Alex McMenemy
GreenQ1 In June 2026, USDA confirmed New World screwworm in Texas livestock for the first time in decades; as of early July, dozens of infestations have been confirmed across South Texas (USDA APHIS , 2026). USDA estimates a full-scale outbreak comparable to past infestations could cost the regional economy billions of dollars (USDA APHIS). What policies, if any, would you support to respond to the current outbreak and improve Texas’s agricultural biosecurity (practices and safeguards that prevent pests and diseases from spreading through livestock populations), and what evidence or considerations would inform that approach?
Part of the problems that we are encountering in relation to biosecurity is that we are prioritizing efficiency and profitability over security and sustainability. It is unfair to everyone in society to sacrifice safety in the name of profit, and my term in Congress would be defined by my ardent adherence to biosecurity specialist’s recommendations for the future of our outbreak prevention abilities and outbreak containment.
Keywords: Sustainability
Q2 Texas is on track to become the nation’s leading data center market within the next three years (Bloom Energy, 2026). The state’s grid operator has more than doubled its 2030 forecast for data center power demand over the past year (ERCOT, 2025). Such growth brings economic opportunity while placing significant demands on water, land, and energy systems, raising questions about tax incentives, utility costs, and local community impacts. What policies, if any, would you support around water/energy allocation, tax incentives, or utility costs for data center development in Texas, and what evidence informs that position?
I advocate for a complete ban on data centers. They provide nothing for the average constituent besides harm and hardship. I am accountable only to the people, not the corporations.
Keywords: Ban Data Centers
Q3 Texas faces flooding while simultaneously experiencing water scarcity driven by drought, groundwater depletion, and population growth (TWDB, 2024). Hundreds of Texas waterways are listed as impaired for bacteria, mercury, and other pollutants, threatening water quality for communities across the state (TCEQ, 2024). Agriculture is the largest consumer of the state’s groundwater, yet it is also well positioned to be a valuable partner in conservation efforts. What policies, if any, would you support to improve Texas’s water infrastructure, and what considerations would guide your approach to the state’s agricultural economy?
I am of the belief that access to water is a fundamental human right. The people that maintain our water supply have been sounding the alarm bells about these issues for years and it’s high time that we elect someone that will give them the time of day. As a vegan, I know that plant-based diets use significantly less water resources in their production compared to animal agriculture and, as such, would advocate for programs that help the state understand and promote what healthy plant-based diets can do for our environment, our health, and animal welfare. On top of that, I will support any and all improvements to our water infrastructure, flood prevention, and conservation programs, which will have a beneficial impact for farmers and consumers alike.
Keywords: Water is a Human Right
Q4 The Texas power grid continues to face strain from extreme heat and increasing demand, including from data centers. What policies, if any, would you support to improve grid reliability for Texas consumers and businesses?
I believe that data centers should be banned, we lived without them before and have heard no reasonable argument to be shoving them down our throats. Along with that, the scientific community has shown that we must make a quick and clean shift to reliable forms of renewable energy, such as solar and wind. The evidence is clear, public approval for these positions are overwhelming, and our government must listen to the will of the people.
Keywords: Ban Data Centers, Renewable Energy
Q5 Texas universities and hospitals receive approximately $1.9 billion annually in NIH funding across 118 research sites, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and driving medical and scientific innovation (FASEB, 2025). NIH grants reimburse institutions for both direct research costs and indirect costs, the facilities, administration, and support infrastructure that make research possible. A 15% indirect cost cap proposed by NIH in 2025, currently blocked by federal courts, would sharply reduce this reimbursement below the rates Texas institutions have negotiated, cutting an estimated $300 million in annual support that institutions would need to absorb or backfill (Kamerlin & Elias, 2025). What policies, if any, would you support at the state or federal level to protect the long-term stability of Texas’s research infrastructure, and why?
Texas is a leader in research and have been doing so much with so little for too long. I would be proud to support a large increase in NIH funding as I believe that we have under-funded our institutions and must correct for past mistakes.
Keywords: Increase NIH Funding
Q6 Texas kindergartners’ measles vaccination rate fell to 93.24% in the 2024-2025 school year, a decline from prior years amid a national resurgence (Texas Department of State Health Services, 2025). That year, Texas recorded 762 confirmed measles cases, including the deaths of two unvaccinated school-age children, in the state’s largest outbreak since 1992 (Texas DSHS, 2025). Measles can cause serious complications: roughly 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who contract it are hospitalized, and it can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling, or death (CDC). As a policymaker, how do you approach engaging with communities that have concerns about infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety, and what policies, if any, would you support related to these issues, and why?
Vaccine skepticism is simply a failure in communication. Politicians and disinformation campaigns have spread across the country as an infectious disease of its own. While I believe that it is always better to persuade an individual on the personal and society-wide benefits of vaccinations, I also believe that mandatory immunization laws are critical for protecting public health. Combined with public information campaigns emphasizing the safety of vaccines and the effects of complications during outbreaks, I am confident that we can reach immunization rates close to 99%.
Keywords: Vaccine Communication
Q7 Scientific evidence is generated through the systematic testing and evaluation of ideas. It provides knowledge the helps us understand the world and predict the likely consequences of different choices, such policy making related to public health, energy, agriculture, and environmental regulation. What role, if any, should scientific evidence and expert input play in your policymaking process, and how would you evaluate competing or uncertain scientific claims when making policy decisions? What role, if any, should that process play when scientific consensus and public opinion diverge?
Scientists have one of the greatest burdens in society today: the knowledge and data on what is best to do, but unable to get a hold of any ears in policy-making. Politicians often do too much talking and not enough listening. As a man of good conscious, I compelled to always listen to expert opinion on a topic and advocate for those opinions to my constituents and Congress. If scientific consensus and public opinion do not align, it is my job to make them align. The scientific community will always have a friend in Congress with me.
Keywords: Trust the Experts