By Clarissa Pompa|
It may not be the presidential election but the midterm elections are just as important. There are a lot of differences between the elections, but the major one is that there are far more positions to vote on. Here are the candidates for four races in Texas and their stances on major issues:
Senator
There are two senators for every state, no matter what. Their seats are up for grabs on a rotational basis. There are three candidates for the Texas seat this year.
O’Rourke is a Democrat. He is pro-choice, supports higher gun regulations, disapproves of the current atmosphere for immigration and wants universal healthcare.
Dikeman is a Libertarian. He is pro-choice, will push for more humanitarian laws on immigration and desires an overhaul of the healthcare system.
Cruz is a Republican and the incumbent. He is pro-life, approves current gun regulations, desires a border wall and voted to repeal Obamacare.
Governor
There is one governor for each state. They are the head of their respective states.
Valdez is a Democrat. She is pro-choice, believes in the Second Amendment but is supportive of more gun regulations, desires a rehaul of the immigration system (which also means supporting Dreamers) and approves of expanding Medicaid.
Tippetts is a Libertarian. When it comes to reproductive rights, he believes “that government should be kept out of the matter.” He supports the right to bear arms (so long as it is done according to the Non-Aggression Principle). Tippetts approves of immigration so long as immigrants prove their willingness to “invest in Texas.” When it comes to healthcare, he opposes Obamacare and the idea of universal healthcare.
Abbott is a Republican and the incumbent. He is pro-life. Abbott supports “campus carry” and “open carry.” He is in favor of heightened border security. Abbott opposes the federal government stepping in on state affairs.
Lieutenant Governor
This position exists for 45 states. In Texas, it is the second highest position after Governor.
Collier is a Democrat. He wants to “reduce the need for abortion services.” Collier supports the Second Amendment. Regarding immigration, Collier believes that Texans come first and law enforcement should be supported in immigration endeavors. He wishes to raise the minimum wage and provide access to affordable healthcare.
McKennon is a Libertarian. He believes in open carry. McKennon hopes to reform the immigration system and improve relations with Mexico.
Patrick is a Republican and the incumbent. He is pro-life, supports the Second Amendment and wants to greatly increase border security.
Attorney General
An attorney general is a legal advisor for the state government.
Nelson is a Democrat. He believes “women’s healthcare should not be a political issue.” Nelson is in support of DACA and wants to expand health care.
Harris is a Libertarian. The Bundle Magazine could not find information on Harris’ stance. He has declined to answer surveys and polls from several organizations.
Paxton is a Republican and the incumbent. He is pro-life and supports the Second Amendment. Paxton has also voted in the past against sanctuary cities.
Information found:
https://www.nealdikeman.com/issues
https://www.tedcruz.org/on-the-issues-cruz-vs-beto/
https://betofortexas.com/issues/
https://www.lupevaldez.com/en/issues
https://mark4gov.com/?page_id=1032
https://www.gregabbott.com/issues/
https://www.collierfortexas.com/priorities/
http://mckennon4texas.com/wp/issues/
https://www.danpatrick.org/meet-dan/