Q&A: Texas primary Republican candidates for US House of Representatives

I am very passionate about ensuring that existing and future laws adhere to the guiding principles of the Constitution. I have personally witnessed the mass migration of illegal aliens across our southern border. After co-founding The Remembrance Project, I participated in a night watch and I saw illegal entrants crossing the border freely, carrying bags ostensibly loaded with drugs. I am passionate about securing our border and protecting the liberty and safety of Americans. From thousands of articles, radio and TV interviews, conferences to meetings with both the Obama and Trump administrations, this is the next step in the journey.

I am running for Congress to take our 7th District values to Washington and to make Washington work for us! Ever since Barack Obama ran for president in 2008, the Democrats have said, “we need to change America.” My view is that America is doing just fine; we need to change Washington, to align Washington’s interests with American voters, including in CD-7.

Like so many residents of our District, my family and I flooded during Hurricane Harvey. We have been appalled at the slow response of Washington to our flood-related needs, especially the Corps of Engineers. We can and must do better.

But, Harvey isn’t the only assault on our District. Our two most important industries, energy and health care, are under attack by Democrats who would implement the Green New Deal or Medicare for All, destroying jobs in our district, harming our country and not achieving their own unattainable objectives.

Thus, my three most important policy priorities are:
– Flood mitigation in Houston, to ensure major flooding never happens again.
– Expanding energy exports to build upon the shale revolution’s achievement of U.S. energy independence, to boost the Texas economy and to improve the U.S. balance of trade.
– Solving the health care crisis, through Republican-led market reforms to stimulate competition and innovation, enhancing the role of the Texas Medical Center, while improving access and reducing costs.

While these three priorities reflect both our District’s greatest risks and greatest opportunities, they are controlled in Washington as the result of federal laws, federal budgets and federal administration. Thus, CD-7 needs a leader who will stand up for our District and be ready to lead by example on day one.

I am the only candidate in the CD-7 race that has extensive experience in:
– Business leadership (Maxxam – Fortune 500 CEO; National Director, Price Waterhouse).
– Public Leadership (turning around major troubled agencies at the invitation of two big city mayors).
– National and international leadership (conducting business throughout the U.S. and around the world).

In addition, I am the only candidate that has spent the past ten years consistently and successfully “walking the walk” of taxpayer advocacy to hold government accountable in Houston and in Texas.

Thus, my mission will be to: align the interests of Washington in Congress with the needs of CD-7, lead by example (my personal responsibility) in formulating policy initiatives and achieving legislative results, and hold government accountable in delivering results to our district and throughout the country.

I, Kyle Preston, have a background in oil and gas industry and a degree in civil engineering. I wanted the voters to have the opportunity to vote for someone with a new perspective to represent them in Congress.

I am tired of career politicians or lawyers or someone representing special interest group represent us.

My biggest inspiration is a “what,” not a “who.” I am inspired by the liberties, opportunities and freedoms of this great country! As a little girl, I firsthand watched my father – a legal Mexican immigrant – actualize the American dream by building a successful business to support our family. The opportunity to live in this country and pursue that American dream inspires me, and I think it should inspire all Americans!

I have a small group of heroes in my life: Lee Kuan Yew, founder of modern Singapore; Thomas Sowell, conservative economist and sociologist at the Hoover Institution at Stanford; Curt Flood, who fought to establish free agency in baseball; etc. All of these people have achieved very significant results – results that are often unrecognized or under appreciated (how many young people today even know who Curt Flood was?), and whose leadership has brought people together for lasting collective value.

The biggest inspiration in the context of your question as a student of communication politics is Gerald Ford. To understand President Ford and his accomplishments, you must understand who he was and the context of his contributions.

First, Mr. Ford was the only unelected president in U.S. history. President Nixon appointed him vice president in 1972 upon resignation of Spiro Agnew as the result of bribery scandals while Agnew had been Governor of Maryland. Althouth he had been a well-recognized member of Congress for a long time, Ford had no national political base, and shortly after his appointment, President Nixon’s own descent began as the result of the Watergate mess. It was a hugely confusing and uncertain time for the United States, made much more complicated by the divisiveness of the Vietnam War and the deterioration of the U.S. position there.

