U.S. Congressional District 24 Candidates in the Democratic Primary March 1
Jan McDowell
Age: 68
Campaign website: www.JanMcDowell.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Jan@JanMcDowell.com
Occupation: retired CPA
Education: Texas Tech University, BA in Journalism/Public Relations. Undergraduate and graduate-level courses in Accounting and Business at UT Dallas
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): I ran for the U.S. House (TX-24) seat in 2016 and 2018, and in the 2020 primary. I served as Denton County Democratic Party Treasurer, and as a Denton County Democratic Precinct Chair.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Who are your top three campaign contributors?: All relatively small donors
Why are you seeking this office?: I was inspired by the 2010 documentary “Inside Job,” which told the story of the ineptitude and complicity of our government in causing the financial and housing disaster of 2008. As many people got fabulously rich, government officials knew that the bubble would burst, but they did nothing about it. Watching it with friends, and angry at what we saw, we agreed with our host’s assessment that “nothing is going to change unless new people run for office, get elected, and do things differently.” By 2015, I’d decided that enough was enough, and I was determined to make a difference, so I began my grassroots campaign.
In the years since then, as other candidates have come and gone, I have remained committed to that determination that we can indeed make a change to benefit all. I have brought my energy to meet, listen to, and learn about the people, their stories, and their concerns. With the help of the voters, we can bring real progressive representation to the people of the district.
What are the biggest challenges facing your district?: When I ask voters what their biggest concerns are, I generally hear, “Everything!” So to express that “all of the above” response, I would say that the biggest challenge people are facing is exhaustion. Our teachers are overcome by the emotions of wanting to teach and inspire students while fighting against both Covid and parents who refuse mask mandates. Our healthcare workers have been working onerous schedules and facing the agony of not being able to help so many who won’t help themselves. Everyone is facing the deluge of disinformation and outright lies that pour from our screens about science, history, and politics.
Politicians owe it to all Americans to face and to speak the truth. Together we can tackle anything if we all agree to do that.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?: I would narrow the top priorities to two ... securing our democratic form of government, and taking bold steps to address climate change before it’s too late. Close behind those top two, I want to focus on our economy, and making it work for everyone by providing a level playing field.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?: I ran for the District 24 seat in 2016 and 2018. Before then, the gap between Rep. Marchant and the Democratic candidate was 32 points. In 2016, I narrowed that to a 17-point deficit. In 2018, I came within 3 points of winning the seat! Now Republicans have decided that it’s too close for comfort, and have gerrymandered the district to try to make it “safe” for the incumbent. I’m determined to surprise them again! The name recognition, goodwill, and relationships I’ve been building over the years will help to make that happen.
I am the progressive candidate in the race. If voters want a representative who will work to truly stand up for policies that will give everyone equitable opportunities to succeed, I will be that representative.
Too many voters have grown tired of the “same old, same old.” I am determined to be the face of politics that will listen to the needs of people in the district, and to put those needs ahead of my own chances at re-election, or the desires of donors.
What should Congress do to combat inflation?: Pass the Build Back Better Act! It will bring an explosion of good jobs, and it will lower the costs of childcare, prescription drugs, and energy. The potential for economic expansion that will benefit all is enormous!
How should the federal government change COVID policy to reflect the omicron variant outbreak?: A vaccine mandate is the answer! We are incredibly fortunate to have a solution available to this national nightmare. The idea that a minority of people, refusing for whatever reasons to participate in the solution, can allow the tragedy to continue, is unacceptable. The majority, who have stepped up to get the vaccine, still need to curtail their business and personal lives. Healthcare workers and teachers, to name just a few, are suffering needlessly. Just as Texas needs to “fix the damn grid,” Americans need to “get the damn shot.”
Should Congress enact a vaccine mandate for workplaces?: Yes!
How should the federal government respond to high levels of illegal immigration? Do you support changes in asylum policy, and if so, how would you alter it?: First, the United States must end the Migrant Protection Protocols, or the “Remain in Mexico” policy, that keeps asylum-seekers waiting in Mexico until their cases can be heard by U.S. immigration courts. Currently, those fleeing violence, poverty and abuse in their countries of origination are again subjected to these abhorrent conditions at the south Texas border. No part of our immigration policy should result in immigrants being subjected to violence or any other type of inhumane treatment.
