolitan areas."

Supports funding for teacher certification fees and simplifying pathways for entering the profession to address critical shortages in special education (SPED) and secondary math/science.

Chris Oldham is from Texas. He has a bachelor 27s degree in business administration from Angelo State University. He lives with his life partner, Mike, in Mansfield.

Chris is retired. He previously worked at Verizon for 30 years in roles ranging from purchasing to systems management. He also served as a program director for United Campus Ministries at Angelo State University. 

Chris previously ran for Texas State Representative, District 58, in 2024 but did not win.

Supports the Law Enforcement Relief Act, which allows police to drop off mentally ill citizens at Intermediary Care Centers instead of jails.

Supports Medicaid expansion, believing it provides consistent revenue for local hospitals, particularly in rural areas like Cleburne, to remain open and offer essential services such as behavioral health care.

Supports funding "Roving Nurses" and peer specialists to conduct home visits for Preventative Wellness Checks.

Opposes school vouchers, which are programs and policies that allow families to use public school funds to access schools beyond their local option, including private schools.

Supports increasing the Basic Allotment to help school districts manage rising costs without depleting their reserves.

Supports transitioning from Average Daily Attendance (ADA) to Enrollment-Based Funding.

Opposes unfunded mandates for schools, including armed security and technology.

Opposes the use of public funds for private education, including through the use of vouchers.

Supports permanent, formula-based salary increases for all school personnel, including educators in rural and suburban districts.

Supports funding for teacher certification fees and simplifying pathways for new teachers to address shortages in special education and secondary math/science.

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