Sylvia Soto

Texas must take the New World screwworm threat seriously and act quickly. As a STEM teacher and researcher, I understand how important it is to use science, innovation, and early detection to protect our livestock and food supply.

I support expanding surveillance and early-warning systems using advanced technology, including AI-powered drones, modernized traps, and improved tracking of screwworm risk. Texas should also work with scientists to enhance sterile-fly production and advance precision-guided sterile insect techniques, including research into genetically engineered male-only strains such as the Nova fly.

We should provide funding for scientists in cell, engineering, agriculture and developmental biology to research new approaches to detection, prevention, and eradication. The goal should be to identify and stop infestations before they spread not wait until Texas ranchers are facing hundreds of millions of dollars in livestock losses.

This threat affects our livestock, our agriculture, our food production, and ultimately our families. I support policies that help our Texas ranchers, our food supply, and our economy. Prevention is far less expensive than allowing a preventable agricultural crisis to become a multibillion-dollar problem.

Keywords: threat, biology, engineered, prevention

I support innovation and technology, including data centers, because technology is part of our everyday lives and an important part of Texas’ future. But growth cannot come at the expense of our water, electrical grid, environment, or families.

Here in Bexar County, we have experienced electrical outages, and San Antonio depends on the Edwards Aquifer as a critical water resource. These resources are not unlimited. I will support legislation requiring businesses that place demands on our water and electrical systems to be accountable for their consumption and their impact on the communities where they operate.

I also support encouraging large data centers to become more energy self-reliant by developing on-site power generation and energy storage. When these facilities can produce much of the energy they need themselves, they can reduce the strain on the existing Texas grid. When excess power is available and can legally and safely be sold or returned to the grid, that additional generation could help increase available electricity for surrounding communities and potentially help reduce costs.

There should also be greater transparency on water and energy usage, protection of our Edward’s Aquifer and other water resources, responsible use of the electrical grid, and consideration of pollution, noise, heat emissions, land use, and proximity to neighborhoods, schools, and families. Businesses should also invest in modern, innovative technologies that reduce water and energy consumption systems such as using recycling rainwater or in water data centers for cooling.

I believe decisions should be guided by data, science, and measurable outcomes. Texas can welcome innovation and economic growth while still protecting the resources.

We need innovative technology for our future, but we also need water, reliable electricity, and a healthy environment for that future to exist.

Keywords: science, data, innovation, technology

Texas needs to take a more proactive approach to both flooding and water conservation. Here in San Antonio, we have seen firsthand how quickly flooding can become deadly. On July 11, Dr. Kenneth Stuart, a 76-year-old federal civilian employee who served at JBSA-Lackland for 32 years, lost his life after his vehicle was caught in a flash flood.

I support policies that invest in modern flood-detection technology, including expanded radar, stream gauges, real-time water-level monitoring, and location-specific warning systems that can give families more time to get to safety. We should use technology and engineering to identify dangerous areas before a disaster occurs, not after lives are lost.

Texas also needs to invest in upgrading aging drainage, bridges, flood-control systems, and other infrastructure that can worsen flooding. We should work with local emergency management, FEMA, engineers, universities, and research centers to develop faster response systems and better ways to move floodwater safely out of populated areas.

At the same time, we should look at floodwater as a resource not simply something to move away and lose. Where appropriate and safe, Texas should invest in systems that capture, treat, store, recycle, and reuse water for agriculture, industry, landscaping, and other non-potable purposes.

I believe we should support policies that use the best science and technology available. We cannot prevent every flood, but we can be better prepared, give people earlier warnings, build smarter infrastructure, and turn more of our water into a resource.

Texas has to protect our water because water is essential to our families, agriculture, economy, and future. The 2024 303(d) List shows that hundreds of Texas waterways have documented impairments, and we need to address those problems before they become even more expensive and difficult to solve.