More broadly, the U.S. should engage in comprehensive immigration reform that affirms the value of all humans, provides secure borders for Texas and the United States and recognizes the role of Mexico and Canada as our allies and partners. Our revamped legal system must acknowledge that we do in fact need and value immigrants in our country.
Did Joe Biden win the 2020 election fairly?: Absolutely, yes!
What voting-rights legislation or other election regulation would you support?: We must codify processes that have worked to keep elections safe in the past. Republicans have been working to dismantle the system and empower partisan bodies to overrule and overturn the votes of the people. That’s unacceptable.
Provisions of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 must be reinstated. The Shelby County v. Holder case in 2013 removed the preclearance provisions that required states like Texas, with a history of voter suppression, to get changes approved by the federal government before they went into effect.
At the time, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg famously explained why the VRA protections were still necessary. She wrote that “Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”
Since the VRA was gutted, Texas and other states have indeed drawn discriminatory voting districts, and enacted other measures that will suppress minority voting.
If you were currently in Congress, what level of spending on the Build Back Better legislation would you support? What should be in the package and why?: Last summer, the proposed “human infrastructure bill” known as Build Back Better proposed spending $3.5T. To get to that number, liberals in Congress had made big compromises from what they said is really needed. I would support that level of spending.
In a nod to reality, though, I would support looking at whatever spending can be approved, probably in pieces. My highest priorities would be spending for climate-related initiatives that are urgently needed. Building clean energy technology in the U.S., rebates and tax incentives for families to shift to clean energy, spending on things such as coastal restoration, forest management and soil conservation.
We can’t overestimate the importance of also including healthcare measures like reducing the costs of prescription drugs; free preschool; and affordable housing.
Knowing that a budget is at its core a statement of values and priorities, I believe that our priority should be on valuing our greatest national asset...our people.
Kathy Fragnoli
Age: 69
Campaign website: www.kathy4congress.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Kathy@kathy4congress.com
Occupation: Owner, The Resolution Group, Mediator/Arbitrator
Education: BA - Boston College, Political Science and Sociology; JD - Gonzaga University School of Law
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): No
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: I filed a claim against my financial advisor in 2008; was successful in arbitration.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?: Top three are individuals who are arbitrators/attorneys in the employment field. I receive no PAC money.
Why are you seeking this office?: I think my skills as a mediator in high-level and complex disputes for the past 27 years would be helpful in bridging the divide in our very polarized Congress. I worked as a lawyer for American Airlines for 12 years before that so I think I am able to understand the positions of large businesses, unions and individuals. As a small business owner, I am of course empathetic to those issues as well.
What are the biggest challenges facing your district?: The major issue for TX-24 and Texas as a whole is immigration. Currently, there are close to 1.8 million undocumented immigrants living in Texas. The fact is that around 65% of all undocumented immigrants living in the United States have simply overstayed a visa. According to the Census Bureau, 52,910 Texas businesses are Hispanic owned, with a payroll of $19.8 billion per year. Similarly, the crime rate per capita of undocumented immigrants is substantially lower than that of the average American. We must understand why people are leaving their homes, families and cultures, and upending their lives to come here. We must urge other countries to resolve their issues and the root cause of why thousands of people are fleeing their home countries. Right now, we need 20,000 construction workers in North Texas. The lack of affordable house is exacerbated by this. A one-year renewable work permit program could solve this problem.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?:
1. Get to know my Republican and Independent counterparts and establish a personal relationship that will help bridge the divide over policy disagreements. Many people say we have a “civil war” brewing in this country. Is it an “uncivil” war and respectful communication is critical.
2. Meet with my constituents so that they feel heard.
3. Besides the vigilante pregnancy termination laws, I would also focus on issues that are often ignored but affect all of us such as high credit card and student loan interest rates, medical care deductibles, and tax laws that disproportionately burden the middle class.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?: Although my opponents are well qualified, I believe that I have an unmatched depth of experience that comes with my work (and age) as a mediator in highly contested business and employment matters.
What should Congress do to combat inflation?: I believe that inflation will start to subside as the pandemic tapers off. The Federal Reserve should proceed with carefully analyzed interest rate increases. One common sense solution is to fix the supply chain issues, which increase costs. Truck drivers, for example, are in short supply and an immigration plan to allow for one-year renewable work permits would greatly improve this ongoing problem.
I have worked with Longshoremen/Port issues in the past as an arbitrator and would promote expedited negotiations with input from both sides to solve the log-jam issues we still face.
