Meet Shelley Tatum

I am a retired educator and a proud East Texan. I was raised in Lufkin by my mother, also a teacher, and my father, a civil servant. I graduated from Lufkin High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and English from Stephen F. Austin State University. I taught in Texas public schools for 35 years, including 2 years in Huntington ISD and 19 years in Lufkin ISD. I know from firsthand experience that public schools in this state are underfunded and overregulated, and I will fight to fix both of these problems. Dedication to this community has guided my family’s values for decades—my roots in this region run deep. I married my high school sweetheart, Scott, and both of my daughters graduated from Lufkin High School. This is my first time as a candidate for public office, but it is only a new chapter in working for my community.

Tatum for Texas 9

Shelley Tatum is a retired educator who taught in Texas public schools, including at Huntington ISD and Lufkin ISD.

Shelley Tatum says this is her first time as a candidate for public office.

Shelley Tatum's run for State Representative is her first run for public office. 

2026 Texas General Election

She recalled its stench as a mixture of rotten eggs, wet dog and collard greens. She is not thrilled about the building’s potential return to operation – even if it’s a different type of industry. She called on the court to deny any form of tax abatement. Doing so is the only way the county can show its distaste for the project, she said. Plus, property taxes are the only benefit residents would see from the operation.

East Texas county judge urges state lawmakers to help locals combat data center proliferation - The Texas Tribune

Although Texas has established and funded a program to expand broadband access, there is more work to be done. Funding must be maintained and increased. Standards must be adopted to ensure that public funding is spent appropriately.

Called for the county to deny tax abatements for a proposed data center.

Supports maintaining and increasing broadband-expansion funding and standards for its use.

- Called for the county to deny tax abatements for a proposed data center.
- Supports maintaining and increasing broadband-expansion funding and standards for its use.

Economy

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

Public Safety

The federal government's percentage of health care spending in Texas is about 60%. Local sources make up the remaining 40%. No health care funding comes directly from state sources. This system of funding is vulnerable to changes at the federal level and population and economic decline in rural areas. The state needs to allocate funds from state revenues to take the pressure off limited local resources and to make up for short falls in federal funding. Texas can and must take action to support rural health care before more hospitals close and more doctors are forced to move to larger cities in order to make a living.

Calls for state revenue to support rural health care and offset local and federal funding shortfalls.

- Calls for state revenue to support rural health care and offset local and federal funding shortfalls.

Healthcare

I am running for State Representative in District 9 because I understand the current threat to our children's education. First, I will vote to increase the per-pupil allotment provided by the state to local school districts. Second, I will work to reduce the often unfunded and stifling regulations that rob classrooms of creativity, passion, and engagement.

Tatum: A substantial increase in the per pupil, basic allotment for our public schools is job number one. Public schools educate the vast majority of our children, they are major employers in our communities, and they provide opportunities for all of us to join together to celebrate our pride in our kids. Nothing the legislature has the power to do is more important than the equitable, and adequate investment in our children and their futures.

Candidate Q&A: State Representative District 9

Plans to increase the state per-pupil allotment for local public school districts.

Plans to reduce unfunded regulations affecting public-school classrooms.

- Plans to increase the state per-pupil allotment for local public school districts.
- Plans to reduce unfunded regulations affecting public-school classrooms.

Education

Tatum: The state faces a looming water crisis. Access to reliable, treatable water will only become more limited in the coming years. It is past time for our elected leaders to be proactive rather than reactive regarding this coming crisis. It is the job of the state government to plan and implement laws to insure that all Texans have enough water for their needs, and that Texas farms, ranches and businesses also have their water needs met. Failure to act leaves a vacuum into which profit driven millionaires and private equity can buy acres of land in East Texas, pump billions of gallons of ground water from the Corrizo-Wilcox aquifer, sell it to big cities, and keep all the profit.

Tatum said her three issues are data centers, water and public schools. “Because of the failings of the Texas Legislature and the Republicans that control it, they have no power to help us. The legislature can do a lot and they should give your county government the power to investigate and say no to the data centers,” she said.

Democratic candidates touring East Texas

Legislation passed by the Texas House in its final special session to pause both the study and potential extraction was amended into uselessness by the senate and failed to become law. New legislation to protect East Texas groundwater will be necessary to prevent price increases, future scarcity, land subsidence, and economic instability.

Calls for state laws to ensure that Texans, farms, ranches, and businesses have enough water for their needs.

Calls for counties to have authority to investigate and reject data centers.

Calls for legislation to protect East Texas groundwater from scarcity, land subsidence, price increases, and economic instability.

- Calls for state laws to ensure that Texans, farms, ranches, and businesses have enough water for their needs.
- Calls for counties to have authority to investigate and reject data centers.
- Calls for legislation to protect East Texas groundwater from scarcity, land subsidence, price increases, and economic instability.

Energy & the Environment

Voting & Elections

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Shelley Tatum

- Supports maintaining and increasing broadband-expansion funding and standards for its use.

- Calls for legislation to protect East Texas groundwater from scarcity, land subsidence, price increases, and economic instability.

Shelley is from Lufkin, Texas. She attended Lufkin High School. She has a bachelor's degree in communications and English from Stephen F. Austin State University. She lives with her husband, Scott, and their daughters in Lufkin.

Shelley is a retired public school teacher. She worked in Texas public schools for 35 years, including two years at Huntington Independent School District and nineteen years at Lufkin Independent School District. She previously served as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, representing the 69th District from 2013 to 2015.

Shelley Tatum - Ballotpedia

Shelley Tatum previously served as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives for the 69th district from 2013 to 2015 and was defeated in the 2014 election by Republican Kelly Fajardo.

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Opposes school vouchers, standardized testing, and supports giving control back to independent school districts.

Said, "I care. I want to protect our water from data centers."

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- 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
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