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Incumbent U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Waco, will face Democratic challenger Casey Shepard in the race to represent District 17 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The southwestern corner of District 17 includes parts of Williamson County and stretches north up to Waco and east to the Lufkin area.
What to bring to the polls
Voters should bring a photo ID with them to the polls. According to the Texas Secretary of State's office, acceptable forms of photo ID include:
The last day to register to vote is Oct. 5.
A quick note
The candidates submitted the following responses to questions from Community Impact ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Candidates were asked to email responses to the following questions, keep responses within 50 words and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Incumbents are identified with an asterisk.
16-years Southwestern Bell, 28 year Congressional Member, Leadership roles in House Finance, Oversight, Rules committee
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Continuing investment in economic growth<br>Workforce development<br>Growth of our infrastructure
What are the biggest challenges facing this district?
Agriculture<br>Water<br>power<br>Jobs
What projects are most important for Congress to focus on for the future of Texas?
Affordability<br>Keeping taxes low<br>Controlling our border<br>Dealing with crime effectively
Criminal Defense Attorney, particularly Indigent Defense
What would your top priorities be if elected?
My top priority is restoring the rule of law by pushing back on the Trump Administration’s use of executive power. Our checks and balances only work when every branch stays within Constitutional limits, the executive. This isn’t about stopping one person; it’s about protecting<br>the integrity of our democracy for the good of future generations.
What are the biggest challenges facing this district?
District 17 has fast-growing cities and beautiful country land in Texas. But every part of this district faces a serious water challenge. Between data centers, industrial farming, and large-scale operations, too much of our water is being pulled by big business instead of serving Texans. That’s not right.
What projects are most important for Congress to focus on for the future of Texas?
The United States has to keep investing in infrastructure. Traffic clogs our cities, folks in rural communities still can’t get broadband, and we need a national power grid. For a strong country, we need strong infrastructure.
