I believe in a world where effort and hard-work pay off. As an avid supporter of capitalism, we should be reducing barriers to trade not instituting tariffs. We need to invest in small businesses and emerging industries. We should provide training programs for those that lose their jobs, and invest in higher education including both community colleges and public universities.

Governor Abbott and the GOP have been promising relief for years, but haven't done anything despite unified control of the Texas government. Property taxes are hampering people and small busineses. I will be releasing a detailed property tax relief plan that ensures local governments have the funds needed for schools, libraries, police, fire and other shared services.

Our representatives in Austin have been ceding local decision-making to the capital for years. All while local issues like lack of access to water and energy and excessive property taxes harm the citizens of Guadalupe and Gonzales counties. We need a representative that understands these issues and is ready to fight for our rights to local control of basic government services.

I am a strong supporter of public education. Abbott and Schoolcraft's school vouchers are a back-door to privatizing education that will hurt economically disadvantaged and rural areas the most by funneling public money to private institutions not subject to public accountability.

I also support full-day, universal pre-K for all families in Texas. Pre-K has been shown to enhance student achievement while allowing parents to rejoin or remain in the workforce.

Texas is one of only 10 States that has not expanded Medicaid. This leaves a large portion of the state without access to basic healthcare.

Texans maternal death rates top most industrialized countries. We need common sense laws that provide women access to health care and don't threaten physicians for simply doing their job and saving lives.

Additionally we need to invest in the healthcare workforce. We are facing a shortage of both physicians and nurses that can only be solved by training more healthcare professionals and providing the resources for them to do their jobs.

Among many problems, the recent purge of the federal workforce is largely affecting veterans. I am dedicated to making sure there are good-paying jobs available for our veterans, along with services tailored to the needs of this special population.

The fringe right-wing would have you scared of an immigrant "invasion". The simple fact is we need legal immigration in order to keep our prices low and limit inflation. I support a strong border and effective legal ways to immigrate to the United States.