When Nixon resigned and Ford was inaugurated in August 1974, the United States faced a myriad of problems:
– First and foremost, the legacy of President Nixon. A majority of the country wanted to pursue criminal actions.
– The continued divisiveness of and the failures of the Vietnam War. Saigon fell only six months later and the U.S. finally left in disgrace in April 1975.
– The deteriorating U.S. economy, as the result of the rapidly increasing inflation caused disastrous growth of the money supply over the prior decade to finance the war.
– The Arab oil embargo, caused by the same inflation that caused “gas shortages” and turmoil on the streets of America, experienced virtually everywhere.

There were of course a host of other routine problems. And, Ford inherited a dispirited and disgraced cabinet and administrative structure from Nixon. He had few areas of support.

But, he faced these problems with great aplomb – he made the courageous decision to pardon Nixon – highly unpopular at the time, but in retrospect, considered the right thing to do by nearly all observers. This action immediately ceased the Nixon controversies that were consuming nearly everyone’s attention and goodwill.

He somehow handled the end of the Vietnam War that had undermined both the Johnson and the Nixon administrations. In hindsight, that too was a blessing because the second most divisive issue was put to rest, although recovery from the war especially difficult and long lasting.

The hardest part for President Ford was economic policy. Inflation was a new experience for America and the mid-70s recession would not abate. Because he occupied the White House during the resulting pain – Ford was blamed for the inflation, the gas lines and the severe recession’s painful job losses.

And, just as Ford was beginning to make headway, the election of 1976 emerged. He had to fight a primary challenge from Ronald Reagan, former Governor of California, which he did successfully, but at great cost to him and to the Republican Party. Then he had to run in the general election without the support of a united party. While he narrowly lost to Jimmy Carter, and while there were certainly still economic problems, nearly everyone would agree that he left Carter with a far better situation than he had inherited from President Nixon only 29 months earlier.

Most importantly, the mid- and late-1970s begun a period of healing. The controveries of the early 1970s – Watergate, the Vietnam War, the recession – gradually faded, and while inflation continued to dog President Carter and later President Reagan, the U.S. economy bottomed in the spring of 1976 and began one of its longest ascents in history. Ford had the bad luck to have occupied the bottom.

Through all this, Ford retained his composure, his personal reputation and restored the credibility of the U.S. presidency. After his retirement, he wrote a best selling memoir entitled, “A Time to Heal.”

All of us owe a great deal to President Ford for his efforts to bottom out the U.S. economy and begin to heal our cultural divides, as well as to restore faith in the American culture and re-establish the sense of future opportunity. This is why Gerald Ford is one of my heroes.

Historically: The way John D. Rockefeller took a new technology in the 1860s (oil and gas) and created the largest corporation that has ever and will ever be is interesting to me. Big data is the new oil, as a representative I, Kyle Preston, want to make sure that lessons learned from our past are implemented into the laws of our future.

Politically: Winston Churchill stood up to the political talking points of the day and made lots of difficult decisions. I want to serve our community as a representative that will follow my moral compass, seek advice, and make the best decision I, Kyle Preston, feel are appropriate.

Modern: I am a fan of the vision and drive that Elon Musk is showing through his companies. He set a clear vision and mission statement for what he is planning to achieve and he has created a clear thread that connects the variety of endeavors he is associated with. He sets lofty goals and literally reaches for the stars he is an inspiration to humanity.

Abe Lincoln, a man who could stand up for his principles.

I think (I would hope) that everyone remembers their first vote with a sense of pride. I was motivated by the thought of being heard – that my voice, my opinion, would be counted and make a difference in our electoral process! Voting is a tremendous gift and responsibility that countless Americans have laid down their lives to protect. It saddens me to think of American voters who feel they are not heard because of politicians that vote according to their donor list, not the voice of their constituents. As a congresswoman, I will not forget those whom I serve – my constituents.

