The incumbent candidate is Adrian Garcia, who faces two challengers in the Democratic primary. The winner of the March primaries will be on the ballot in the November general election. Candidates are included below in the order names appear on the Harris County ballot.
Candidate responses may have been edited for length and clarity.
Jack Morman
Occupation: Attorney
Relevant experience: Served two terms as Precinct 2 commissioner from 2011 until 2019
Contact information: 832-512-0211
Website: www.electjackmorman.com
Richard Vega
Occupation: Pastor
Relevant experience: "I've been a community leader for 10 years, lobbied and spoke up for many people."
Contact information: 832-425-8518
Website: www.richardvega.us
Daniel N. Jason
Occupation: Insurance salesman
Relevant experience: "Vietnam veteran with fire in my stomach and a degree in accounting"
Contact information: 713-338-1167
Website: N/A
Jerry Mouton
Occupation: Business owner, Landscape Construction-Texas Lawn & Sprinkler Co.
Relevant experience: "Elected to Deer Park City Council in May of 2011; elected Deer Park Mayor in May of 2013; 30-plus years as a business owner and operator"
Contact information: 832-573-6211
Website: www.jerrymouton.org
John Manlove
Occupation: John Manlove Marketing and Communications
Relevant experience: "Built several successful businesses; mayor of Pasadena and city councilman"
Contact information: 281-830-1379
Website: www.johnmanlove.org
QUESTIONS:
What inspired you to run for this office and what qualifications do you possess?
J. Morman: I served two successful terms as the Harris County commissioner of Precinct 2. I was inspired to run again because we again need a conservative majority on commissioners court. Crime and murder rates are tragically high and so is wasteful spending. Law enforcement needs better support and so do crime victims.
R. Vega: I am inspired to run for this office because I see the need for changes that need to happen. I served our country in the United States Army with experiences that would benefit our county. I obtained a bachelor's degree in business and have experiences with finances and finding solutions to budgets our county needs. I served Harris County as a pastor for six years and through humanitarian aid for the last 10 years.
D. Jason: In March 2020 the radio told me if I went to church, I would be arrested. I prayed to God and I went to church. When I returned home, I complained to God and the Holy Spirit challenged me to run for office to turn this government back to God.
J. Mouton: My inspiration in running for office has been wrapped up into a simple narrative: to give back to the arena that has given me so much. I ran for office in Deer Park for my family and for my community. Many of the major milestones in my life would not have been possible without them, and I hope to provide those same opportunities to others.
J. Manlove: The current direction of our local community is frightening, I have seen communism first hand in Cuba and Venezuela and how devastating it can be. As a successful mayor of the city of Pasadena along with my hispanic heritage and business experience I believe I’m the most qualified candidate.
What would your top priorities be if elected?
J. Morman: Supporting law enforcement, waging a real war on crime, cutting wasteful spending [and] restoring integrity in county government.
R. Vega: My top three priorities include law enforcement, flooding and bail reform. I would give law enforcement the tools and the budget in which they need to be able to do their job properly, while making sure the judges of Harris County perform their jobs to keep our streets and communities safe.
D. Jason: When vehicles are broken into my residents [in] Precinct 2 should contact the police then my office and we will see these people are hunted down, arrested and jailed!
J. Mouton: As Precinct 2 Commissioner, my focus will be on elevating levels of public safety, including ensuring that our constables are fully funded, greater investment in infrastructure/flooding mitigation, and better financial management and planning.
J. Manlove: Crime is a top priority, if we no longer feel safe in our community we are losing our personal freedom inch by inch. I reduced crime by 27% in Pasadena by building accountability and flexibility into the system. Precinct 2 contains many of the hardest hit areas from flooding, however, most of the flood resources are being used in other areas.
What do you believe the county government’s role should be in COVID-19 response?
J. Morman: Making sure small businesses and members of public get accurate information and support.
R. Vega: Making sure public safety/health is secure and fully operational is extremely vital to our citizens and our economy. The county cannot afford to be wasteful with the budget and during COVID-19 response. It is the county’s job to make sure resources continue to flow through the proper channels to reach our community. We've had many trials and errors but wasteful spending of over $60 million on a makeshift hospital is mismanagement of taxpayers' money.
D. Jason: Texans are smart and Texas doctors are great and these two should make their medical decisions not the government!
J. Mouton: The power under the Constitution will always be in the people. It is entrusted for a certain defined purpose and for a certain limited period in order to form a perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote welfare, and ensure the blessings of liberty to ourselves. A Precinct 2 commissioner should provide public safety while ensuring the blessings of liberty to our constituents.
