Montserrat Garibay
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?
The New World screwworm outbreak is alarming and has grave implications for the Texas economy and businesses as well as pets and livestock. I am concerned that some of the policies and cuts made federally have hindered detection and response, and so we should examine and rectify any gaps as well as independently review what other policies should be put into place. Moving forward, we should also prioritize early detection, rapid response, coordination with international partners, and sustained funding for animal-health infrastructure.
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 am supportive of calls for a moratorium until stronger sustainability conditions are met. Many communities are wholly unable to stop harms from data centers and current regulations are inadequate. At a minimum, they must fund their own infrastructure upgrades, pay impact fees, meet energy-efficiency and water-use limits, use modern cooling, and provide co-located clean energy and storage. In forming this position, I have as well as listened to constituents, met with environmentalists, and heard concerns from labor leaders about the impacts to good trade jobs that currently exist within data centers, advanced manufacturing, and similar industries.
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 has a water crisis and the legislature has not done enough to address it. The investments and dedicated funding are a good start, but we know they are not enough to address the anticipated scope of the problem, which some estimates put closer to $150 billion in new water supply and infrastructure repairs and improvements. We have to develop new water supply, improve planning and coordination among communities, and increase conservation efforts. I would like to see a focus on repairing aging pipes, upgrading treatment plants, and improving monitoring systems to better detect leaks or deficiencies in systems. I also believe we must increase water storage capacity while also increasing resiliency by encouraging water reuse and recycling, rainwater harvesting and greywater systems, drought-resistant irrigation and landscaping, and conservation. Similarly, I am highly concerned with the impact of data centers and am supportive of calls for a moratorium until improved sustainability conditions can be met. When it comes to agriculture, we can provide support and incentives to farmers and businesses to increase conservation, adopt more efficient irrigation practices, and invest in technologies that reduce water use while maintaining productivity.
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?
Texas faces extreme weather and rapid growth. As such, I believe we have to continue to increase energy generation and improve transmission while prioritizing wind, solar, and other renewables. Similarly, I believe large load consumers must be required to pay more of their fair share with respect to the infrastructure upgrades as opposed to costs being passed on to ratepayers and small businesses. I support energy efficiency programs because they save consumers money, reduce pollution and waste, and can increase equity. I also support providing funding, especially for low-income communities and areas with older homes, to weatherize their homes, increase their energy efficiency, and install smart technologies to improve energy usage. We should also work with local governments and school districts to upgrade HVACs, lighting, and equipment in their facilities in order to reduce usage.
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 believe what is happening at many of our institutions of higher education is devastating and will have long term negative impacts on our ability to recruit and retain top faculty, researchers, and innovators. I believe we should restore tenure, promote academic freedom and free speech, and increase research funding. While we should push the federal government to restore funding we should also find more avenues to increase funding at the state-level.
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?
A plank of my healthcare platform includes implementing statewide programs for early childhood screenings, vaccinations, and chronic disease prevention and management. I believe that it is our responsibility as leaders to listen to concerns, promote sound science, and push back on misinformation when it endangers public health. Additionally, I believe it is essential that we encourage and enable providers and public health officials to engage in public information campaigns and clinical experiences that are culturally competent and multilingual in order to build trust, reduce barriers to care, and ensure that every Texan has the information and support they need to make informed decisions about their health.
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?
From my experiences as an educator to a labor leader and Assistant Deputy Secretary in the Biden-Harris Department of Education, I have supported evidence-based best practices and policies supported by data. I intend to rely on evidence, facts, and experts in weighing policy decisions. When there are conflicts, we have to make the best judgements we can using what is available at the time. That includes seeking additional insights and inputs, examining competing claims, and clarifying biases and agendas.