I voted for the first time in November 1972 at the age of 20. Not long before the voting age had been reduced from 21 to 18. It was an exhilarating experience.

I was motivated to vote in the presidential election for George McGovern, the Democratic nominee against President Nixon. At that time, having been raised as a Republican, I did not really have any dislike for Nixon (Watergate had not become a scandal yet). But, I was totally against the Vietnam War, and McGovern was clearly the anti-war candidate. I was totally against the war for three reasons:
– I could not figure out why the U.S. was fighting the war and what victory was supposed to be. What was the win we were trying to achieve?
– Without understanding a satisfactory answer for that question, it was clear that young men my age were being used as pawns in the war. Why should we risk our lives for what neither we nor anyone else understood? (By the time I voted, five of my high school classmates had already been in Vietnam).
– The government was lying to the American people in its conduct of the war. Daniel Ellsberg’s release of the Pentagon Papers in 1971 changed popular perception of the war and gradually accelerated opposition. Later, Robert McNamara, President Johnson’s Defense Secretary wrote and extensive mea culpa memoir.

While my friends and I knew that voting for McGovern was a longshot (he carried only Massachusetts and the District of Columbia), we cast our votes anyway.

George Bernard Shaw is famous for his statement, “those that forget the lessons of history are bound to repeat them.” The Washington Post published Ellsberg’s Pentagon Papers (see the movie, “The Post”), and last month published “The Afghanistan Papers.” My concern, even now as a conservative Republican, is that our U.S. leadership is repeating many of the very same mistakes in Afghanistan as we did in Vietnam, including most alarming, lying to the American public about the conduct of the war. There are many huge lessons for all of us in this most recent experience.

But, the lesson of voting remains with me. Voting is the voice of change.

I, Kyle Preston, have lived in countries where they did not have the same freedom to vote as we do in America. I love to vote on election day. It is an opportunity to stand in line with people from my community and make a difference on how we are governed. Often elections are won or lost by small numbers of votes measured in thousands please go vote!

Nothing special, was helping a friend.

College students and young voters should vote for me because I am a fresh voice that will take up their cause. There are a large amount of citizens that feel second class, that they have been disenfranchised by the establishment and by politicians that do not have their best interest at heart – I am here to be their voice, and represent them in the U.S. Congress. I believe that young voters recognize the sincerity of my campaign, and I look forward to their continued support!

There are at least three reasons for students as first time voters for me:

– First, as students with your full life ahead of you, you should be most concerned about the future and what condition people my age (67) leave the U.S. and the world to you. The reality is that I live in the future – every business and personal decision I make, including how the present will become the future. I am as concerned about the future as you and your fellow students should be.

The biggest issue that you face is what economists call “generational theft;” that is, the borrowing that our governments at all levels are undertaking, leaving young people your age to pay off our living beyond our current means. This is very serious, and I can discuss it comprehensively with you.

I hope that you and your classmates will heed the experience I have described about the 1970s. My generation changed the course of America with its opposition to the Vietnam War. You too can change the course of America by objecting to generational theft and expressing your strength in the voting booth. You have every reasons to do so, and with social media all the tools you need! I urge you to go for it, and I have already been helping you.

– I have “walked the walk” to hold our governments (at the local, state and federal levels) accountable to restore discipline to our public finances and stop the generational theft. I am attaching a letter that I recently wrote to Michael Quinn Sullivan, founder and CEO of Texas Empowered, that describes my experience in the past 10 years engaging in political, financial and legal efforts to stem the public’s profligacy.

– My wife and I have raised four very successful children: three daughters (36, 30, 27) and a son (32), all of whom share our values and are very successful personally and professionally. Even though they live all over the world and have for some time, from Buenos Aires to London to Dubai to Australia, and work throughout Africa and Asia as well, we are all very close. The four children every year schedule a “siblings weekend” somewhere (their mother’s only objection is that she does not get invited). We have run marathons and ridden cycling centuries together, also all over the world. So, my wife and I (married 43 years) know something about your younger generation.