I support investing in modern water-quality monitoring, real-time sensors, improved wastewater and storm water infrastructure, and technology that allows us to detect pollution earlier. We also need accountability for businesses and other entities that pollute our waterways while making sure responsible businesses have clear standards they can meet.

I support incentives for efficient irrigation, water recycling and reuse, groundwater conservation, and innovative agricultural practices that protect our water while allowing farmers to continue producing the food we depend on.

I believe we should use data and proven science to make these decisions. We need to conserve the water we have, protect the quality of that water, invest in modern infrastructure, and support the agricultural economy that helps feed Texas.

Keywords: conservation, flood, infrastructure

I support innovation and the growth of AI and data centers in Texas, but large facilities should also help address the energy demands they create. One solution is encouraging more on-site power generation and energy storage so these facilities are not placing unnecessary strain on the existing grid.

When technically and legally feasible, excess electricity generated by these facilities could be fed back into the grid or sold through appropriate market mechanisms, creating additional power for surrounding communities and potentially helping reduce costs for consumers.

This is an opportunity to expand our energy capacity while encouraging businesses to take greater responsibility for their own energy needs. Instead of simply building a larger grid and passing those costs on to Texas families, we should encourage innovative power solutions that benefit both the businesses investing in Texas and the communities around them.

I support innovation policies, but I also support smart infrastructure, accountability, and finding ways for new technology to help strengthen not strain the Texas grid.

Keywords: innovation, grid, power, electricity, recycle

As a STEM teacher with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and extensive chemistry studies as a pre-med student, I understand firsthand that science is more than a subject we teach in our classrooms science saves lives.

Research laboratories, medical schools, universities, and scientific institutions are the foundation for developing new medicines, improving treatments, training doctors, and preparing the next generation of scientists. Texas cannot afford to weaken that foundation.

I support policies that strengthen funding for scientists, medical schools, research laboratories, and workforce development. I would work to advance policies that encourage public-private partnerships, expand opportunities for medical and scientific education, and keep Texas competitive in biotechnology, medicine, and emerging technologies.

We are already facing serious concerns about the future physician workforce, including projected physician shortages in 2030. We need to invest now in the people and institutions that will train our doctors, conduct life-saving research, and develop the technologies of tomorrow.

Countries such as Japan and China are making significant investments in science and technology. Texas and America must continue to lead not fall behind.

As an educator and scientist by training, I believe investing in science is an investment in our children, our healthcare, our economy, and ultimately in saving lives.

Keywords: doctor, research, training, university

I support policies that protect children and families while being grounded in science, data, and sound medical guidance. Parents’ concerns about their children’s health should be respected, and families should have access to accurate information from qualified medical professionals so they can make informed decisions.

We should respect families, follow the evidence, and make decisions that protect the health and safety of Texas children and communities.

Texas reported 762 confirmed measles cases in 2025, including 99 hospitalizations and two deaths so these outbreaks should be taken seriously.

I support policies that follow Texas existing school immunization requirements, including the exemptions currently allowed under state law, while ensuring parents have access to reliable medical information so they can make informed decisions for their children.

We should listen to parents, follow the science, and take infectious disease outbreaks seriously.

Keywords: immunization, science, infectious diseases

Scientific evidence and expert input should play a central role in policymaking. You would not create education policy without listening to teachers who have actually been in the classroom, so the same principle should apply to science, medicine, environmental research, water, agriculture, and public safety.

There is a difference between studying something in theory and actually doing the work. Policymakers should work directly with qualified professionals who understand these issues firsthand and have the research and experience to support their recommendations.

I also believe we should hear from multiple qualified experts and consider different perspectives. Competing claims should be evaluated based on credible research, data, evidence, and real-world results.

Good policy starts with understanding the issue, listening to the experts, and using evidence to make informed decisions. When people’s lives and our future are at stake, we cannot afford to make decisions based on assumptions.

Keywords: policymaker, expert, medicine