Amber Pearce, a Republican Blanco County resident, and Wimberley ISD trustee Ken Strange announced their candidacies for state House of Representatives District 45 this week.
From Cypress Mill, Pearce co-owns a Blanco County oil and gas business with her husband, Brooks Pearce, and is a mother of five.
She said in a news release she wants to bring a "fresh, outside conservative voice to Austin."
"As your next state representative, I will stand for limited government, less regulation, lower taxes, individual liberty, education reform and school choice," she said.
On her
website Pearce identifies issues such as border security—she is for building a wall across the U.S.-Mexico border—religious freedoms, the right to bear arms, deregulating "worthless laws that stifle growth," maintaining and limiting spending growth linked to the rate of population growth and inflation, and fixing public education.
Strange, also a Republican, has served as the director of Wimberley EMS and currently serves on the Wimberley ISD board of trustees. He also owns a small business in Wimberley and is an honorably discharged veteran of the Air Force.
“For two decades I have invested my heart and soul in serving our neighbors during their times of
greatest need and worked to give our kids a school system we can be proud of," he said in a news release, adding he was running to "make a difference," "solve problems, and make government responsive and accountable to the people."
He has received the support of former Hays County Commissioner Will Conley, who is running for county judge in 2018.
Strange cited reducing property taxes, supporting public schools, securing the border, growing economic opportunity and defending traditional values and the Second Amendment as high priorities.
The House District 45 seat, which covers Dripping Springs, Wimberley, Kyle and San Marcos, is currently held by Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, who is running for a seat in the U.S. House in 2018.
Republican Austin Talley and Democrat Les Carnes have also filed for the District 45 seat, according to the secretary of state's office. Neither Pearce nor Strange have filed for election, according to the secretary of state's office. They have until Dec. 11 to do so.
Primaries are March 6.
