Orlando Lopez, a Democrat from Heath, is running for Texas House District 33 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican incumbent Katrina Pierson, according to the Texas secretary of state’s certified candidate list.
Asked why he is running, Lopez said in the Rockwall Herald’s candidate questionnaire: “I believe we have not had true representation for the working class in this district.”
Candidate information
Party: “Texas Democratic Party”
Family: “My wife and I have been married for over 6 years and have one daughter. We are lifelong Texans, born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, and have called DFW home for over 8 years. We moved to Rockwall County near the start of 2022.”
Education: Lopez’s campaign biography lists him as a graduate of Hidalgo High School and Texas A&M University with a degree in construction science.
Occupation: “I have been working in the construction multifamily industry for over 10 years, specifically in the DFW Metroplex. I am also a relatively new business owner, working in the construction industry.”
Previous elected or appointed offices: “None”
Family in politics or government: “No”
Experience and public service
Asked what accomplishments qualify him for the job, Lopez said: “I became one of the youngest Project Managers in the history of the first multifamily construction company I worked for. I've had years of experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets and running schedules that span upwards of 24 months … I know how to solve problems quickly and effectively to ensure we make the most of our time, especially when in session.”
Asked about differences between himself and other candidates, he said: “I'm a working-class Texan navigating many of the same challenges the majority of this district is facing … I don't have to pretend to be part of this community or claim to understand its challenges because I am living through many of those same issues daily.”
On the issues
School funding: Asked whether the school funding formula is adequate, Lopez said: “HB 2, passed by the 89th Legislature, provided new funding for public education, but not enough to keep up with public schools' rising costs and growing demands … We need to continue increasing the basic allotment so schools can keep up with the cost of educating students.”
Property taxes: On proposals to reduce school district property taxes, Lopez said: “I support increasing state funding for our public schools, which will lessen the amount local jurisdictions need to provide for their school districts. This can help lower property taxes by reducing the amount of school funding that must be raised locally.”
Water and roads: Asked what the state should do about infrastructure, Lopez said: “We can start by upgrading our aging water infrastructure and fixing leaks in our existing systems … We need to invest in both roads and public transportation to keep pace with the growth of North Texas and reduce congestion.”
Data centers: On his campaign website, Lopez states: “The authority to approve or ban data centers should ALWAYS belong to our local governments. I support pauses in construction, or moratoriums, for data centers until their impacts to our health and development are fully assessed.”
Municipal Utility Districts: Asked what bill he would file in his first session, Lopez said: “I would file a bill to provide greater county oversight of Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) … the costs of that infrastructure are passed on to homeowners through property taxes … Local residents deserve a voice when decisions by these entities have the potential to directly affect their property and community.”
Lopez’s responses were collected through the Rockwall Herald and Surround Sound News candidate questionnaire. Answers have been excerpted for length, with quoted wording preserved. Biographical claims and policy assessments are attributed to the candidate unless otherwise noted.
