We’re not talking about James Talarico – who is not a pastor.
We’re talking about Kason Huddleston, who is a pastor at Freedom Place Church in Rowlett, Texas, and the next Texas State Board of Education member for District 9.
Huddleston is one of the first state-level candidates endorsed by Moms for Liberty. In 2026, Moms for Liberty expanded its endorsements beyond county, local, or independent school district races.
Moms for Liberty’s Texas ambassador, Christie Slape, helped secure Huddleston’s endorsement. Discussing his endorsement, Slape said, “It’s rare to find a pastor who is taking action outside the walls of his church.”
“You don’t see a lot of pastors in politics,” said Huddleston. “I decided to run because I felt the Lord tell me I could help shift and shape the trajectory of millions of students for decades by the decisions I make at the board.”
One of Huddleston’s main issues is reading. “Literacy, specifically, I can help move the needle. Only 55% of Texas students can read at grade level right now. That’s not an R or a D after a name. That’s an I, and it stands for illiterate,” said Huddleston.
That message resonated with voters in District 9, a district covering parts of East and Northeast Texas, including parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Huddleston won by a 16-point margin against his Democratic opponent, Ericka Ledferd.
Huddleston’s victory means he’ll soon represent almost 2 million residents across 24 counties and 144 independent school districts.
“God perfectly placed him where he could win and be effective,” said Slape.
The 15-seat board will include eight freshman members in 2027, including Huddleston, and could bring major shake-ups in education policy.
Before the 2026 elections, the Texas SBOE had an 11-4 Republican majority. That majority, like so many others in Texas, is likely to flip to a Democratic majority. As of this writing, the District 8 race remains too close to call, and its outcome will determine which party controls the board.
The Texas American Federation of Teachers, one of the state’s largest teachers’ unions, is celebrating the political party seat flips, including on the SBOE. It even acknowledged Huddleston’s rare midterm conservative win.
“District 9, held by former Chairman Dr. Keven Ellis, was won by Kason Huddleston who is sure to bring more conservative views to this seat,” the union wrote.
During the campaign, Huddleston’s opponents tried to disqualify him with voters because he’s a pastor and hasn’t been a teacher. A recent survey of school board members found that 44% of respondents had no professional experience in education, suggesting that the desire to improve local education isn’t exclusive to those who have spent time in a classroom.
Huddleston’s response to that opposition is simple. “I’m a taxpayer. I’m a parent. I’m a citizen of Texas. That gives me a right to run for any office.”
He sees his victory as a message from voters: “We want godly values. We want good education. We want to restore true Texas history. We want our kids to read, to be able to do math, to become productive citizens.”
The midterm election shake-ups have many wondering what the future of education looks like in Texas. Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa said she will “work tirelessly to repair the damage of the Texas voucher scam.”
Huddleston argues that, when it comes to Texas Education Freedom Accounts, “We have enough money to fund a robust voucher program and fund our schools properly.”
Texas voters seemed to agree there’s money to fund schools. They overwhelmingly voted against Voter Approved Tax Rate Elections and school bond ballot measures – both ways that Texas school districts ask voters for more funding.
“Tuesday night, when they gutted Republican leadership, over 80% of the school bonds that were on the ballot failed,” said Huddleston. “Texas didn’t go blue; they voted their pocketbook. They voted affordability. Texas said no – we’re not just giving the schools more money,” he added.
Slape echoed this sentiment, saying, “People had to choose between if the schools need more money or if they needed more money in their pockets.”
Huddleston now prepares to lead his community from beyond the parish pulpit. “I want moms in Texas that are conservative to know they have someone at the table at the SBOE that is fighting for them,” he said.
That doesn’t mean he’s checking his pastoral wisdom at the school board door. “We can be strong in our values without being a jerk,” Huddleston chuckled. He then drew from Scripture to make his point.
“Look at Esther. She was never a jerk. She had to ask the king and come back twice. All with respect. And the tables were turned on Haman.”
