Marcus Cardenas
Republican · TX
Marcus Cardenas is a San Antonio small-business owner and the 2026 Republican nominee for Texas Senate District 19, his first run for public office. A native of San Antonio's Southside, he attended Palo Alto College before leaving to help run his family's plumbing business, and later founded Vertex Concrete, a concrete-furniture business serving the district for over a decade. He won the March 2026 Republican primary with about 44% and defeated Robert Marks Jr. in the May 26 runoff to face incumbent Democrat Roland Gutierrez in November.
Campaign Finance Information — State Senator, District 19
Campaign Finance Information · State Senator, District 19 · November 3, 2026
Data last updated July 24, 2026
- Raised
- $5,775
Top disclosed occupations of direct donors
- Salesman$5,000
- Businessman$600
- Retired$100
- Medical Technician$25
Show 1 more
- Not Employed$25
Direct contributions by size
- $5,000+$5,000
- $250-$499$500
- $100-$249$200
- $1-$99$75
Source: Texas Ethics Commission · 2026 cycle · prd.tecprd.ethicsefile.com
Track record
General
· 2 records
Received Governor Greg Abbott's endorsement in the Republican primary for Texas Senate District 19, with Abbott describing him as a San Antonio businessman attuned to what Texas families need.
May 14, 2026
Source: thetexan.news · researched July 3, 2026
Founded and built Vertex Concrete, a San Antonio concrete business that has served the District 19 area for more than a decade; earlier he left college to help run his family's plumbing business after his older brother's accident.
January 5, 2026
Source: sanantonioreport.org · researched July 3, 2026
Elections
- State Senator, District 19 · November 3, 2026 · State Senate District 19; Texas
Profile last researched July 3, 2026.