I, Kyle Preston, am running to represent District 7 – the energy capital of the world. I want to protect the future of the energy industry in Houston. I have a degree in civil engineering and want to work to ensure that the flooding remediation projects are efficiently and effectively implemented.

I stand for the below items that will help you all find a job afterwards:
– Texans have a right to produce and sell energy
– No taxes on retirement funds withdrawals
– Protecting family’s safety and education
– Protecting small business which has been the backbone of American creativity and economy
– Texans have a right to produce and sell energy

My priorities are and will always be enforcing the rights, freedoms and liberty guaranteed to American citizens by the Constitution and Bill of Rights. I believe in a strong border and enforced legal immigration; I stand with the President and support construction of a border wall, I am a staunch defender of the rights of the unborn, and will always fight to protect 1st and 2nd amendment rights! Lastly, I am honored to say that President Donald Trump, as a personal promise to me, created the office of V.O.I.C.E. – Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement.

Yes. My religious philosophy is my life strategy that has two components. First, “know thyself,” (self-awareness) and second, to follow the scripture that says, “you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And a second is like it, “you should love your neighbor as yourself.”

Thus, “loving my neighbor as myself” is my moral imperative. I learned long ago that I could scale this love by improving the quality of life for the greatest number of people through leadership of private enterprise in the marketplace – creating jobs, improving products, mobilizing investment capital. Later, I also learned that I could improve other lives through reforming governmental agencies and their programs with application of similar business principles and practices, rehabilitating housing and transforming entire communities.

People from all walks of life and across the political spectrum have recognized the results of my successful leadership and are now asking me to run for Congress to take my skills to Washington to reform the biggest platform of all – the U.S. federal government.

Republican victory requires energizing the conservative base and also securing votes of independents. As Co-Chair of Houston’s International Trade Center (the ITC), I have been engaged with both Houston companies moving abroad and with international enterprises landing in Houston – from southern and eastern Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle-East and Africa – bringing their leaders and their families into Houston’s culture and political structure.

I am the only candidate that has proven leadership in business and government – locally, nationally and globally.

For fun, I am setting up a school of engineering and agriculture in Zambia at Northrise University. College students have the ability to be transformative to a nation. Dream big, do not be scared to fail, try again, and don’t give up. Life is not always easy it takes work. Have faith in something bigger than your self. Personally, I have chosen to believe that Jesus died to save me from my sins and that if I love others the way God loves me, I can help make the world a better place.

Laique Rehman is a lifelong conservative Republican who has lived in District 7 more than three decades. He has supported and worked for Republican candidates for decades. His two children studied at public schools in the district and went on to graduate from Harvard and the other studying Health Sciences. Laique has been a active Republican and represented his district many times as delegate in the Republican State Convention. Laique has a A Level from the University of Cambridge and a bachelors from Syracuse University. Laique is a small businessman in the oil and gas industry who has been at the forefront selling American oil and gas commodities into global markets. The company he started has exported hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. made products to countries around the world. Laique is known in the business world and acts as a speaker as well as panelist on prestigious oil and gas forums globally. Laique has been a prominent member of the community, and has a faultless record of standing up for conservative causes including suing the U.S. Government over census in the U.S. Supreme Court.

In my 20’s, I wondered when someone would step up to lead and promote good solutions every time there are issues. Then in my 30’s, I realized the person that could lead and has the will to push for change and promote good solutions might be sitting on the sidelines. Today, I am running to bring change for the people, like government reform, term limits, to bring a healthcare plan that works for everyone, to guard the Constitution for all Americans. I am running to bring ideas that promote independency over government dependency. I am running to help free the people from this indoctrination that we need the government to survive.

I decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives because I feel strongly that TX-18 and its citizens have not been well represented for years. Little to nothing has actually been accomplished in Congress except for partisan rhetoric aimed only at advancing certain political ideals. The only goal in recent history: to unseat a duly elected President of the United States. No one cares that the economy is booming or that the stock market has hit all-time highs again and again. Nobody cares that corruption is being uncovered and the swamp is slowly being drained.

The American dream and the American ideal is dying on our watch and this needs to change immediately. I love my country and want only the best for America. Believe it or not, we are not that far apart on our ideals. We all want good to prevail. It is time for Congress to do the work of the people and to focus on a balanced budget, healthcare, lower prescription drug costs, and infrastructure, among many others sidelined by party politics. We must lower taxes and bolster our military. We must do right by the American people because there can be no doubt that we are the greatest country in the world.

It has been a passion of mine to help others and as an American citizen it is my duty to be involved in keeping our freedom and protecting our God-given rights.

George Washington, President Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. equally inspire me. Each of these men during their time had to lead in a time of great divide and controversy. They inspire me because even though everyone else struggled to see the vision and the greatness the future held for our nation, these men were able to lead and inspired people to follow them and bring significant change for the betterment of America. I am inspired by their tenacity to keep pushing forward, despite failures.

My biggest inspiration is my father. For years, I have heard only that he “is just a dumb old country boy” who walked to school [uphill both ways no less] in many ‘miles’ of snow in our small Pennsylvania town. He will never broadcast that he broke the mold in our small town. He moved on and he worked his way to the very top of multiple business organizations. He led employees and he gained their support by helping them along, by doing good, and by ensuring that each of them could grow on their own, in their own way. Many of them still seek his counsel as he embarks on a new journey for himself and his industry. He epitomizes leadership and is my role model as I seek to be a leader for TX-18 and the nation.

Sam Houston is one of my biggest inspirations. Why? He fought for the Republic of Texas and for that alone I will always be grateful. I will never forget visiting Sam Houston Museum as a young girl and seeing the portrait of him laying wounded after winning a battle that would be forever in every Texan’s heart, well at least mine. The Battle of San Jacinto that was won in 18 minutes is a miracle in itself and should be remembered and honored by every generation living in Texas.

The election that I remember is the 2000 presidential election. George W. Bush and Al Gore were running to be President. At the time, I was not sure if I was going to vote, then I listened to a statement where Al Gore claimed he invented the internet, and I laughed because I knew Al Gore was lying. Then I was watching a debate between Bush and Gore that took place on Wednesday, Oct. 11th, 2000 at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salen, North Carolina. During this debate, it was clear that Bush was ready to be president based on the responses Bush gave and the way Gore was stumbling through the questions as if Gore was not sure what he should do. I realized after this debate that I will need to vote in this election if I don’t want Al Gore as president.

I was so excited the first time I voted. I remember being at Seton Hall University, far from home and awaiting my absentee ballot. I received it and much to the dismay of my roommate, I quickly made my decision and returned the ballot. My recollection is that I voted for George W. Bush. I had supported the Bush family, and Republican ideals, since being asked to do so for a school assignment with Mrs. Mather in fourth grade at Cooks Corners in Valparaiso, Indiana. Little did I know at the time, but “W” would inherit a world of trouble and the war on terror. I did my small part – I voted and made my choice known. I trust that it was a good choice. I still feel that it was, even many years later.

I remember thinking to myself that I actually have a say in what happens in our country. I have a choice. What motivated you to? Knowing that I was protecting my rights and our republic is what motivated me.

Vote for Robert M. Cadena, if you want your representative to defend the Constitution and your rights regardless if you or I agree or disagree on the issues if you want a representative who will promote prosperity for every American without government dependency. If you want a representative that will fight against government bailouts and subsidies for big business. If you want a representative that has the political will to push for term limits and government reform, then I am asking for your vote.

I want change and I want college students to inherit a different future. There may not be an absolute right answer as to how we move forward, but we can guide one another to a brighter future. College students should expect more. They should expect a brighter future. They should expect good jobs and they should expect a government that works for them, and others.

