Benjamin Flores is the Democratic nominee for Texas Land Commissioner in the Nov. 3 general election. He faces Republican Dawn Buckingham and Libertarian Neill Snider.

Asked why he is running, Flores said in our candidate questionnaire: "I believe the Texas General Land Office should work for everyday Texans, not special interests or political agendas. … I am running because I want to protect the land and resources that belong to all Texans, strengthen support for our public schools and veterans, defend property owners, and make sure the General Land Office is focused on service rather than politics."

Candidate information

Party: Democrat

Family: "My wife An and my beautiful daughter Nadia," Flores said in our questionnaire.

Education: Flores said in our questionnaire: "I studied Geography at a university in Mexico before coming to the United States. My education and professional development later shifted toward technology, and I am currently continuing my studies in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance."

Occupation: Flores said in our questionnaire: "I am a cybersecurity professional with roughly 30 years of experience in information technology and security. My career began with working-class jobs, including at KFC, a car wash, and in hotel IT, before I built a long career in technology and cybersecurity."

Flores was born in Mexico City and came to the United States in 1996, according to the Texas Tribune. He has stated that if elected, he would become the first Latino land commissioner in Texas history.

In June 2026, Flores was diagnosed with leukemia. Two weeks later, he announced he was in remission while addressing the Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi, the Tribune reported. He said he would remain in the race. He was receiving treatment at MD Anderson in Houston.

Experience and public service

Flores said in our questionnaire: "I previously served as a member of the Bay City City Council, where I worked on local issues affecting families, infrastructure, economic development, and city services."

He was elected to Bay City's city council in 2023 on a campaign that pushed for transparency in local government, according to the Tribune. He also served as a board member at the Bay City Development Corporation and as a representative at the Houston-Galveston Area Council.

On the issues

Disaster recovery: Flores said he would streamline disaster response by "accelerating debris removal and contract approvals" and would create "a roster of pre-vetted Texas contractors ready to mobilize." He also said he would "strengthen coastal protections and improve programs that deliver help for people and industries to recover after storms."

Education: Flores said he strongly opposes school vouchers. On the Permanent School Fund, he said: "I'll prioritize getting money to public schools that need it and school districts to help them lower your property taxes."

Veterans: Flores said he would "improve and expand veteran home loan and support services and work to reduce the burden of traveling long distances to receive assistance or medical treatment."

Energy: Flores said: "I'll invite more solar and wind energy producers to join the oil and gas companies operating on state land."

Housing: Flores has proposed land swaps to incentivize building more affordable housing as part of his plan for the General Land Office.

What sets him apart

Asked what differentiates him from other candidates, Flores said in our questionnaire: "I bring nearly 30 years of experience in cybersecurity, risk management, and technology, along with service as a city councilman and firsthand experience with agriculture and small-town Texas. … I am not running to use the General Land Office as a political stepping stone. I am running to manage it professionally, protect public lands, support veterans, strengthen the Permanent School Fund, improve disaster recovery, and bring greater transparency and accountability to the office."