Republican candidate Terry Thain is seeking election in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary to represent U.S. Congressional District 9, a newly created district that includes Liberty County and a portion of east Harris County. Thain, a Cleveland resident, recently joined Bluebonnet News Headlines and Heartlines to discuss his background, political views, and priorities if elected.
Thain said he has deep roots in Liberty County.
“I live in Cleveland. I graduated from Tarkington. My wife graduated from Cleveland. I was raised by my grandparents. I went to Crosby [schools] up to the end of the eighth grade. My grandpa retired from Amco Steel [and the family moved to Tarkington],” he explained.
He said those early experiences shaped his understanding of working blue-collar families and rural communities.
After graduating high school, Thain entered the military.
“I went in the Army straight out of high school. I ended up in a combat infantryman,” he said.
Following his service, he worked a variety of industrial jobs.
“I did a series of industrial maintenance jobs, ship channel stuff, worked shutdowns doing pipe fitting welding. I worked for Union Tank Car,” he said, adding that most recently he has worked as a long-haul truck driver. “I’ve done a little of everything, just trying to make a living.”
Thain said his interest in politics began early and never faded.
“Politics has always interested me. Most of the time when I’m on when I’m at home, I’m watching either Hannity or something. And I’ve studied the way government actually works since I was a kid. The best grades I ever got was Mr. Simpson’s government class and it’s always interested me. I’ve always had opinions on it,” he said.
Thain said encouragement from others, including his late daughter, helped push him toward running for office.
“My late daughter, she always said, ‘Well, you ought to run, you ought to run.’ There was never really an opening,” he said.
When the new congressional district was created, he decided to take the leap.Thain believes his working-class background makes him well suited to represent the district.
“I could give a common working man’s perspective on this,” he said, adding that the district’s makeup requires someone who understands both rural and industrial communities. “I do believe the way that this district was constructed, there’s people in Liberty County that drive to Deer Park, Channelview, La Porte, to work every day. I did it for years.” He added, “They know that area. But they have no idea what Liberty County is about.”
If elected, Thain said passing a balanced federal budget would be his top priority.
“My top priority is to try to get Congress pass budget for the first time since 1996,” he said, criticizing Congress’s reliance on continuing resolutions and the lack of a full budget oversight. “If you don’t have a budget and you don’t audit, how do you know where the money goes?”
Addressing voter frustration with Washington, Thain said accountability would come naturally.
“I know a lot of people in this area. They will tell you if they’re happy with you or not happy with you,” he said, adding, “I have too many people that have my personal phone number.” Thain vows to spend time in the district when Congress is not in session.
Thain described himself as a constitutional conservative who is willing to work with others.
“I believe the Constitution says what it says, it means what it says,” he said.
He claims to have a plan to shore up the Social Security system in part by using new tariff income to add to the Social Security Trust Fund and make it more self-sustaining.
On the rising cost of living, Thain said economic growth is key.
“It’s the same way that’s going to help attack the deficit. We can’t tax our way out of this. It would be too oppressive and just kill everything,” he said.
He emphasized higher-paying jobs and workforce preparation.
“We don’t need anymore $10-15 an hour jobs. We need high paying jobs. But that also comes with the price that we need to put shop classes back at school,” Thain said.
Thain said his loyalty would always lie with the people of the district.
“If they conflict, my loyalty is to the district. This is where I live, this is where I’m from,” he said. “Party loyalty comes second.”
When asked about representing a diverse district, he said, “I think it’s easier for somebody that lives here to represent the whole district because it is diverse than it is for somebody that lives there to try to represent and understand the rural.”
He also expressed support for states’ rights, saying, “this is a local first, district first, Texas second, nationwide third, depending on the subject.”
To hear the rest of Thain’s interview, click the link below:
We do need better representation for blue collar folks. It’s hard to trust any legislator that hasn’t worked. I’m undecided on this race but I’ll definitely take a second look at this gentleman know that I know he’s not an ivory tower type of politician.