Mihaela Plesa
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?
Texas must respond quickly and rely on science, surveillance, and coordination with producers. I passed HB 1592, creating a statewide pest, disease, and quarantine alert system through Texas A&M AgriLife in partnership with our agriculture, animal health, and wildlife agencies. I support fully implementing that system, strengthening livestock disease surveillance and traceability, expanding rapid-response capacity, and coordinating with USDA on sterile-fly releases and targeted movement controls while minimizing unnecessary burdens on producers.
Keywords: * Science-based, rapid response * Protect Texas livestock and producers * Statewide pest, disease, and quarantine alerts * Stronger livestock disease surveillance * Rapid-response capacity before outbreaks spread * State, federal, and producer coordination * Protect agriculture without unnecessary burdens on producers
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?
Texas can welcome data centers without asking families to subsidize their enormous energy and water demands. I support requiring developers to pay their fair share of grid upgrades, stronger water conservation standards, and tying tax incentives to measurable community benefits. Local communities must also retain a meaningful voice over where these facilities are built and how they affect surrounding neighborhoods. Texas should compete for investment, but not at the expense of household utility bills, local control, or our water security.
Keywords: * Growth should pay its own way * Protect families from higher utility bills * Data centers must pay their fair share of grid costs * Conserve Texas water * Tax incentives should deliver measurable public benefits * Economic growth cannot come at the expense of water and grid security
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?
Texas needs a long-term water strategy that addresses both scarcity and flooding. I supported major state investments in water infrastructure, and I will continue pushing for repairs to aging systems, flood mitigation, water reuse, and stronger protections against pollution. Agriculture must be a partner in that work. I support voluntary conservation incentives, efficient irrigation technology, and assistance for producers who conserve groundwater while protecting Texas agriculture, rural economies, and our long-term food supply.
Keywords: “agriculture must be a partner,” “invest in aging water infrastructure,” “reward conservation,” and “protect both our water supply and Texas agriculture.”
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?
Texans deserve a reliable grid and affordable electricity. I support an all-of-the-above strategy that strengthens transmission, adds generation and storage, improves energy efficiency, and expands demand-response programs. We must also weatherize critical infrastructure and hold utilities accountable for reliability. As data centers and other large users add unprecedented demand, they should pay their fair share of necessary grid upgrades rather than shifting those costs onto families and small businesses. Reliability and affordability must go hand in hand.
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?
Federal research funding is an investment in Texas jobs, medical breakthroughs, and our economic competitiveness. I oppose arbitrary cuts that could destabilize universities and research institutions, including UT Dallas and our growing North Texas innovation corridor. Texas should advocate for stable NIH funding, strengthen state research investments, and build partnerships that leverage federal dollars rather than replace them. I have supported investments in research, including PTSD research at UT Dallas, because discoveries made here improve lives and strengthen Texas’s economy.
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?
Public health depends on trust. When parents have questions about vaccines, they deserve clear answers from physicians and public health experts, not misinformation or political rhetoric. Texas must strengthen disease surveillance, ensure families can easily access vaccines, and give schools and local health departments the resources to respond quickly to outbreaks. After Texas lost children to measles, we cannot treat preventable disease as an abstract debate. Policy should follow sound medical evidence while engaging families respectfully.
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?
Good policymaking starts with facts. I rely on peer-reviewed research, credible data, expert testimony, and the lived experiences of Texans affected by our decisions. When evidence is uncertain, I look for independent sources, transparency, and the weight of scientific consensus while continuing to ask questions. Public input matters deeply, but governing sometimes requires making difficult decisions based on the best available evidence. My responsibility is to listen to my constituents, follow the facts, and explain honestly why I made a decision.