Tom Oxford
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 will not pretend to be an expert on livestock infestation issues. That is why I believe in listening to those who are. We had what seemed to be a perfectly fine system until state and federal budget cuts eviscerated these programs. Let us quit being penny-wise and get these programs reinstituted.
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?
The benefits provided by data centers appear far outweighed by the cost to our local and state communities. The greatest challenge to Texas over the next decade will be allocating water resources. Until these private companies can explain how they will operate without making the water resources problem worse, I would call for a moratorium on their construction.
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?
First and foremost, we must keep the water resource problem from becoming worse. Data centers will only add to our problems. Take these centers out of the mix and the rest of us can probably figure it out.
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?
Data centers should be banned until they can operate without negatively impacting our power grid. Simply put, they should be self-sufficient using clean sources of energy that do not impact the existing grid in a negative way.
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 unjustified attack on education and science we have seen over the past few years will only lead to a decline in our society. We must protect scientific integrity and provide funding sources that enable continued excellence in our research infrastructure.
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?
An open discussion without the effort to make this a political issue is a good start.
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 science should always be our guide. When science does not have a clear answer, we need to be aware of the debate and choose carefully. When the science is clear, we should be free to ignore the unsupported outliers.
Q8 The Attorney General plays a role in shaping state policy through litigation, legal opinions, and multistate coalitions; these decisions increasingly address scientific questions concerning environmental contamination, public health, energy regulation, and emerging technologies. What types of experts from scientific disciplines would you consult when providing legal counsel, and how would you evaluate the credibility and relevance of their input?
I would listen to experts from academia, research groups and private business. I would always be aware of the motivations behind those opinions.