Q&A: Get to know the candidates running for U.S. House of Representatives District 2

If elected, what will be your top priorities?

I pride myself on being one of the most effective Republican lawmakers, passing legislation into law under President Trump to protect Texas energy jobs and introducing bipartisan legislation to combat illegal immigration and stop President Biden’s border crisis. I am running for chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, which has jurisdiction over the border crisis, cyber security threats and reforming the Federal Emergency Management Agency, all of which Texans are extremely familiar with. These will continue to be my priorities if I am elected.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing District 2?

I believe the interests of people in this district—as with most Texans—are the same. Texans want their representatives to be an authentic, strong voice for themselves and their families in Congress. Right now, they want a representative who will provide a check on Joe Biden’s assault on Texas oil and gas jobs, an unprecedented border crisis, and socialist spending that is driving up everyday costs for families.

If elected, how will you address rising property values in District 2?

Housing prices have increased in large part because of supply chain issues, impacting everything from lumber to home appliances. I will continue to push to cut red tape to allow for builders to construct more affordable housing. Building new neighborhoods in the Houston region also requires investment in infrastructure, like roads, bridges and flood detention structures. I will continue to push the Biden Administration to remove barriers to key construction projects in our region.

If elected, how will you address flooding in District 2?

I will continue to advocate for more federal dollars to be invested in flood mitigation programs in our region. I was able to help secure federal funding for six projects in 2022 as well as advance a number of other projects toward the finish line. I advocated for passage of the Coastal Spine program this year and will continue to make sure that the project receives funding and support from the Army Corps.

If elected, how will you address the reliability of the Texas power grid?

Our energy reliability crisis hinges on our ability to provide enough power for each Texan. Over the last 10 years, our ability to do this has been eroded by federal incentives that direct investors towards installing wind power over other power sources (like nuclear or natural gas). If elected, I will work to add reliability requirements onto the current federal incentives, so if energy is added to our grid, it will have to be reliable.

If elected, what will be your top priorities?

When I am elected to represent Texas’ Congressional District 2, I will work to pass meaningful health care reform to include elder care; pass the PRO act to support labor; incentivize fact-based education and diversity in public education through federal funding; demand leadership move to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and codify abortion access and equal rights; [and] pass pragmatic energy policy to incentivize the transition to renewables and growth in our energy sector through innovation.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing District 2?

American families are stuck dealing with stagnant wages and reduced economic opportunity, and the daily/weekly/monthly struggle prevents American families from planning for the future. We need to reduce the burden on the majority of Americans by investing in infrastructure projects that bring jobs to the area, and that promote innovation and job transformation as we meet the challenges of a global climate change crisis.

If elected, how will you address rising property values in District 2?

Property taxes are the responsibility of the Texas state government. To that end, I will encourage the Texas Legislature to enact meaningful property tax reform to address the issue. In addition, I encourage the Legislature to adopt reform on the manner in which appraisals are conducted so that all property owners have the same opportunities to fair appraisal bills.