Phil W Gray
LibertarianQ1 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 am fully supportive of the government releasing sterile male screwworm flies to [mate] with the females. This appears to be a proven remedy. I am also supportive of the government continuing efforts to detect future infestations.
Keywords: Eradication of infestations, Continued vigilance
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 believe that data centers should provide their own power and make water reuse a part of their cooling system, such that they do not limit tje volume of available potable water. They must be allowed to use available resources, but not to dent others the use of those resources. In a pinch, the data center can shut down production and take advantage of high spot pricing for energy.
Keywords: Self powered data centers, Water reuse
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 am not an expert on hydrology. I believe that the government must safeguard the quality of our groundwater and surface water. I understand that wetlands serve to protect both. If this is true, perhaps we could find wetlands by tax abatement. Perhaps there are ways of harnessing flood runoff to recharge aquifers.
Keywords: Defend water. Develop means of harnessing flood runoff.
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 believe that the best system is one in which the consumer can profit from on sute power generation. First by enabling them to create their own power, and second by being able to profit from that self generation. There must be a number that is a high percentage of power cost, that will both strengthen the grid, and benefit the consumer who will build increased capacity into their system so they can profit when the grid is challenged.
Keywords: Consumers profit.. by creating excess energy capacity.
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?
The [NIH] has funded cutting-edge research. As such, it has benefited Texas as well as all systems. I will look at the administration’s stated objectives. I see no need to change them.
Keywords: Leave a working system alone
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?
While I am a firm advocate for states’ rights, sometimes the states get it wrong. When they do, I believe the courts will address it. I see no need for the federal government to weigh in
If the citizens need federal assistance, they should get it.
Keywords: Policy should be informed by scientific evidence.
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?
Policy should be informed by scientific evidence. But we must tread lightly when expert opinion diverges sharply. Absent specific events and a specific question. That’s all I have to say on this topic.