How should the federal government change COVID policy to reflect the omicron variant outbreak?: Luckily, the virus has become less deadly and although it is transmitted more easily, most people are dealing with it fairly well. Medical experts tell us some form of the virus is here to stay, like the common cold and flu. I think there should be more research on therapeutics that we know from studies in other countries have been working to ease symptoms. There should also be an effort by the CDC to educate the public on simple ways to strengthen the immune system.
Should Congress enact a vaccine mandate for workplaces?: I do not think that mandates should continue as long as testing, masking (and PPE in health care environments) are available where people work in close quarters. For example, during the mandates, hundreds of VA employees who work from home dealing with veterans on the phone were threatened with termination. This is overreaching.
We had a shortage of nurses and doctors and this country and then added to that number with the mandates. These are our heroes (along with people like teachers, grocery workers, bus drivers, airline employees and janitors) who worked for over a year risking their health for us. Their sacrifices should not be met with being fired when we know that the vaccines are not currently effective in preventing transmission or infection with the milder variants. I don’t think government policy is keeping up with the new data.
How should the federal government respond to high levels of illegal immigration? Do you support changes in asylum policy, and if so, how would you alter it?: I believe we need a Plan not a Wall. And hope is not a plan. Currently, it takes over 20 years for most people to enter our country lawfully. Why not create a one-year renewable work visa for those who wish to work here. There are 10.5 million open jobs that we are having trouble filing. In addition, we have a need that can’t be filled for 20,000 construction workers in North Texas. This affects the cost of affordable housing. A work visa would guarantee that immigrant workers pay taxes on their income, and it will prevent the black-market sale of active social security cards, which has become a serious problem.
My grandfather, a peasant farm worker, came from Italy to work in the slate quarries in upstate NY and to escape famine and floods. He was welcomed to this country because the country needed workers. The complex immigration laws we have encourage illegal immigration. They should be simplified and enforced.
Did Joe Biden win the 2020 election fairly?: Absolutely.
What voting-rights legislation or other election regulation would you support?: would like to give the Freedom to Vote/John Lewis Voting Rights legislation another try. Dark money groups should have to disclose their donors just as candidates do. Further, Super PAC donations should be restricted so that they don’t overpower the amounts candidates can receive from individuals. Currently, a maximum contribution from an individual is $2,900 for the primary, but unlimited for a Super PAC who can produce commercials and ads opposing or supporting a candidate.
Our state voter registration process is rejecting 40 percent of mail-in ballot requests in some counties. One reason is that older ID information does not transfer over to the new programs. Another is that the state is “out of paper.” This does not instill confidence in our voting process and causes many people to just give up.
If you were currently in Congress, what level of spending on the Build Back Better legislation would you support? What should be in the package and why?: As of February 1, one senator is still holding up the BBB legislation. I believe that spending should be contained in smaller bills so that legislators don’t argue about controversial line-item programs and hold up the entire bill. For example, drug price negotiations would be welcomed by nearly everyone and actually generate savings, yet that provision is being held up by a bill that has a price tag of $2.4 trillion.
I support immigration reform which saves over $100 billion.
Climate spending is critical in this bill and will create incentives for companies to invest in environmentally critical technology such as “carbon capture.”
The limit on deductions for state and local taxes which is currently set at $10,000 could be limited to half the proposed amount of $80,000. Again, complex tax breaks are mixed in with items like free pre-k and the average voter is overwhelmed by the complexity of the legislation and the bickering that is going along with it.
Derrik Gay
Age: 36
Campaign website: derrikgay.com
Best way for voters to reach you: info@derrikgay.com
Occupation: Attorney
Education: Bachelors of Science - Political Science and Criminology - Florida State University; Juris Doctor / Masters of Business Administration - Northwestern University - Pritzker School of Law and Kellogg School of Management
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): No
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Who are your top three campaign contributors?: We are proud to have strong grassroots support and have also had numerous individuals contribute the federal max contribution limit of $2,900. As such, there are not three specific individuals who we consider our top contributors.
Why are you seeking this office?: I have tried to always answer my country’s call to service. After our nation was attacked on 9/11, I joined the Marine Corps and served for 13 years. When the Capitol was attacked on January 6th, I felt a sense of duty to run for office. As a Marine who took an oath to defend the Constitution, I was appalled to see members from within our very government, including my own representative, still vote to overturn a free and fair election. When my representative had the opportunity to put country over party and bring us together, she failed to meet the moment and worse, weakened democracy by further sowing distrust in our electoral system.