I moved to TX-18 at 18 years of age and started my career that lasted for 30 years in and surrounding this area. TX-18 has been part of my life in growing into an adult, building relationships and has played a part in my career. God is very important in my life, so being part of a church is very important to me. You might ask, “How does that help me?” It helps me be a better person to help others. For me, it will always be about helping people grow for the better.

If you want to find out more about me, my opinion on the issues, or ask questions please visit www.cadenaforcongress.com.

I want to be approachable. I want to hear from those that live in TX-18 and beyond. I feel strongly that my representative hasn’t been doing my bidding and I want to make a change and listen to those that might vote for me. Reach out, on my social media and let us engage with one another. Together, we can make a difference.

I’m very passionate about making sure that we keep government at a minimum. Congress is becoming bigger and bigger and “we the people” seem to be losing more of our choices.

So many who run and serve in office have been groomed and prepped to just win but not really help the people or defend the Constitution. I am just a normal person and want to represent and serve the people. We are at red-alert emergency levels in our country on many fronts. I couldn’t sit on the sidelines anymore while less competent hands keep doing such a poor job in Congress. In the back of my mind, I always wanted to be a statesman later in life. I finally decided to go for it after meeting several members of Congress and realizing I understand the Constitution and the basic tenants of liberty more than they do. It’s definitely a ‘higher calling’ as well.

To humbly serve the residents of CD22. I want a representative that truly loves his neighbor no matter our differences, and I know I’ll get that representative if I do it myself. It is more rewarding to me, doing for others, than anything I could do for myself. I have said that happiness comes from that which gives you eternal purpose. You have to find what that purpose is for you, but for me it is my relationship with God, and the call to serve others.

I have the best idea to fix the health care situation. Before I even thought about running for office, I shared my idea with a retired judge who was friends with Kevin Brady. This Judge said my idea was the best he had come across so far. He shared it with Kevin Brady and got back to me saying that Kevin told him that Congress would not do any legislation involving healthcare until after the election. This infuriated me. We are paying so much more for health insurance every month right now because of the Affordable Care Act (should be called the Unaffordable Care Act) that we need to put politics aside and fix this. I am sick and tired of politicians putting politics ahead of the good for the American people.

I have been politically active for many years. I was the only candidate to announce an exploratory committee before the incumbent, Pete Olson, announced his decision to not seek re-election. I was frustrated by his lack of action on behalf of his constituents and I felt he would lose against the democratic candidate Sri Kulkarni.

In May 2019, I had been involved in exposing attempts by the Democrats, along with Mr. Kulkarni, to manipulate our local elections in the City of Sugar Land in order to get their Democratic candidate elected to City Council. I was able to obtain documents through open records requests that confirmed their actions which pressured the county election administrator to move a voting location that would have benefited the Democratic candidate. I faced serious personal threats, but I was successful in stopping their efforts. It was the total inaction of the local Republican Party during this event, that made me realize there is a weakness in our local party that could very well lose this district.

In addition, as a female and Hispanic, we are greatly underrepresented in Congress. While we offer big voting numbers, we do not have the presence in Congress.

The scariest attacks on our freedoms and the American way of life are at the national level. I have three daughters who will become adults over the next 17 years, a spouse who still serves in the Texas Army National Guard, and my own small business. I want to ensure that my daughters have a country that provides opportunity, civility, and some form of morality. I want to ensure that when my wife deploys overseas, it’s for only the most necessary purposes. I want to ensure all businesses have the opportunity to succeed and grow in TX-22.

Probably my grandma. I was born on her birthday. She’s a free-spirited poet and deep thinker and she inspires me on a daily basis.

Theodore Roosevelt because he championed conservatism, and fought for liberty, while trust busting and taking on big corporate interests.

Abraham Lincoln for his courage and fight for equality in the face of adversity and national turmoil.

Thomas Jefferson. He managed to fund the entire federal government without any internal taxation.

