Q&A: Texas primary Democratic candidates for Texas House of Representatives

The District 3 issues are bigger than an anti-gay marriage initiative which seems to be Mr. [Cecil] Bell’s (incumbent) focus. While I am sure Mr. Bell is a good man. I applaud his willingness to be involved, I disagree that gay marriage is an important issue for the state.

The area is currently suffering from a poorly managed water district, the over building issues of housing and filling of land with dirt and concrete has the potential to further exacerbate infrastructure issues during times of heavy rain and during hurricane force storms that flood the area.

I wanted to provide the constituency with an alternative to the current narrow focus of the district leadership. I am tired of the status quo!

I have always had an affinity to politics and critical thinking discussions about issues. I suppose the most inspiring people are some of the folks that are no longer with us. Teddy Roosevelt was a man that secured the national park system for Americans. He was a visionary regarding the conservation of our natural resources. He bucked the system and still managed to make the future logging industry profitable. An unfettered business community could easily undermine our high quality of life. There are many others that have inspired me to stay connected to national and local politics. Too many to mention.

I remember an overwhelming sense of personal satisfaction that I had participated in our democratic process. Even though the candidates in my district were most likely not going to win. The sense of obligation to participate was secured from that moment on. I feel all Americans have a civic duty to vote. At the very minimum in local level elections. Spend one hour every two years participating in the most important aspect of society. In recent years, it has become apparent to me that democracy is a fragile form of government and not to be taken for granted. It becomes more solidly held together by its constituency and the participation of all Americans. The rock and mortar of democracy come to build strength in participation from there citizens. Otherwise the cracks in mortar widen between the rocks and our republic begins to crumble.

As I stated above, being apart of the process and participating is always a worth while endeavor, being a voice is sometimes not always about being the loudest. Voting is imperative to the future of all the students at [the] University of Houston[-Clear Lake]. It makes a nation stronger. Participate so that your strengths are heard.

I am a social progressive, there have been times when neighbors insist that being a progressive is detrimental to their way of life. Nothing could be more wrong, in my opinion. Innovative people of the past have built the current high standard of living in America. Some examples would be Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Einstein, Gates, Tesla and now Elon Musk. Without progressive thinking and initiatives to build modern infrastructure, we may not have electricity in every corner of our nation today. By voting you help the progressive initiatives of the past strengthen the future.

Many of the students of the university are studying business or economics. Maybe these folks can understand what I am about to say from a family owned business that they participate in. I know that many small businesses struggle to make ends meet on a month to month basis and do not need interference from big government initiatives. All the while in Texas big businesses seem to access the largest piece of the political voice, this should change, and only by participating in the community we live in can change occur with voting.

We need long term reforms not short term election winning strategies for politicians personal agendas.

I am tired of the status quo! Are you? Then Vote for a different voice, a voice that intends to be inclusive of future initiatives for Texas success not just for big wigs, but for all of Texans.

I think Texas deserves better than what the current crop of state legislators, including my opponent, has been doing. The state turned down federal money that we, as Texan taxpayers, had paid to the federal government. That means anyone you know who is struggling to pay for healthcare, can’t afford healthcare or has to take a second or third job to pay for healthcare, is missing out on federal money, simply because the Republicans in the Legislature refused to accept the Medicaid expansion. And the only reason they did that was because of politics. They didn’t want it to seem like the Affordable Care Act (which they called Obamacare) was working. But it is working, in states that aren’t playing politics.

George Washington and the other Founding Fathers because they had the brains to create the foundation of the political system we use now, but the humility to know that people and institutions need checks and balances.

I missed voting for Bill Clinton in 1992 by a month because of where my birthday fell. I remember thinking he couldn’t win, but he did. Then he balanced the budget, made America safer and even left office with a surplus, not a deficit. I’ve voted for moderates, especially moderate Democrats, ever since then.

Texas only needs nine seats to flip the state house to Democrat control. That means we will finally have some checks and balances in our state government for the first time in a generation. That’s important.

I graduated from a small commuter college in Shreveport, Louisiana. I wasn’t the best student, but I worked hard and that education, what I actually learned from going to class, doing the reading and taking on extra work, like becoming the editor of the student newspaper, made me an ideal candidate for law school, which I graduated from in 2005. And that education helped me become a successful career newspaper reporter. It’s the things you learn, not the piece of paper on the wall, that will propel you to the top if you come from modest beginnings, like I did.


