Jorge Borrego is a realtor who previously oversaw education policy for the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation. He has also worked as a legislative director in the Texas House. He won a three-way March primary to become Republicans’ nominee in one of Texas’ most competitive state legislative races.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
I am 30 years old. I was born and raised in Texas under difficult circumstances – I was raised by a teenage mother and had my father in prison – that shaped my commitment to hard work, responsibility, and opportunity. Despite early challenges, I became the first in my family to graduate from college, earning a bachelor’s in mathematics from UTSA and a Master of Public Policy from Texas A&M.
Professionally, I served as K-12 Education Policy Director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, where I helped advance major education reforms, including the passage of school choice, the Teacher’s bill of rights, and the Parent’s bill of rights. Today, I am a realtor, helping families build stability and wealth through homeownership. I am married, a father, and deeply invested in ensuring San Antonio remains a place where families can build a better future.
2. Briefly describe your top policy priorities.
My top priorities are improving educational opportunity, restoring affordability, strengthening public safety, and ensuring government is accountable to taxpayers. Education is the foundation of opportunity. I support expanding high-quality education options, including strong public schools, charter schools, skilled-trade education, and Education Savings Accounts, so every family can choose what works best for their child. A better-educated and better-skilled workforce attracts high-paying jobs and raises wages locally.
Affordability is the second major priority. Rising property taxes, insurance costs, and housing prices are putting pressure on families and small businesses. I will fight to lower property taxes, reduce unnecessary regulations, and pursue pro-growth policies that expand housing supply and keep costs down.
Public safety matters. I support getting tough on repeat violent offenders, enforcing the law consistently, and backing law enforcement so families feel safe in their neighborhoods. Finally, government must be transparent and efficient. Tax dollars should reach classrooms and core services, not bureaucracy, and spending should be tied to measurable results.
3. What would you like to see the legislature do to make Texas cities better places to live? In what ways could state officials work better with local officials?
The legislature should focus on policies that improve affordability, public safety, and infrastructure while ensuring local accountability. That includes streamlining regulations that drive up housing and insurance costs, hold local governments accountable for profligate spending, and create a pro-business environment that will encourage businesses to move to Texas and allow millions of Texans to launch small businesses/ grow their businesses.
State officials should set clear standards, guardrails, and accountability measures, while local officials focus on execution and responsiveness to residents. Better collaboration comes from spending transparency, a balanced budget, and a shared focus on outcomes rather than bureaucracy. When state and local leaders align with affordability, safety, and growth, cities become stronger places to live and work.
4. Texas has taken major steps to reshape its public education system, including allowing taxpayer dollars to fund private school tuition. What do you believe needs to happen to monitor the success of Education Savings Accounts, and to ensure every student still receives a quality education?
I am extraordinarily proud of the work I did to help pass the largest day-one school choice program in the country’s history. For far too long, only the rich had a real choice on what school they should send their children. ESA’s now give that opportunity to all Texans. Allowing Families to choose the best educational environment that aligns with their values.
Education Savings Accounts must be monitored closely to ensure that the program is in-line with the intent of the legislature. The ESA program includes strong financial safeguards, clear eligibility rules, and regular reporting to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately. At the same time, traditional public schools must be held to high standards, with funding focused on classrooms and student outcomes rather than administrative growth.
The goal is not one system winning over another, but ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education that prepares them for college, careers, or skilled trades.
5. Reducing the burden of property taxes is expected to be a major focus of the next legislative session. Describe your ideas for balancing the needs of a growing state with state leaders’ desire to rein in that major revenue source?
Texas must continue shifting the tax burden away from property owners by using state revenue growth to compress school property tax rates. As the state grows, lawmakers should prioritize appraisal reform, require greater transparency so taxpayers understand where their money goes, and above all else, limit local government spending growth. At a time when local bond debts in Texas exceed $500 billion, serious bond reform is needed for Texans to see lasting relief.
Economic growth, efficiency, and disciplined budgeting make tax relief sustainable. By controlling spending, eliminating waste, and expanding the tax base through job creation rather than higher rates, Texas can support growth while giving families and small businesses meaningful property tax relief.
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