This is a Republican primary race. Do you promise, if elected, to abide by the RPT platform? And if not, please enumerate what problems you have.
Yes, I will abide by the Republican Party of Texas Platform, and support it if I am elected as precinct chair.
At the 2018 State Convention, I will seek to make changes as I believe are appropriate but will support and abide by the platform approved at the convention. As an example, I believe that RPT platform policies no. 62 and 64, which supports denying convicted felons the right to vote, is inappropriate. The RPT platform encourages legislators to “disenfranchise” those felons, who, according to law, are currently allowed to regain suffrage upon completion of their sentence (including probation and parole requirements). On a personal note, I feel that my Judeo-Christian values compel me to offer redemption to those who have paid their debt to society. I think that our law should reflect that, as it does in its current form.
Do you support current RPT chair James Dickey in full and if not, what do you disagree with?
Yes, I strongly support the RPT chair James Dickey.
Did you support liberal Texas house-speaker Joe Straus? Why or why not?
No, I do not support Joe Straus. His leadership did not promote conservative values in the legislative process.
Please describe what you believe are the most significant issues in this race, why and what you'll do to address them?
1. Voter Contact / Education
I believe that there are resources available to the county party which are being underutilized and/or not utilized. During the primary race I will become further acquainted with the resources that the local party provides to precinct chairs and, if elected, will expand upon those resources to improve contact with voters.
2. Voter Participation in Conventions
Delegates to the Senatorial District and State Conventions are often not prepared for the work which is needed at these conventions. If elected as precinct chair, I will seek to recruit conservative voters as delegates to Republican conventions. We need delegates who understand that their active participation is necessary to shape the end result of the convention. I will provide information and resources to the delegates for the Senatorial District and State Conventions.
I do not recall Precinct Chair 29 attending any state Republican convention at any time during my residency in Precinct 29 (e.g., since late 2012). If elected, I will also seek to be a delegate to all conventions. As a delegate, I hope to actively participate in the Senatorial District and State Conventions.
3. Governing Process
During the last year, Precinct 29 has not had an active role in the Montgomery County Republican Executive Committee. If elected, I will actively participate in the Montgomery County Executive Committee Meetings. This will include submitting issues to the County Chair pursuant to the 14 day notice requirement, advocating to change the way that State Delegates are selected, encouraging conservative precinct chairs to attend the Executive Committee Meetings, and supporting the Executive Committee voting on resolutions which support the RPT platform.
If elected, I would advocate that the nomination process for delegates to the RPT State Convention used in Montgomery County allow for precinct caucuses during the Senatorial District Convention to nominate State Delegates, as permitted under the Texas State Republican Rules. I am in favor of establishing precinct caucuses to select state convention delegates, which involves the whole community in their nomination. The alternative, appointment by a single administrative committee, cuts off the voters from the nomination system.
The ability to select delegates through caucus is specifically provided for by Rule 31 of the RPT rules, which states, “The convention may provide in its supplemental rules a method for nominating some or all delegates and alternatives in precinct caucuses of the Convention.” Montgomery County should take advantage of this rule to create a grassroots environment within its borders.
See: Texas State Republican Party Web Page - “Our Passion” - the “Rules:
https://www.texasgop.org/
See Rule 31: https://3npv5lo075n4f1mrxbxvz8hv-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2016-Rules-with-March-17-SREC-Updates_Correct.pdf
Which supreme court cases should Texas just ignore?
The RPT Platform addresses a number of ways in which disagreement with the rulings contained in a supreme court case can be addressed, and none of those involve “ignoring” the case but instead addresses how to proceed with resolving conflicts (including nullification) as well as how to address individual judges involved in the rulings. Rulings which I oppose include Obergefell v. Hodges and Roe v. Wade.
There's discussion about making major revisions to the RPT Platform. Please describe the nature of any major changes you support.
I find the word “major” a little difficult in this question. I do not support overwhelming changes to the platform, but I do have objections to several of its planks. For instance, I think that the proposed laws against flag desecration in plank 78 violate free speech and that the Texas Bar should require accredited law degrees, while plank 56 suggests that such a requirement be waived. In addition to my own objections, I will thoughtfully consider any proposals discussed in the platform committee meeting and/or presented to the delegates for consideration. I would give strong consideration to any proposed changes supported by Chairman Dickey. Generally speaking, I am in favor of the current “long” form of the platform, which allows for nuance, and would oppose attempts to inappropriately summarize our goals into a short list.
As a Republican, if you had to give up one of the following core principles, which one would you select first and why?
a. pro-life;
b. 10% reduction in state, fed, local spending;
c. 2nd amendment;
d. illegal immigration;
e. foreign bases;
f. 10th amendment
If forced to abandon one principle from the above list, I would select (b), 10% reduction in state, fed, local spending. The other listed principles involve issues that concern ideas and concepts that affect an individual’s liberty and freedom. Item (b) is primarily a financial issue that is in constant fluctuation depending on each governmental entity's budget.
For what offices should term limits be implemented?
All.
What distinguishes you from your opponent?
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I am willing to give serious consideration to all promising ideas, regardless of their popularity among established county leadership and will be actively be involved in the Senatorial Conventions and State Conventions.
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I am passionate about presenting the voters with the information they need to make their own educated decisions.
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I believe that I can make much better use of the Precinct Chair’s underutilized tools, such as their input at the Executive Committee, to effect meaningful change in local and state politics.
Please list 3 federal agencies that are popular in our culture and should be abolished
I am in agreement with all the agencies listed in the RPT Platform, No. 17 which lists more than 3 agencies. However, if I were to choose only three, I would suggest:
1. Education
2. Health and Human Services
3. Interior (specifically, the Bureau of Land Management)
Are the United States and Texas constitutions living documents? Please answer in the context of Progressivism versus Originalism.
The United States and Texas constitutions are the foundation of our federal and state government. While the facts being applied to the constitution may change, the constitution and its intent does not change. I believe that our federal and state constitution are not “living documents” but are documents which must remain unchanged until such time as they are properly amended. A constitution should only be changed by amendments and not by an active judiciary. I would consider myself an Originalist, but not to such an extent that I oppose amendments through prescribed processes, as outlined in the constitution itself.