I have served on the Texas State Board of Education for the past 16 years. This experience has raise my passion for serving my community as a decision maker and the most important body that makes decisions for Texans is the legislature. This is a natural progression from the Texas Education Agency to the capital.

The person who inspires me the most is Dr. Alma A. Allen. Dr. Allen is my mother and my mentor. I have followed her example as an educator and a politician and it has proven to be a wonderful experience. My mother now serves as the state representative for District 131 and I plan to join her as the representative of District 26. This will be the first mother and son combination in the [Texas] House in the history of Texas.

I could not wait for my 18th birthday and the opportunity to cast my first vote. My mother would take me with her every time she voted and she would let me close the curtain. I understood that voting was a privilege and my participation was extremely important.

As a former high school principal, I understand the issues that young college students are facing. We must work hard to reduce the cost of a college education or open up avenues to have the debt removed. I welcome your thoughts and ideas on how to make Texas the best state to live.

As a college student, we should be preparing ourselves for leadership. Leadership requires setting a good example for others to follow. It is my true desire to inspire and motivate the generation behind me to do greater work as they walk into the future. I will always remember that others are watching and depending on me to do the right thing.

I decided to run for the Texas House of Representatives because as a teacher of 25 years, I have seen the public education system in Texas deteriorate into an experiment of high-stakes testing, charters, virtual schools, and voucher programs that detract from providing fully-funded research based quality education. As a ninth generation Texan, I am well aware of the trans-formative nature of education to “leveling the playing field” in order to obtain the American Dream both socially and economically.

I want that opportunity to continue to exist for all Texans today and tomorrow. My first legislative efforts will be to get rid of high-stakes testing by returning to achievement tests that gauge the performance level of students in order to locally address the needs of students and districts academically.

My biggest inspiration continues to be my family members who everyday remind me that there is always room for improvement to better the future of others, as well as to uplift the hopes and aspirations of those in the present. Through the memory of my grandparents, I am reminded of the huge obstacles and struggles that they had to endure and overcome in order to flourish in American society with a culture, language, and religion intact and wholly their own.

My parents ensured that bilingualism and biculturalism would serve as assets to be appreciated rather than shunned, making today’s Texas a better place than theirs. My siblings, nieces and nephews are daily reminders of the need to continue to improve ourselves while reaching back to open doors for others so that they too may add to the ongoing progress of Texas.

The first political vote that I cast was in a 1976 kindergarten Weekly Reader straw poll vote between President Ford and candidate Jimmy Carter. Our kindergarten teacher made a big deal about the process of voting; I was disappointed that my candidate Jimmy Carter lost overwhelmingly in the class election.

However, the memory of the event has stayed with me all these years because later I learned while watching the news with my parents that Carter had indeed won the election. That I had been on the winning side in spite of the class vote, turned me on to voting.

The first time I cast a real vote was when I was 18, and my parents were calling other people to go out and vote. I remember that it was important to them and my extended family members; voting was a civic obligation not to be ignored. Candidates frequently came to my parents asking for support because my parents and family voted regularly.

College students should choose to vote for me because I believe in removing the barriers to voting participation because it further enhances the quality of candidates elected. College students should be at the forefront of ensuring that colleges and universities will volunteer to serve as polling places so that a greater number of their peers participate in the voting process, but such forward thinking greatly depends on the actions of legislators who share those views and recognize the significant voting bloc that college students represent.

If college students are to champion greater voting access, free-tuition or tuition caps, college students must elect progressive candidates like myself who will take action on their behalf. Too often candidates acknowledge that college students are the “leaders of tomorrow,” but fail to recognize that they are leaders today as well!

I would like your readers to know that I come from an unconventional background of community organizing where leadership development and self-empowerment are central to creating a culture of voting where candidates and policies are reflective of the communities in which they serve.

I want your readers to understand that I have lived my entire life as an ardent believer that diversity is a strength that uniquely accounts for the progress of our nation on all fronts. I refuse to accept the political climate of today because I know that collectively we are better than this. Extreme circumstances of polarization require a heavy dose of common sense in order to find common ground. I believe that the optimism of college students and youth in general are the catalyst to a better America.

I am an End-Stage Renal Disease patient. I’ve been on dialysis for the last four months. During this process, I have seen the severe atrocities of health-care, social services, and more. I have seen both the positives and the “not so positives.” I’ve experienced what it’s like to be treated like a “number, a color, and a stat,” while not being treated as a significant contributor to humanity. Politics, as well, can treat many as a vote, while being absent of humanness. I simply desire to be a human expression of diplomacy to those who have lost faith in public service as we know it. Hopefully, my life can inspire awareness, difference, and change!


