M.J. HEGAR
Democrat
1. What do you see as the most difficult challenge(s) facing Texas, and what solutions do you propose?
Our lives have been upended by the pandemic. …We need leaders committed to free, accessible testing and widespread contact tracing right now, as well as to creating a public option to expand access to quality, affordable health care moving forward. To recover from the economic crisis, we must invest in a strong middle class, support small businesses and enforce strict transparency measures to address rampant fraud and waste that hurts our workers.
2. What are your legislative priorities for the next Congress?
…I’m committed to removing … money in politics through comprehensive campaign finance reform, stemming the influence of corporate lobbyists, and securing and expanding voting rights. We can’t deliver results on the top issues facing working families — from rebuilding our economy for everyone and ensuring all Texans have access to quality and affordable health care to taking action on gun violence and climate change — until we clean up our broken system and return the power back to people.
3. How do you propose to make affordable health care available to as many Americans as possible?
We had a health care crisis before the pandemic, but now 1 in 3 adult Texans don’t have health insurance. The best health care I’ve ever had was when I was on military-provided Tricare, similar to Medicare, and I believe that kind of high-quality care should be made available to all Americans. That’s why I’ll fight like hell for a public option to expand access while preserving choice. Texas is a state that values individual rights, freedom, and choice, and I believe that individuals should have the choice to stay on private insurance if they prefer or opt into Medicare.
4. What, if anything, should Congress do to address the concerns of the Black Lives Matter movement?
I stand firmly with peaceful protesters calling for reforms — we cannot move forward as a country without acknowledging the root cause of why people are protesting. Denying that systemic racism exists … is part of the problem. We should universally support people’s free speech and right to protest while condemning violence and damage to property. We need to take meaningful action to protect Black lives by ending systemic racism across education, housing, criminal justice, employment, economic opportunities, health care, and more to make our country as a whole stronger.
5. What, if anything, would you change about U.S. Foreign policy?
Having served 11 years in the military, I saw firsthand how important it is for America to maintain our mantle as leaders of the free world, and we are currently at risk of losing that. We need to put in place responsible national security policies that recognize the value of seeking diplomatic solutions and employing strategic use of humanitarian assistance and trade negotiations. I’m concerned by our withdrawal from international agreements like the Paris Climate Accord and from international bodies like the UN and the World Health Organization. We need to reclaim our leadership role on the world stage.