J. Manlove: The county government’s core mission is to help the unincorporated areas of the county, which is nearly 50%. However, most of the resources are being used to underwrite Houston and its social programs.
What needs do you see for parks and roads in Precinct 2 and what can be done to improve them?
J. Morman: Parks and roads must be supported. An immediate assessment of needs must be done to see what damage the incumbent Democrat has done. As for roads, we must stop litigating with state partners bringing billions to the table for local projects, like this commissioners court did with [the Texas Department of Transportation] and Interstate 45 improvements.
R. Vega: One thing that COVID[-19] has done for families here in Precinct 2 is push us to go outside. There are many parks within the precinct that have been neglected for many years. It is important for us to fix our parks so they can be more desirable for families. Roads have always been a major issue and remain to be. There are still many roads that have been left unattended and still need major work.
D. Jason: Parks and roads, I need to research when elected and implement my decisions.
J. Mouton: Quality of life is a top priority as mayor in Deer Park. As Precinct 2 commissioner, investing and maintaining parks will be a top priority as well as fighting to make essential road and bridge projects and improvements happen.
J. Manlove: Deferred maintenance is crippling our roads and infrastructure. Building a five-year capital improvement plan and then sticking to it is the best path forward. And doing work based on real need instead of using the Social Vulnerability Index to direct funds to favored constituents.
What do you think the role of county government is supposed to be?
J. Morman: Public safety, good roads, quality of life enhancements like parks and programs for seniors, economic development, public health
R. Vega: County government or elected officials are to be servants to the county. They should know all needs keeping everyone in mind when making vital decisions that impacts the county as a whole. It is important for the county government reassures its community that their streets are safe whether you're driving on them or walking on them, to increase law enforcement because we care.
D. Jason: The government is to promote small business and don’t infringe on Texans' God-given rights! Don’t spend more money than we take in and reduce taxes.
J. Mouton: Everyone deserves a safe place to live. No one wants to be continuously stuck in traffic or hitting the same pot hole day in and day out. Harris County’s rainy day fund has been severely reduced and will be nearly depleted by the end of the year, as Precinct 2 county commissioner I will help build up the county’s reserves to ensure that any rainy day funds are expanded and spent correctly.
J. Manlove: The role of county government is primarily crime, infrastructure and economic development. However, the county has become overly politicized and has become a political tool for incumbents.
How would you work to prevent future flooding in the district or minimize its effects?
J. Morman: We must keep all the promises made to residents during the historic flood control bond issue. We must also secure state and federal funding where available, partner with other governments and the private sector and schedule projects based on real need and not politics.
R. Vega: Working with local and state government is vital to our communities that flood. Overseeing the watersheds and making sure they are functioning properly; working with engineers while using the strategies to allow us to perform better in bad weather. It is important for us to look at other coastal regions—they have similar landscapes as ours—to see what has been successful so we can possibly implement it in our county.
D. Jason: The flooding issue, I will study after being elected and implement my decisions.
J. Mouton: As the mayor of Deer Park, I quickly realized flood mitigation is a moving target that requires continuous focus and investments. Putting flood mitigation plans in place will be a top priority as Precinct 2 commissioner so that we can be prepared for all outcomes.
J. Manlove: I would begin working on prevention more than reaction. Monitor current developments and watersheds, and begin a real push for the development of an “Ike Dike” type of solution for storm surge.
What kind of improvements would you make to the county criminal justice system?
J. Morman: Restore the money defunded to law enforcement agencies; fully back law enforcement; unclog the courts; and push for sensible bond practices that keep families safe.
R. Vega: The law enforcement agencies are not adequately staffed and funded to handle the population growth in Precinct 2. There needs to be massive hiring initiatives at most of our local law enforcements in Harris County Precinct 2. Many of our law enforcement need new equipment such as cars, vests, riot gear and new technologies to keep up with investigation processes in solving more crimes.
D. Jason: If the sheriff’s office and [district attorney] don’t hunt down these criminals and convict them then I will cut their budget 20%!
J. Mouton: The criminal justice system needs to be a part of deterring lawlessness by enforcing the rule of law. Over the last five years, the crime rate in Deer Park decreased approximately 15%. We were able to make this happen despite the criminal justice system failing our community by allowing criminals to be released. As Precinct 2 commissioner I will work to ensure everyone has a safe place to live.
J. Manlove: I believe incarceration is a deterrent to crime. I will push for stronger enforcement and work to stop the “restorative justice” ideology that is currently driving the release of repeat offenders.