I strongly believe that if you are a woman, minority, immigrant, or working-class family the odds are quickly stacking against us by a legislature that is intentionally putting together policies that seek to keep a thumb on us from moving forward. We need people representing us that haven’t had a cookie cutter life, but instead have experienced unique life stories that will help create policies that advocate for all.

I admire many. But those who were deemed as “the underdog” by so many, attribute to my inspiration as I experience them doing extraordinary things. There are those who exists on great stages that attract inspiration and applause. Yet, there are many “unknowns,” who have transcended their own troubles and circumstances, and have established a great purpose!

This may sound insanely corny, but my biggest inspiration are the women throughout the generations who have fought for women’s equality. I won’t specify one person because it can never just be one person who made something so huge happen. It is a struggle that women are continually fighting for and I’m thankful to be surrounded by strong women who experienced life that required them to have their husband’s okay for things and that we as women today take for granted – such as having a credit card or buying a car.

I remember the fear and complexities of the machines. In my youth, I can remember talking with my friends during Election Day, especially when we had voting booths at our school. We would say, “I’m voting for such and such,” way before we were actually registered to vote. It was our way of approving those that we subconsciously supported. When the actual experience arrived, it felt more different than I ever imagined.

I remember feeling empowered and that I had a say on who governed me. My motivation was to continue what my parents had taught me growing up; which was that voting had power and it was our right.

I would desire for everyone to vote for me. I believe that many will experience my authentic reasons for at least, attempting to model a more positive shift to public service. The catalyst behind my current health challenge has broadened my vision and consciousness for all people. I feel that we cannot truly represent the needs and serve as an advocate for life, if we have never experienced the ills that our constituents face everyday. I have more than a message of hope, I too, am a great survivor!

I would love to have their vote because I was once a college student in their shoes juggling work, school and raising a child. I know what it means to have student loan debt with the hopes of securing a job that could afford my future student loan payments. I’m someone who has not forgotten my past, but instead I am humbled and determined to make a better future for generations to come.

I desire for all of the readers to know that it is my earnest hope to reveal the relevance of public service to their daily lives. Many elect those who are not in touch with their daily momentum, rhythm, and consciousness. I desire to include those who are advocates for various causes, into a community of awareness advocates that work closely with my administration. Those who grant us the power to speak for them, must also be given the right to speak for the communities that we are merely advocates for.

My favorite show is “The Golden Girls” and favorite movie is “Goodfellas.”

I chose to run because I felt like the district was not being adequately represented. I will take the title of the job seriously and represent the people of this district. Their voices will be heard in Austin. I will have an open door and will welcome the concerns and solutions proposed by the citizens of District 128 and will legislate based on science and facts.

This is not an endorsement for his presidential run, but I am extremely inspired by Mayor Pete Buttigieg. We share a similar background: close in age, gay, military veteran, and to see someone like me be able achieve all that he has as well as become mayor of South Bend and a presidential candidate is inspiring to me personally.

My first election was in November 2002 when I voted for Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. I have always been interested in politics and I was very excited to vote in the first election I was eligible for.

I am looking toward to the future. I care about the environment and believe the scientists when it comes to climate change. I will support or oppose legislation with their futures in mind.

I too have student loan debt and I understand the burden it can be for students once they are out of school and I believe that it must be addressed. I believe the cost of higher education has spiraled higher and higher and something needs to be done to make college affordable. Not just tuition but the cost of text books is outrageous as well and something that I look forward to addressing.

Please register to vote now! Make sure you know what ID you need to take and vote early if you can. The hurdles that are in place are there because they don’t want you to vote. Don’t let them stop you from making your voice heard.

I am a parent and educator who wants to represent the priorities of working and middle-class Texas families. I believe that our state government should reflect the diversity and tolerance of our residents by guaranteeing equal opportunity and protection to all Texans regardless of race, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, or disability. My platform includes strengthening our public schools, passing gun violence prevention laws, expanding access to health care, fortifying flood mitigation infrastructure, promoting clean energy, and protecting the right to vote.

Barack Obama is my biggest political inspiration. I watched his 2004 DNC speech as a senior in high school and have looked up to him as a role model ever since.

The first time I voted was the 2004 election as a high school senior. I remember the war on terror being a big campaign topic.