My biggest inspiration was my older cousin. I grew up in Austin, Texas during the 1960s civil rights movement and women’s movement. My cousin attended the University of Texas and my mother worked in a hair salon on the drag where all the sorority girls would go. It was a political hot bed. My cousin would go on to serve on the national board of NOW (National Organization of Women) with Gloria Steinem. It was also when John Kennedy was President. Martin Luther King was marching for Civil Rights. It wasn’t Republican vs. Democrat, it was about change and equality.

My children. They have inspired me to not just complain about my concerns for their country, but to stand up for what is best for them and speak out against the extreme left ideologies which will surely destroy America.

I couldn’t wait to vote but I had to wait a couple of years after turning 18 to vote in a presidential election. I remember not being politically very savvy at the time but feeling excited nonetheless to participate in our democracy. However, the options available at the time didn’t really reflect the issues I was most concerned about as a normal citizen.

I had just joined the Young Republican Club in college. We were coming off of the “Reagan Revolution” and it was an exciting time in our nation’s history with the end of the Cold War. I wanted to cast my vote to fully take part in our Democracy. I was excited to be a part of the process!

The first time I voted was in the 2004 presidential election. In retrospect, I wish I did not have the right to vote. I was not mature enough and did not have enough life experiences to make a sound decision in who to vote for. What motivated me to vote is that I could vote now that I was 19 years old. I wish I was mature enough to have realized that I did not do enough research on the candidates in order to make a rational decision of who to vote for.

Because of my childhood experiences, following high school graduation. I enrolled at the University of Houston, majoring in political science, and earning a certification in minority studies. In my very early voting years, I voted Democrat because of my past experiences.

It often angers me when Republicans criticize those who have a history of voting other than Republican. We need to be inclusive and welcome those who may be willing to change party affiliation so we can grow the party.

I remember being somewhat naive about to process. Less educated on the issues than I should have been but very proud to be exercising my right to vote. We have a huge voter turnout issue in this country. Look at how few people in Houston voted recently. It’s sad really.

I represent a breath of fresh air not only for the GOP and Congress but for politics in general. I’m more interested in right vs. wrong more than right vs. left. I’m not a career politician, lawyer, nor am I independently wealthy, unlike most of Congress. I believe doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result is the definition of insanity and we need to try something different in D.C. instead of the same-old politics as usual game. We truly need to make Congress great and that’s what I offer as a candidate.

While these races are obviously partisan, be it Republican or Democrat primarily, and while I am a conservative Republican candidate, I am a person who cares for the individual first. Having said that, we need more common sense in Washington D.C., along with a willingness to work together, agree to disagree, then work to do what is best for our country, and move on. They should vote for me because I understand that, and have a heart for service.

The establishment from both parties are the enemies of America. Picking outsider candidates is the best way to get real people in D.C. to represent each congressional district. I can’t stand the establishment of both parties. They care more about keeping power than passing policies that benefit the American people. I am a real outsider who has never been involved in politics and has solutions to the largest problems facing Americans today.

I am not a career politician and I am not looking to make this a career. But I would like to mentor more women and more minorities into running for Congress. My family established one of the first endowed scholarships at the University of Houston–Sugar Land because I believe in supporting the future leaders in our community.

I am finding that the party is favoring the “old school” candidates without even considering those of us who may have a better message. Politics has changed. The Democrats used grassroots strategies to change Fort Bend County to blue and the Republican Party had no clue as to what happened.

I have lived in Fort Bend County, one of the most diverse counties in the nation, for 35 years. I know the inner circle that came so close to taking District 22. The other candidates do not understand the political machine that has been built by the Democrats and if you don’t know your opponent, you are likely to lose in what will be a very close race.

I’m the only candidate in this race that has the breadth of personal leadership experience in areas we need the most reform. I have been a leader of Army troops on a daily basis for 11 years in places like Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, and Alaska. I’ve personally been in business for over 6 years, during which time I have written multiple thousand plus page manuals and federal policy with the FAA, DOT and TPWD. When the economy takes turns up or down – I feel it, which is something none of the super wealthy candidates or career politicians running against me can say.

