The election has begun. Voters deserve to know who their candidates are and what they represent. Up until November 8, Local Profile will publish Q&A with politicians running for this year's election.
What position are you running for and why?
I am running for re-election as your Texas Senator for Senate District 8 because I want to continue to be a strong, thoughtful voice for children and families. I believe every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. As a former teacher, school counselor and the first person in my family to graduate from college, I know the importance of a strong education. As a mom, I know the duty and desire to protect your children from harm. Economic policies that promote job growth by attracting employers, entrepreneurs and talent are essential to keeping SD8 a place where families can take care of themselves, contribute to others and prepare their children for a strong future. As your Senator, I promise to always keep those fundamentals at the forefront of my mind.
What policies do you hope to enact and why?
My top three priorities are education, safety and the economy. Education must be a top priority because our Texas students deserve the very best so they can be the very best. Safety must always be at the forefront of our discussions, including in schools, at the border and regarding human dignity. The economy affects us all, from gas prices to property taxes. I aim to ensure the people of Senate District 8 have a voice and that their needs are always effectively addressed.
What are the biggest challenges facing your district?
My constituents are multi-faceted and face unique challenges daily. My goal is to always be available to listen, learn and lead: listen to their concerns, learn what they need and lead to solutions. With that said, a common theme lately has been economic stress. My constituents are very concerned about their ever-rising local property taxes, high gas prices and the increased price of living with rapid inflation. Every session I have worked to reduce property taxes and support smart economic policies. I will continue this work and always fight for the needs of my constituents.
How will your policies affect North Texas as a whole?
As your Texas Senator, my goal is always to enact policies that better Senate District 8, and our state as a whole. Specifically, this means making sure we have the best educational opportunities for our kids and that we continue investing in the infrastructure and light-touch regulatory structure that we know promotes our strong economy. We also know that North Texas has increasingly become a corridor for human trafficking and drug trafficking (including deadly fentanyl) by the cartels. Safety is one of my top priorities, and I am doing everything I can to eliminate drug smuggling and human trafficking in order to keep our communities safe.
What are the biggest challenges facing Texas?
1. Securing the Border: There is a true crisis at our border. Drugs, disease and dangerous criminals create increased risks to the safety of our children, families and businesses. We cannot allow the current federal border policies to continue to put children, law enforcement and all Texans at risk.
2. Backing the Blue: It is critical for the safety of our communities that we combat efforts to defund our brave men and women who serve in law enforcement.
3. Inflation: Federal monetary policy has ushered in record-high inflation. In spite of this, Texas has maintained its approach to a business-friendly regulatory policy that has resulted in a $27 billion budget surplus.
4. High Local Property Taxes: I have consistently supported and authored legislation to reduce our local property tax burden by increasing homestead exemptions and transparency. I am committed to applying the budget surplus to property tax reduction.
How is your district changing?
Senate District 8 has evolved in a multitude of ways, specifically, it now is a mix of suburban and rural, including almost all of Collin County plus the addition of Rains County and Hunt County to the east. One common denominator for all parts of the district is the exciting and rapid growth we are currently experiencing. I look forward to continuing to be a voice for all of Senate District 8.
What book that you’ve read has had the biggest impact on you?
The book that has had the biggest impact on me, my life, my values and everything I fight for as your Texas Senator, is the most profound book on this earth: The Bible. My Christian faith drives everything I do in life, including my stances on important issues facing our state and the policies I support to address those issues. I am beyond blessed to serve the people of Senate District 8 and truly consider it a sacred trust.
What does the future hold for your district and for Texas?
The future of Texas is bright, and it is my personal mission to keep our future free! One of my top priorities is education, as our children are quite literally our future. We must do all we can to equip our Texas students to reach their full potential and allow them to become the future leaders that usher this great state further into prosperity.
Local Profile will continue to release Q&A segments with politicians running for various positions in this upcoming election.