As a millennial and community college professor, I understand the issues facing young people. I have lived through the rising costs of higher education, the rising [toll] of gun violence, and the stagnant wages and eroding predictability in the job market. I understand that diversity is a strength, that tolerance holds society together better than hate, and that the climate crisis is real and needs to be addressed.

I understand that it can seem like everything is over-hyped, exaggerated, or turned into a conspiracy theory, but the 2020 election is truly the most important of our lifetime. Fundamental values and ideals of democracy, checks and balances, the rule of law, and equality are at stake. Don’t sit this one out. And don’t do the minimum. Do whatever you can to convince others to vote and get involved. Political engagement is contagious and you can be the change.

I am running for State Representative to launch an era that must come next.

My family is my first inspiration, along with the 60 plus students I teach daily. My students have put their future in my hands, and they believe that I can create a brighter future for them, and I proudly accepted the challenge.

Turning 18 was a milestone for me because I could not wait to cast my vote for the first. My motivation came from my grandmother, and she lived through a time where African Americans were unable to vote. My grandmother fought for my right to vote; I take pride in casting my vote each time.

A college student should vote for me because its time for Millenials and Gen Z to have a seat at the table. I am fighting issues that are currently affecting college students, and that will affect us in the future, such as climate change and the regulation of big tech data privacy.

If elected, I would strive to achieve a better all-around education system (PreK-College) for children and individuals of my district and around the state. I will fight to make fair and equal rights for women of color and women from low socially economically disadvantaged communities. I will fight daily to ensure economic growth for all of Texas House District 131. With the high rate of African Americans in the prison system, I will fight for a fair justice system for all. Finally, I will fight to secure technology data rights protection for all Texans.

I’m running for TX State House 133 because as a Licensed Professional Counselor I have the skill sets that will be needed in the 2021 Legislature: I wrote The Adult ADD Handbook…have always seen adolescents (under 40 years) and young adults. Also worked with children for 20 years. The Legislature has to deal with Special Ed. Given my background, I know what a “bad” bill looks like and will attempt to prevent that. I also wrote “Women and Personal Power.” We must address the maternal mortality rate, the highest in the country. Also sexual harassment in politics. Power can be an aphrodisiac that must not be tolerated.

I hope the students will vote for me because my job is to listen as well as assist with the development of solutions. I have not been accused of being patronizing or condescending, which is good. The suffering of young people requires a witness, an affirmation, and a constructive response.

Voting is one part of claiming our voice. The decision not to vote is a part of our own disempowerment. I’ve always believed that. As one begins to claim that voice it can lead to other actions, behaviors, that are empowering and benefit those groups about which we are most concerned!

Having spent 11 years working in Houston’s public schools, I have long been disappointed by the Legislature’s continued underfunding of our schools.

Last year, there seemed to be momentum behind school finance reform, but what we ended up within House Bill 3 was a half-measure at best, restoring cuts to school funding from prior years and modest teacher pay raises.

I want to see our state truly tackle the crisis we’re facing in education right now. Currently, in Texas only 22% of our graduates get a two- or four-year degree, despite the fact that 65% of new jobs require such a degree. We need to fund our schools in a way that students are set up for success, and sending educators to Austin is the first step towards doing so.

My high school guidance counsellor, Donna Epton, is a model for what I sought to be as a teacher.

Throughout my high school career, my father battled cancer, ultimately passing away during my senior year. During that time, Ms. Epton was always looking out for me. She’d check in with me during the school day, and helped me apply to colleges and scholarships knowing my mom was occupied with her own job and my father’s care. Ms. Epton saw my potential and knew that I would need extra support to achieve my goals.

As a middle school teacher, I similarly sought to find ways to be there for my students both inside and outside the classroom. Sometimes that meant sitting with a student at lunch or doing a home visit to make sure things were ok after school hours.

It’s that sense of feeling cared for that I feel is a necessity. Texans should believe that their public institutions – whether it’s a school, a library, or an elected body – are places where they are safe and will have someone looking out for them.

My first voting experience was a mock presidential election in third grade. Our social studies teacher had us research the issues and our English teacher broke us into teams to prepare stump speeches. I remember being inspired at the idea that anyone could run for and hold the most powerful offices in the land.

Later, when I was teaching eighth grade U.S. History, I aimed to create a similar experience for my students as we saw the first person of color run for – and eventually win – the presidency. We did many of the similar activities that I remembered from my first election, including the issue research and campaign speeches. Even more significant, I saw the look in my student’s eyes as they finally saw someone who looked like them ascending to the most powerful office in the land.

