Recommendation
With a pragmatic approach that works, Paul should continue to lead House District 129.
Republican Dennis Paul, 59, brings a pragmatic approach to politics as the only professional engineer in the Texas Legislature. And that background is especially useful to the communities close to Houston’s coast and ports in House District 129.
In the 2017 legislative session, once the Senate passed a “bathroom bill,” Paul was among the representatives pushing then-Speaker Joe Straus to allow a House vote on the controversial ban on transgender people using public bathrooms matching their gender identity.
The bill died without a vote and after losing seats in the next election, Republicans shifted their focus in 2019 to education. Paul was among the co- sponsors of the bipartisan bill that increased school funding.
The more level-headed problem solving of the 2019 session seems to be a more natural fit for Paul, whose Twitter feed is filled with useful announcements and conservative views but nary a divisive word. And his constituents certainly face a common threat.
The district he has represented since 2014 includes areas that could be devastated by a worst- case scenario storm, including parts of La Porte, Shoreacres, Seabrook, Webster, Pearland and Clear Lake. If a storm barrels up Galveston Bay, models predict surge tides that would swamp refineries and chemical storage facilities. While Hurricane Laura spared our region, it reminded us of the potential for cataclysm.
Ten years after Hurricane Ike opened our eyes to this danger, no new barrier or floodgate has been built, but Paul has put his expertise and shoulder to the slow wheels of power. In 2019, he helped pass legislation that will use state funds to help unlock federal money for coastal barriers as part of a broader response to flooding along the Gulf of Mexico.
In the next session, Paul told the editorial board he would focus “on the important things like the coastal barrier, flooding, economy, pandemic and making sure the budget is stable without tax increases.”
His opponent, Kayla Alix, is a deeply committed advocate for veterans. Her experience connecting people with services would likely translate to excellent advocacy for constituents but she would face a steep learning curve in policy making.
Paul already knows the ropes at the Legislature, where getting things done depends on building relationships with other legislators and delving into the intricacies of policy. In addition to working on flood mitigation plans, he has also used his time in the capital to advance the Houston Spaceport and management district reform.
We urge voters to return Paul to office.