Jade Simmons
IndependentQ1 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 rapid surveillance, testing, containment and treatment guided by veterinary science, while strengthening border and livestock-movement safeguards. I would carefully evaluate any expansion of foreign livestock imports while Texas faces an active screwworm threat, prioritizing Texas ranchers and biosecurity over short-term supply concerns. Policy should follow evidence, respect uncertainty, and consider economic realities and Texans’ values.
Keywords: Policy should follow evidence, Rapid surveillance, testing, containment and treatment, Guided by veterinary science, Strengthening border and livestock-movement safeguards, Carefully evaluate foreign livestock imports
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’m not anti-development or anti-AI, but I reject a model where Texans subsidize the infrastructure costs of private companies and their communities suffer from development. I support data-center growth that benefits Texas without shifting its costs onto Texans. I would oppose tax abatements for new data centers, require developers to pay their fair share of grid and water infrastructure, and prioritize communities’ access to reliable utilities. Decisions should be guided by evidence on water availability, grid capacity, land use, and long-term economic benefit, not projected growth alone.
Keywords: Infrastructure, Community, Sustainability ,Growth that benefits Texas without shifting its costs onto Texans, Require developers to pay their fair share, Evidence on water availability, grid capacity, land use, and long-term economic benefit.
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?
The 2025 floods demonstrated the devastating human cost of inadequate flood preparedness. I would strengthen Texas’ Flood Infrastructure Fund, expand funding for flood forecasting, stream gauges and early-warning systems, and prioritize projects that protect lives while providing water-supply benefits. I support expanding aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery where science shows floodwater can be safely captured. Farmers and ranchers should have a meaningful voice in regional water and flood planning, with decisions guided by evidence, local knowledge and respect for uncertainty.
Keywords: Aquifer recharge, Flood Infrastructure Fund, Expand aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery where science shows floodwater can be safely captured, Farmers and ranchers should have a meaningful voice in regional water and flood planning
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 strengthening ERCOT’s reliability planning, expanding transmission and generation where evidence shows it is needed, and requiring large new loads such as data centers to pay their fair share of grid infrastructure. I support demand-response requirements for large loads during emergencies and stronger incentives for battery storage and diverse generation. Reliability decisions should be based on rigorous forecasting, extreme-weather data and long-term demand instead of political pressure.
Keywords: Grid reliability, Demand response, Battery storage, Reliability decisions should be based on rigorous forecasting and extreme-weather data
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 would protect competitive federal research funding and oppose arbitrary caps on negotiated indirect-cost rates that undermine the infrastructure supporting scientific research. At the state level, Texas should strengthen matching funds and research partnerships that help universities and hospitals retain researchers and facilities. Scientific funding should be transparent, competitively awarded, and evaluated on evidence, outcomes and public benefit, not political preference.
Keywords: Research infrastructure, Competitive grants, Scientific integrity, Protect competitive federal research 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?
I would engage parents with respect, transparency and accessible evidence, not dismiss legitimate concerns about vaccine safety or adverse effects. Parents should be able to ask questions and demand continued research, including better study of potential adverse effects. At the same time, policy must recognize the strong evidence that vaccination reduces serious disease and protects communities. I support informed decision-making, transparent safety monitoring and maintaining reasonable vaccination requirements to prevent outbreaks.
Keywords: Respect, transparency and accessible evidence, Parents should be able to ask questions and demand continued research
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?
Scientific evidence and qualified expert input should be foundational to policymaking, especially on issues where technical facts have measurable consequences. I would evaluate competing claims by examining the quality of the research, methodology, reproducibility, consensus and remaining uncertainty. Public opinion and belief systems deserve respect and consideration, but when they diverge from the evidence, a lawmaker’s responsibility is to make the decision that best serves the public good, even when it is unpopular.
Keywords: Scientific evidence and qualified expert input should be foundational, Evaluate competing claims by examining research quality, methodology, reproducibility and uncertainty, Make the decision that best serves the public good, even when it is unpopular.