Bush for Dist. 22
Family ties give him a boost in GOP primary and also could help effectiveness in Congress.
Pierce Bush wasn’t yet 30 when he joined a large, Texas-based nonprofit and immediately began turning around its troubled finances. Four years later, those troubles appear to be behind Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, where Bush, 33, is CEO. Those leadership skills should help him succeed on Capitol Hill, should he win election to Congress representing Texas’ 22nd District, where 15 candidates are competing in the March 3 GOP primary.
It also won’t hurt that Bush is the grandson of one president and the nephew of another, an advantage not just on the campaign trail but likely also in the halls of Congress, where family connections could make him more effective than the typical freshman.
Bush is one of three candidates vying to replace retiring incumbent, Pete Olson. His campaign has attracted the kind of notice and financial support likely needed to compete in what is expected to be a tight race in the fall. The field also includes Kathaleen Wall, who spent $6.2 million of her own money in a failed bid to win the seat in 2018 and is self-financing again, and Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls, who has experience and solid name recognition in the district.
All three have expressed strong support for President Donald Trump and his policies, with Wall and Nehls recently sparring over who is tougher on illegal immigration. To his credit, though, Bush said he’s open to finding a “pathway to legal status” for immigrants here illegally who can pass criminal background checks. That conviction shows he understands the key role immigrants play in the Houston area’s culture and economy.
We also were impressed that Bush, when asked about his first legislative priority, said he would focus on a longterm reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program because “if it is not renewed correctly,” it will mean huge premium increases for families and businesses in the district.
Bush, the son of businessman Neil Bush, said his success with Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star will directly transfer to working in Congress.
“To be an effective nonprofit leader, you have to exert legislative leadership,” he said. “I had 17 boards. My fiduciary board had 35 members. I know what it takes to get something done, to get a shared vision, to get something across the finish line.”
Republican voters should give Bush a chance to test that vision.