As a current life flight pilot in Texas’ 22nd Congressional District, I serve on the frontlines of the healthcare industry alongside incredible doctors, nurses, and paramedics. None of my opponents have healthcare industry experience. How on earth would they affect positive change in subject matters which they don’t even begin to understand even at the surface.

My broad experience in the public and private sectors is unique amongst the entire field of candidates and prepared me to best serve this district over my opponents.

All that said, I am just like the students reading this. I’m the closest in age to them, in touch with modern problems and modern people. The average college student is in the age group of the fastest growing electorate in this country.

I’m the type of person people wish would run for office but rarely do. I’m honest and not in it for money or power. I truly do want to serve and help restore our republic. How do you know I don’t want money and power? Well, I’m a professional sitar player, musician and audio engineer by trade. It doesn’t pay the big bucks but it’s enriched my life immensely and sitar is extremely difficult to master. My goals have always been to uplift and help heal society through art. Now that I’m getting into politics my goals haven’t changed, only my tools.

Hablo español, y tengo dos niños — una niña quien tiene 12 años, y un niño quien tiene 9 años. Mi esposa y yo han sido casado por 15 años.

The most toxic word you can hear come from a politician’s mouth is “safety.” Republicans will tell you that they need to have the intelligence agencies conduct warrantless surveillance on law abiding citizens to keep us safe. Democrats will tell you that they need to confiscate certain types of firearms to keep us safe. Both parties are supporting policies that take due process away from the accused, whether it is red flag laws, CPS, or civil asset forfeiture. The politicians sell the public on giving up their freedoms and rights guaranteed to them in the Bill of Rights by saying it will make us safer. I disagree, and so does Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin said that those who are willing to give up their freedoms for the promise of security deserve neither freedom or security.

We need to stop letting the government scare us into giving up our freedoms for the promise that it will make us more secure.

I am a long time community activist. My only interest is serving the community, not myself and not any special interest groups. I have stood up to career politicians in Sugar Land who tried to push through needless tax increases, I stood up to special interest groups who stole from our public school fund by getting sweetheart deals from local politicians, I stood up to the Democrats when everyone else was afraid to speak up. When there is a community concern in Sugar Land, where I have lived for 35 years, community members come knocking on my door for help. I am only seeking the support of voters who want an advocate for Republican values. I am not seeking the support of special interest groups. I want to see the tremendous economic opportunities that have resulted from the Trump administration continue to grow.

I am just like you. I don’t come from wealth. I come from poverty. I don’t have a lengthy career bouncing office to office to serve my self interests. I just have a deep love for my country, this district, and the people I share it with. I want to represent YOU over all else and promise to dis onsite integrity, honor and incomparable energy and passion.

I decided to run for office to show young people that they too can help their communities. My district is Latino, up and coming and in desperate need of a new bright future. I myself am Latina and am bringing along more of the Latino community to do the same.

Nikki Haley and Sarah Palin have been inspirations for me. Ambassador Haley as a minority Governor did amazing things for South Carolina and stood up for all women as the ambassador to the United Nations. Governor Palin has gone through a lot of adversity in her family and public life; yet decided to stand up courageously and be the first female Republican nominee.

I was motivated to vote because I felt that my vote counted and I wanted to bring change to our country.

You should vote for me because I am about changing the status quo of the Republican Party and bringing more minorities and young people into the party.

I believe that the past does not determine your future or destiny. As a daughter of a machinist and a hair dresser, I was given opportunities that I could have only dreamed about. As a multi-family investor, I have worked hard and with my faith to get where I am today. As a Christian, I believe that my responsibility is to treat others as you would want to be treated. That is how I approach my professional life and how I would approach my responsibilities as a member of the United States House of Representatives. I want to represent you and help you achieve the American dream by making sure that we can make more economic opportunities available for you after you get out of college.