Wright, age 55, served as a deputy sheriff in Kern County, California. He and his family now live in Comal County, Texas. In his retirement he drives a school bus for Hayes Consolidated Independent School District.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
I am a retired Deputy Sheriff who retired here to Texas after a 30-year career and buying land in Comal County in 2017. We moved the family here when we began building our retirement home so our youngest daughter could finish her last two years of High School in 2018. I remained in California until retiring in March of 2021.
Since retiring I have been working for Hays CISD as a school bus driver, dedicating my commitment to public education and service to our communities and children’s programs. Not many employers were hiring this close to post Covid and I believe this retirement job has been rewarding in learning about our education system here in Texas while understanding how vastly different it is here in Texas versus what I knew in California and additionally what I have not seen in California for decades.
What three issues do you consider to be most pressing for your district and how would you address them?
- Inflation is the number one issue affecting every household in TX-35. Through tax cuts, tax reform and pursuing proactive economic policies to allow more money to remain in the pockets of taxpayers. Cutting the Social Security tax, SSDI windfall taxes and assisting those people on fixed incomes to the maximum benefits they deserve. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and as employers we need to lessen restrictions and help promote small business development through SBA and partnerships.
- The border is the second biggest issue that residents here in TX-35 want addressed and secured. The open border policies promote many challenges to communities from economic to public safety concerns. Everybody wants legal immigration to occur so creating programs through reform that encourages legal immigration is important. Stopping the incentives that additionally promote illegal immigration must be stopped because it burdens taxpayers that are struggling to support the costs of illegal immigration. The open border also must be secured to stop trafficking that comes in many forms from drugs to humans. Fentanyl is killing our loved ones and our children are seeing it in our public schools. My school district alone has had six deaths due to fentanyl and that is far too many.
- Public safety is a concern with staggering crimes in San Antonio and record homicides in Austin while additionally struggling with defunding and low funding for public safety. Advocating for the support and proper funding for law enforcement is paramount while changing the dangerous rhetoric of the anti police movement is needed from the top of government down to local and state government. Funding can be achieved through COPS grants and block grants for communities struggling but willing to change this dangerous philosophy. Everybody wants safe communities and safe schools for our children to learn and our teachers to work. It might also be possible to direct money into public education for infrastructure improvements for campuses and law enforcement on campuses so we do not see the past occur once again on a school campus.
How would you approach Congress’ ongoing gridlock on numerous issues including spending bills?
Change occurs one candidate at a time. I have my own frustrations with what Congress does but more importantly does not do. Aligning oneself in Congress to approach the gridlock through majority pressure helps. Maintaining your balance on your issues while tending to the needs and constituent values is equally important. Success is measured in your ability to be a representative of those who placed you into office. Constantly reminding fellow members about who we work for while additionally beating the drum for constituents as mandatory. Submitting bills that address pressing issues while doing media blitz’s explaining why what you are doing is important with sound policy garners support. I would as well not be afraid to explain why there is gridlock in the first place to apply the pressure to change support for what I believe should be America First and Americans First philosophy from jobs, to economic policies to tax policy.
Describe your approach to being an effective lawmaker in order to best serve the needs of voters in your district.
Representation matters and being accessible matters. Having staff in local offices personally and regularly and even hours of availability that are more tailored to people who work. I come from the working class and my family has always been in the working class with union membership. I understand small business having managed a small convenience store for 2.5 years prior to my law enforcement career to ending my career as an elected union representative. I understand budgets and promoting the work you are doing that benefits those you are fighting for or representing. Making partnerships and collaborations is important because no one person can solve every issue but collaboration allows solutions that might be outside the box.
How would you solicit input and feedback from residents in your district?
Surveys from contact lists, direct emails, social media and input from the public directly helps keep open lines of communication. Being accessible when Congress is not in session is also important. Having clear messaging so you can be effective such as one of the jobs Congressman do is to help with federal agencies and the problems people are having . Asking people to submit their issues with a history of what the problem is and who they have already spoken to and if there is a solution and they just cannot seem to get there helps in managing a problem to effectively assist by moving forward and not spending time doing things that have already been done. There are many ways to approach constituent issues but availability is always the number one complaint and I know because I have had this same complaint when I have had to reach out.
