Chelsey Hockett
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?
I would support policies for inspectors and training, country of origin tags, and continuing eradication work (instead of defunding it).
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 do support a total moratorium at this time because the effects have not been studied long-term on the residents, livestock, and wildlife directly surrounding the centers. If it continues on, I would require investment into infrastructure, continuous monitoring of land and water, studies on the area to make sure there’s no detrimental impact to the community, and job retraining for those displaced.
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 support investing in water infrastructure and expanding conservation programs for farmers and ranchers, since agriculture uses the most groundwater in this state but is also our best shot at fixing this if we actually fund the tools that help. Flooding and water scarcity aren’t two separate problems in Texas, they’re the same one. I’d follow what the state’s own water and environmental agencies are finding and make sure federal money backs up what Texas already started instead of duplicating it.
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 support real investment in renewable energy, wind, solar, and battery storage, and Texas already leads the country in wind and solar, so this isn’t new ground, it’s building on what already works. I’d also make data centers and other big power users pay for their own grid upgrades instead of sticking regular Texans with the bill, require them to power down during peak demand and heat waves, and push for real transparency on how much electricity they’re actually pulling. Clean energy and grid reliability aren’t opposites, they go together if we pair the investment in renewables with holding the biggest power users accountable.
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?
I support keeping the protection Congress has renewed every year that requires NIH to honor institutions’ own negotiated rates instead of a flat cap. Texas universities and hospitals bring in almost $2 billion a year in NIH funding, and slashing indirect cost reimbursement doesn’t touch admin bloat, it hits the labs, equipment, and staff that actually make the research possible. This isn’t a partisan issue, it’s protecting jobs and medical progress that Texas families depend on.
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 approach it with respect, not judgment, because most parents asking questions want straight answers, not a lecture. But I won’t pretend the science is unsettled when it’s not, two kids died in Texas last year from a disease we already got rid of once. I’d support keeping vaccine recommendations in the hands of doctors and researchers instead of political appointees, protecting free vaccine access for kids no matter what changes in Washington, and putting resources into local doctors and community health workers, the people parents actually trust to answer their questions.
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?
I rely on the evidence and expert research first, not what polls well. When the data is solid and researchers agree, I go with it. When the research is still developing or conflicting, I look at how the study was done, who funded it, and whether other researchers have been able to replicate it before I make a call. When public opinion and the actual evidence don’t line up, I still go with what the evidence shows, because these decisions affect people’s health, safety, and money, not just an election.