Hook, age 40, is a biological scientist who grew up in South Texas and the Hill Country. She holds a doctorate in animal behavior from Cornell University and has worked at the National Institutes of Health. Most recently, she worked as a biologist at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, moving back to Texas in 2022.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
I live here in San Antonio. I am not a career politician. I grew up in a working-class family in Corpus Christi and was raised by a single mom who never went to college. Against all odds, I earned a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas in Austin in 2007 and a PhD in Animal Behavior from Cornell University in 2016.
I spent three years as a middle school science teacher before spending ten years as a reproductive biologist. When the pandemic hit, I left my research career to serve the public as a science and technology expert in our federal government, where I served in the U.S. Senate, National Institutes of Health, and Government Accountability Office. As a scientist, I am trained to solve problems and will bring sensible leadership and compromise to Congress to help solve the critical issues we face.
What three issues do you consider to be most pressing for your district and how would you address them?
Our district is most concerned about our REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, ECONOMY, and BORDER.
Women and families in our district are experiencing firsthand just how harmful Texas’ strict abortion ban is, which makes no exceptions for rape, incest, or fatal fetal anomalies and puts mothers at grave risk in cases of miscarriage and complicated pregnancies. No Texan should have to flee our state to get the life-saving healthcare she needs. As a woman, I believe we should have the freedom to make our own reproductive healthcare decisions, not our government. I support restoring and protecting Roe v. Wade, expanding access to birth control, and protecting IVF [in vitro fertilization].
I grew up living paycheck to paycheck and understand the strain of rising costs on TX-21 families, especially our retirees on a fixed income. I believe to build a stronger America, we must ensure a fair economic system for all that strengthens the middle class. Thus, I support protecting Social Security and Medicare, raising the minimum wage, addressing income inequality, paid family and sick leave and access to affordable childcare and eldercare, making billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share in taxes, empowering workers’ rights to organize, and bolstering the lifeblood of our community — our small business owners.
Growing up near the border as the descendent of Mexican immigrants, I know firsthand the value that newcomers bring to our communities. I believe a more just immigration system is possible and am dedicated to supporting long-term bipartisan solutions to address the border crisis so everyone in our district feels safe. To curb illegal crossings we must address the root causes of migration, improve case processing, enhance border security and enforcement, and add new legal pathways to citizenship — especially for Dreamers and hardworking immigrants who contribute to our society and economy while obeying the law.
How would you approach Congress’ ongoing gridlock on numerous issues including spending bills?
For the last two years, I protected taxpayer dollars while working at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. That is what I will continue to do for our district. As a Congresswoman, I would not actively contribute to the gridlock or repeatedly attempt to shut down our government. I would work across the aisle to find solutions and compromise to get us on track so our government can work for the American people. Every time we have a government shutdown, nearly 115,000 active-duty service members in Texas are forced to work without pay, leaving them unable to support their spouses and children. Moreover, almost 800,000 women, children, and infants in Texas who receive WIC assistance would lose access to food and nutrition. 100,000 seniors and Texans with disabilities would lose access to daily nutrition assistance programs like Meals on Wheels. And over 3 million Texan children would lose access to free and reduced lunch programs in their schools. This is unacceptable. Lawmakers must compromise with one another on behalf of every American. We need effective leaders who are willing to reach across the aisle to find solutions and restore the confidence of Americans in a functional Congress.
Describe your approach to being an effective lawmaker in order to best serve the needs of voters in your district?
An effective lawmaker focuses on a balanced approach to represent their district while upholding the trust of their constituents. I’ll do this by ensuring direct communication with constituents, hosting town halls, maintaining responsive social media channels, and having an easily accessible office with a dedicated team to address concerns that fosters trust and demonstrates attentiveness.
To learn the unique needs of the district, you must first understand the perspectives of your constituents and be willing to listen to diverse viewpoints regardless of party affiliation or whether they voted for you. The job of a public servant is to serve everyone, and an effective lawmaker makes a good faith effort to do that by making themselves available and being open about their decision-making processes, the motivations behind legislative actions, and accepting feedback from those who may disagree with you.
Ultimately, public office is one that is borrowed and belongs to the people, so it should be managed with humility and responsibility. A lawmaker who maintains a strong connection with voters and centers their work on improving the community is best positioned to succeed in serving the district.
How would you solicit input and feedback from residents in your district?
As a Congresswoman, I will ensure that my staff maintains an active presence throughout our community. I believe the best way to solicit feedback is to meet residents where they are.
My staff will be directed to regularly attend community events and host office hours —not just at our district office, but at coffee shops, neighborhood parks, local restaurants, and other small businesses. I will make sure my staff are available after hours and on the weekends for folks who can’t meet during regular business hours.
I will also host regular town hall meetings while in the district so that residents have the opportunity to come together, hear updates and provide feedback.
Communicating with voters online is another great way to interact with voters transparently and authentically. I will ensure an active presence online to capture feedback and concerns from residents who may be unable to attend events in person.
