Meet the Democratic candidates running for Congress in Texas District 33
The Star-Telegram sent questionnaires to all candidates. Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
Marc Veasey
Occupation: Current United States Congressman representing Texas’ 33rd district for the 4th term.
Age: 49
Website: marcveasey.com
Public offices you’ve held or run for, with years: I represented the House District 95 in Southeast Fort Worth in the Texas State House from 2004 until 2012 and from 2012 on I have represented Texas’ 33rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No, I have not.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No, I have not.
Why are you seeking this office?
I am seeking this office because I want to continue my work in the U.S. House of Representatives of delivering things like affordable health care, good paying jobs and expanding voting rights for the people of Texas’ 33rd and the American people.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
- Expanding affordable, accessible and unbiased health care to all Americans
- Fighting for good paying jobs and ensuring a robust North Texas economy
- Expanding the right to vote and making sure that every person has a chance to participate in our democracy
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
I believe that my current record of being a sitting U.S Congress member, knowing how Washington works, and having a proven résumé of delivering actual results to people of Texas’ 33rd district is what sets me apart from my opponent.
The federal government is accumulating record debt, with massive deficits even in a strong economy. What specific steps would you endorse to reduce the deficit?
I will fight against things like the huge tax cuts for the rich that blew holes in deficit and will cost between 1.5 and 2.2 trillion dollars by the end of the decade. Economic indications show that while the tax cuts have produced a short term economic boost, they have left us little fiscal flexibility to respond to the next economic downturn. We should also be pursuing sustained economic growth that encourages employers to take care of workers without further burdening the deficit like The Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act that provides a tax credit for businesses that offer good wages and benefits.
What changes should be made in U.S. trade policy?
I am proud of the work my colleagues and I did on NAFTA—however, the deal that the President initially negotiated did little to move the trade situation forward. My fellow Democrats and I were able to secure a deal that expanded workers’ rights, protected the environment, and ensured we could enforce the deal. Furthermore, I do not support President Trump’s trade policies with China which have only raised prices on American consumers. While the business community has long raised issues with China’s lack of respect for intellectual property, abusive practices towards workers and unchecked pollution in Chinese factories, the Administration’s remedies have not improved conditions there.
What changes to immigration law do you support? Would you vote to build any additional border wall or fence? Do you support a path to citizenship for those currently here illegally?
I support comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform. I have done this by actively working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fix our nation’s broken immgiration system that support a responsible pathway to citizenship--while joining my colleagues to pass legislation to protect Dreamers, introduced the Notario Victim Relief Act to give immigrants an opportunity to seek legal asylum status, and held the administration accountable for the horrible conditions at detention camps at the border. The President already raided billions in Pentagon funds to fund his border wall., so I will not be voting for any additional border wall funding or fencing.
What steps should the federal government take to combat climate change, if any?
Fighting climate change and supporting a strong Texas economy with jobs for people across our state are not mutually exclusive. Measures like my bill, HR 3607, ensure our federal government is investing in research activities at the DOE to help create the next generation of clean energy technologies to allow us to responsibly utilize the significant oil and gas resources of our state while reducing emissions. My bill reauthorizes the Office of Fossil Energy and refocuses the research on areas like carbon capture and better methane leak detection technologies—ensuring that our energy industry in Texas and across our country will flourish.
Sean Paul Segura
Occupation: Humanitarian/community Activist & Entrepreneur
Website: www.SeanPaulSegura.com
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: Yes, I didn’t know that in DFW you can receive a DWI after just having 1 drink or without being given a field sobriety test. If an officer lies and says he did preform a field sobriety test the City, according to Texas law sec.522.108(a)(1), can withhold video evidence, if it doesn’t “agree” with their version of the so called “facts”. Because of this experience I have gained a better understanding of our criminal justice system and have also held meetings informing people and I recommend to anyone reading this, do NOT drive a vehicle, even after drinking 1 drink.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: I have never sued anyone or filed for bankruptcy.
Why are you seeking this office?
Tx33 deserves a Congressperson that has the faith, passion, and determination to champion important issues that impact our families & make a difference! We haven’t had a champion, we have had Marc Veasey. He did NOT vote to impeach his friend, Trump, for 2 years and just voted for HR1158 to give $1,375,000,000 for Trump’s Wall, “Trump’s favorite Democrat,” Veasey, voted against Obama and for Republican Keystone XL pipeline that threatens our drinking water and environment. Marc has received 100’s of thousands of $$ from lobbyists, and big oil & gas … he works for them not us! We deserve better!
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
I care about people, black, white, & brown, about unity and making a difference!
Marc’s has not effectively addressed any of these issues in almost a decade in office.
- Police Community Relations: I will champion & fearlessly fight harassment, unjust use of force including deadly force by police & work to establish a mutual respect between our police and our community.
- Immigration Reform that allows good people to legally contribute to our country: We will stop abusing children & caging families. We are all children of God. We are the land of immigrants and united we will stand!
- Lower Taxes
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
I think Marc comes across as a nice guy but his votes do NOT align with his words or the needs of our community. We don’t just have problems we have solutions. There is not enough money on this earth for me to sell out my community! I am not about me, I am about us! … We need someone fighting for us, we need a voice, if you elect me they will hear us!
The federal government is accumulating record debt, with massive deficits even in a strong economy. What specific steps would you endorse to reduce the deficit?
We need to eliminate wasteful spending and tax breaks for huge corporations and the super wealthy. 60 of the largest Companies in America made 79 billion in profits & paid 0 in taxes. Unlike Veasey, I will work to ensure the super wealthy and big business pay their fair share in taxes.
I also believe we should reduce the amount of funds for unnecessary wars. We must get our priorities straight.
What changes should be made in U.S. trade policy?
Our foreign trade policy should be geared toward the betterment of people. We can have high tariffs on companies that grossly underpay its workers. This will incentivize them to pay a higher wage. We can also use tariffs to combat animal cruelty by charging higher tariffs to countries that allow the inhumane torture of animals like in some countries where they skin animals alive, drown, beat and torture them because they think an animal dying a horrible death makes the meat better for consumption.
What changes to immigration law do you support? Would you vote to build any additional border wall or fence? Do you support a path to citizenship for those currently here illegally?
I will champion immigration reform that benefits our country and immigrants! I will champion just and fair immigration laws. I am in favor of a path to citizenship, I am against additional border wall construction.
Our opponent says he is in favor of immigrants but has not only failed to present and pass any effective legislation in all his years as an elected official but also just voted for HR1158 to give over $1.3 Billion dollars for Trumps border wall. Think how that money $$ could have been used to help people in our community
What steps should the federal government take to combat climate change, if any?
Develop protocols to effectively deploy assistance to natural disasters like the fires in Australia.
Unlike my opponent I do not support sacrificing our water and biodiversity for big oil company profits.
Let’s move forward supporting technologies and products that replace our dependency on oil.
Let’s empower our youth that are passionate in climate change to be part of the solution.
Plant trees to lower the impact of harmful gasses and protect wildlife ecosystems and clean oceans & lakes.
I will focus on, “pasos cortos vista larga” meaning taking little steps in the right direction while keeping the vision in mind.
