Barry won a four-way Republican primary race earlier this year, while Bell ran unopposed in March.
Early voting starts Oct. 21. Election Day will be held Nov. 5.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
Jeffrey Barry
Experience:
[Pearland] City Council [member], Pearland ISD trustee, Economic Development Corporation board [member]
Occupation:
insurance sales
Candidate Website:
https://www.votejeffbarry.com
Contact Information:
281-352-3525
If elected, what is your top priority?
The border is the number one priority affecting all Texans.
What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue or challenge facing your district right now?
There are several and I will list them here. It is hard to place a priority because these are big issues equally and we must have legislators that have the experience and relationships in these areas to affect meaningful change. The issues include [the] border, property taxes [and] appraisal issues, insurance and…
What kind of school-related legislation do you feel the state should be focused on?
The first thing we need to do is pass a bill specifically for funding our public schools. Other school issues are getting discipline back into our schools and empowering administrators and [the Texas Education Agency] to support our teachers instead of demonizing them. We need to build a teacher first culture so that…
Are there any economic-related policies you would support in the upcoming legislative session, such as to boost business or help Texans with inflation?
The first step would be to control the border. Many people don't understand the effect of the open border policy of the [Joe] Biden/[Kamala] Harris White House. This issue affects everything from groceries to doctors offices to hospitals. We must control the border to strengthen our ability to manage our state…
In your view, what can the state do about rising property taxes?
The first thing we should do is to control the excessive increases in property values through the appraisal districts. While cities and schools work tirelessly to reduce their tax rates, the appraisal values continue to skyrocket thus increasing our tax dollars. I think that the state should allow cities and…
Adrienne Bell
Experience:
educator
Occupation:
educator
Candidate Website:
https://www.bell4texas.com
Contact Information:
832-291-2451
If elected, what is your top priority?
My top priority is to defend and strengthen public education in Texas. I will fight against efforts to divert funding from public schools, ensure every child has access to quality education and support educators with the resources they need to help students succeed.
What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue or challenge facing your district right now?
The biggest challenge facing District 29 is the attack on public education, which serves 72% of our students. School vouchers threaten to divert critical funding from our schools. We must fully fund public education to ensure our children receive a high quality public education.
What kind of school-related legislation do you feel the state should be focused on?
The state should focus on legislation that strengthens public education by increasing funding, reducing class sizes and supporting teachers with better pay. Additionally, the state must reject school vouchers and ensure equitable access to quality education for all students, keeping public schools strong in our communities.
Are there any economic-related policies you would support in the upcoming legislative session, such as to boost business or help Texans with inflation?
I support policies that provide relief for working families. I would advocate for investments in small businesses and workforce development programs to strengthen our local economy and create sustainable, high paying jobs in our communities.
In your view, what can the state do about rising property taxes?
The state can address rising property taxes by increasing state funding for public schools, which would reduce the reliance on local property taxes.
