Andie Ho
DemocraticQ1 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?
There are a lot of ranchers in my district, so the screwworm epidemic must be contained. Further spread could devastate the local economy. To combat this, cattle owners must be incentivized to do the right thing and report screwworm to contain the spread. Texas has seen screwworm epidemics before in living memory, and it took years to sort out.
Keywords: The screwworm epidemic must be contained.
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?
This issue is affecting my district at this very moment. The true impact of data centers must be studied. Local communities should then be given all the information and be part of the decision-making process. I would go so far as to say local communities should hold a special referendum to decide whether to allow data centers to be built in their area.
Keywords: Communities should hold a special referendum to decide whether to allow 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?
Farms and ranches don’t pollute on purpose. It’s merely a terrible side effect of the business. All parties must come to the table to discuss how to meet the needs of everyone: farmers, ranchers, and local communities alike. We must incentivize the use of products and methods that are less harmful to the environment. Ideally, the agricultural community could maintain its output while also protecting resources and the environment.
Keywords: Incentivize the use of products and methods that are less harmful to the environment.
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?
We must invest in infrastructure, including the power grid, to ensure it meets our needs for the decades to come. Much of our infrastructure is outdated. We should adopt the newer, more efficient, more durable technologies available.
Keywords: Invest in infrastructure.
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?
Research is the heart of human advancement. We must invest in the future by protecting research funding and institutions, as well as researchers themselves.
Keywords: Invest in the future.
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?
I respect people’s bodily autonomy. However, vaccines are a proven tool for fighting disease. Furthermore, failing to vaccinate affects the rest of the population. It is not merely a personal opinion. Opting out of vaccinations should remain possible but be subject to much stricter requirements, similar to conscientious objector status that allows citizens to opt out of Selective Service.
Keywords: Vaccines are a proven tool for fighting disease. Failing to vaccinate affects the rest of the population.
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?
Science doesn’t choose sides. As a lawmaker, I’d like to think I would follow the science in so far as it was available, especially when in matters of life and death. But I will say that we all do things every day for emotional, rather than logical, reasons because they bring us comfort.
Keywords: Science doesn’t choose sides. I would follow the science.