It’s so important to engage students early and show them the opportunity and possibility in our electoral system, so they can see the value of their vote and the possibilities it enables.

I hope a college student reading this will agree with my belief that having access to strong education can be the difference. As a legislator, I will fight to ensure that every family has access to a great neighborhood school, that every student leaves high school college-ready and able to afford a degree, and that those graduates will have strong career opportunities to raise their own families.

I’ve spent my adult life fighting for educational equity, and I hope everyone reading this will support that effort.

I was tired of sitting on the sidelines watching as it appears some legislators are more concerned about political longevity, than making changes. We are not doing enough to address the tough issues which are facing our state. It appears that in many cases, our state legislators are just “kicking the can down the road” when it comes to education, healthcare, and the environment. I am not satisfied with the way that our state addresses education funding, educational opportunities, or educational inequities from prekindergarten through higher education. We are not adequately funding healthcare and, particularly, behavioral health care. We are also not doing enough to protect the environment for future generations of Texans.

I grew up in Houston’s Fifth Ward and former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, also from Fifth Ward, was a political figure whom I greatly admired. She was courageous enough to run for state office at a time when electing a black female to the state senate was an unlikely prospect, but that did not stop her from persevering. She was willing to speak out on issues that were not particularly popular at the time, but were definitely necessary to improve the lives of the people she was elected to serve. She was willing to speak out and make tough decisions. Legislators have to be more concerned about their constituents than their political career.

I cast my first vote as a democrat during the Carter-Reagan presidential election in my freshman year of college at Prairie View A&M University. I remember standing in line for a couple of hours to get inside the school across the street from our college campus to cast my vote. However, despite the cool temperatures and the long wait, I was so energized and excited to finally have the opportunity to do what I had watched my parents do for many years and make my voice heard. I have challenged myself to vote in every election since that time.

I am an advocate for affordable higher education opportunities. I went to graduate school while my children were young and I remember the struggle of juggling childcare arrangements and child care costs and racking up student loan debt to finance my education. Sadly, my children also accrued loan debts to finance their education, as well. We must stop this cycle of debt while increasing the opportunities for learners of all ages and making sure that all Texans are able to pursue educational opportunities and not complete their education with crippling debt and the possibility of not earning a livable wage.

I am not a career politician. I am a career educator – teacher, counselor, and administrator. I am a parent, a wage earner, a consumer, a homeowner, an everyday person. I want to make a difference by addressing more of the issues that affect us on a daily basis. I pledge to be accessible to my constituents if elected. I also support term limits within legislative bodies at every level – city, county, state, and federal. Terms of office should never exceed 12 years.

Because the time to fix our pension funds is now. We can pay for it with a victimless crimes bill, we’re putting human beings in cages when they haven’t hurt anyone else through force or fraud. I get tired of politicians gerrymandering districts.

In Austin, I believe we have too many CEOs, doctors, and lawyers representing their own vested interests instead of working Texans. I’m a schoolteacher, a working Texan, and I want to fight for the critical needs many of my neighbors are struggling every day to get or maintain.

Christopher Hitchens. He’s an incredibly brave man who was not afraid to say what was right despite majority opinion
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I’m inspired most by the many students I’v had the opportunity to meet these past few years I’ve been a teacher. When some of them come to school the last thing on their minds are making good grades or making positive choices. They are children but many of them are dealing with one parent households, violence, hunger, health issues, and so many more heart-wrenching things that no child should ever have to know. I want to do everything in my power to keep every child safe and lay the framework so they can have a brighter future.


Voting in elections isn’t exactly the highlight of my life. That’s why I want to introduce a ranked voting system so that an individual’s vote matters significantly more. We can also hand over the drawing of districts to independent commissions to expand upon that.

I first voted my sophomore year at Texas Southern University. I, like many other college students at the time, was excited about the potential of our first Black president. The magnitude of my one vote didn’t hit me until I was in boot camp for the Navy just a couple months later. A group of us were allowed to watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama and it brought tears to my eyes.

Well the debt crisis is almost certainly going to fall on them. A century of irresponsible spending has finally caught up to us. Luckily, if we make some reforms, we can future proof Texas.

I’m not too far removed from being a college student, I know what it’s like to live off of my refund check, and I’m paying the consequences for that now in the form of my astronomical student loan debt. I’d appreciate college students supporting me with their vote and promise to create and file legislation to make state-funded colleges in Texas tuition-free.

Vote local, its where you can make the most difference. Don’t trust politicians (including me), they are not rock stars they are human beings. Politics isn’t like sports where you need to remain loyal to team A or B. There is simply good policy and bad policy. I will look at the cost and benefits of all proposals in this way. I would love your help in breaking the gridlock.

It’s time that we make education an American value in this county. There are bold statements being made through legislative action that proves they do not value our children or our educators. I am a public-school educator and I will fight for public education.

I found out my State Representative Jessica Farrar, was retiring early from a couple of friends while I was out of town last August. They both encouraged me to consider a run. I had previously served before on the Houston ISD board for eight years and enjoyed representing my community and working to solve knotty problems that had the potential to impact people’s lives. I have a deep commitment to making good on the promise of public education and I know that education does not happen in a vacuum. The opportunity to go to Austin and both impact the education conversation from a parent’s point of view and work on affordable health care, reproductive justice, sensible gun legislation and the environment was one I could not pass up.

To create good government we need to elect good people who have a track record of serving the community and humanity. As a 19-year lawyer, I have worked to protect people’s civil rights and human rights, including working in Washington D.C. to pass humanitarian laws. Texas House 148 covers The northern part of Houston and includes Heights, Northside, Garden Oaks, and neighborhoods along 290 area from 610 Loop to Tidwell.

Oh there are so many! I look to strong women like Eleanor Roosevelt, Delores Huerta, Ruth Bader Ginsberg – but most recently listened to a story about Barbara Jordan and her work after she was appointed by Bill Clinton to lead the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform in 1993.

“For Barbara, this approach was bigger than just the commission. She didn’t see compromise as a sign of weakness. She saw it as a moral imperative. She taught this in her college ethics and political values classes. She believed it was actually immoral to not compromise if your job was to legislate.” – Miki Meek, “This American Life”

While I am often discouraged by the tenor of today’s debates and the things I see happening around me, I carried this story with me after listening to it and know it was one of the reasons I was willing to throw my hat in the ring and run to represent District 148.

Delores Huerta and others who stood up for rights. Her courage and intolerance for injustices to vulnerable communities.

I consider voting an obligation, a duty – an action that impacts our daily lives. The first campaign I remember engaging in was when Bill Clinton ran for president the first time. I had voted before but in a more perfunctory way. I remember attending a rally in San Antonio where he spoke and feeling like I was part of a movement.

The first time that I voted was empowering and I felt the power to voice my choice and to be a part of creating good government.

I am someone who listens to people I represent. I have convictions – some unwavering – but am always open to learning. I want to fight so others have access to the things I often took for granted in my life. A high quality education, good doctors, a safe neighborhood, the arts!

I ask first time voters to elect me based on my record of work and dedication to service, ethics and honesty. Please watch my video and learn more at voteforpenny.com. I also ask young voters to engage in campaigns to help motivate and engage the voters. Without votes we cannot change the old harmful policies of the government.

Please vote. It’s easy to be apathetic and feel that it doesn’t matter, but at every level of community, you have the opportunity to choose leaders who represent your values. It matters!

It takes a bold and experienced voice to stand up to inequality and injustices. We must also stand together as a network to bring about positive change for our environment, for immigrants, for education, good healthcare and so many other pressing issues.

I have been interested in politics for as long as I can remember. I chose to run for State Representative because I want to be part of a growing movement of young people who are taking responsibility for our future and stepping up to affect change when we have the opportunity.

I was in part inspired my great uncle Joseph Hugh Allen, a state representative who like myself sought office as a young man in his twenties. He served in the Legislature for many years and participated in the bi-partisan Dirty Thirty that fought to rid the Texas Legislature of corruption in the 1970s.

The first time I voted was not very long ago. It was about a month after I turned 18 in the gubernatorial election of 2014. I was very proud to have voted for Wendy Davis. I was inspired by her sense of honor and duty when she filibustered a bill in the Texas Senate that would have violated human rights.

Any college student in my district can rest assured that if they vote for me they will be voting for someone who understands their struggles and will support their interests because as a college student myself, their interests are my own as well.

I would like readers of The Signal, especially those in my district, to know that if they vote for my opponent or do not vote at all, they will be squandering an opportunity to elect a representative who actually represents them and their interests, in favor of re-electing a representative with policies so archaic and bizarre that they could easily be mistaken for satire.