As we begin to emerge from this devastating pandemic, we have a real opportunity to build a better society and economy that works for all. I want the tremendous growth in North Texas to continue, but I want to invest in our economy, create the jobs of the future, and bring more of the community along in this growth.
What are the biggest challenges facing your district?: The biggest challenge that my district faces is how we reemerge from this pandemic with a stronger economy with more equitable growth. In order to grow our economy, we need to get COVID under control both domestically and abroad for our economy to fully recover and for our supply chain issues to resolve. However, just returning our economy to where it was before the pandemic is not good enough.
My wife and I moved to North Texas to start our family largely due to the great economy and the opportunities here. I want the growth in North Texas to continue, but believe that we can and should bring more people along in this growth. Our country is fundamentally stronger when there’s a robust middle class.
We need to invest in job training, seek to innovate to create the jobs of the future, and bring our supply chains back to our country. We also need to invest in education, take action to alleviate the crushing burden of student debt, and implement universal pre-k.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?: My focus is on growing the economy and bringing more working families along in this growth. To that end, my first priority is to pass universal pre-k for 3- and 4-year olds. I support the proposal of $200 billion over 10 years to serve 5 million children, save the average family over $13,000 in childcare costs, and boost GDP by $28.6 billion.
Second, we need to invest in infrastructure as you cannot build the economy of the future on crumbling infrastructure. Due to the bipartisan infrastructure deal, for the first time in 20 years, the U.S. will spend more on our infrastructure than China. With a rapidly growing district that contains one of the busiest airports in the country, I will ensure that we invest in our infrastructure.
Finally, I support healthcare reform and bringing down its costs and the costs of prescription drugs. We need to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and expand it to cover hearing and dental.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?: While I respect both of my opponents in the primary, I am asking for the support of voters because I believe I am best positioned to win against the incumbent in November.
As a Marine, I took an oath to defend the Constitution and this country, went to war for my country, and continued to serve it after my military service. I can best hold the Republican incumbent accountable for her vote to overturn a free and fair election and provide a clear contrast for her failure to put country over party.
The other thing that sets me apart from my opponents is my repeated focus on the economy. My wife and I moved to Texas to start a family here and a big reason for that was the incredible growth and economy we have in North Texas. This district contains a huge part of the economic engine of North Texas and includes DFW Airport, a key employer. I am committed to continuing the great economic growth, but I want to see more families brought along in this success.
What should Congress do to combat inflation?: Inflation is largely driven by the global pandemic and its impact on our supply chains. Our best chance to combat inflation and build a strong economy is to have everyone vaccinated in our country. The disinformation surrounding the incredible medical breakthrough of the COVID vaccine has been one of the most disheartening parts of the entire pandemic for me.
Also, our crumbling infrastructure has been a bottleneck in our supply chain. The bipartisan infrastructure law led us to invest more in our infrastructure than China for the first time in 20 years. In a district that is growing rapidly and has one of the busiest airports in the country, we need to continue to invest in our infrastructure to be competitive in a global economy.
I also think it is imperative that we bring as much of our supply chain back to this country and provide more economic opportunities for the people in this district.
The Federal Reserve is also expected to raise interest rates to address inflation.
How should the federal government change COVID policy to reflect the omicron variant outbreak?: The COVID vaccines are highly effective at preventing serious illness from omicron. Every effort needs to be taken to get shots in arms and promote the safety of the vaccine. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of disinformation around these vaccines.
I do not support going back on lockdown and forcing businesses to close. I believe now that there is a vaccine, we have largely shifted to the stage of learning how to live with the virus.
As the father of two young children, I share the fear known to families with small children or immunocompromised individuals. We need to closely monitor bedspace in hospitals and make responsible decisions to help minimize spread when there is strain on the system.
We also need to do a better job of making free at-home testing available until we get this virus under better control.
I believe that schools should not be prevented from implementing mask mandates.
Should Congress enact a vaccine mandate for workplaces?: With the Supreme Court of the United States blocking President Biden’s efforts to require vaccination mandates for large business, I would not try to enact a vaccine mandate that was blocked by the Court. However, I believe that businesses should have the right to require vaccination of its workers as a condition of employment, if it chooses to do so. Our military has vaccination requirements, including for COVID, and I fully support that policy as it has a direct impact on the readiness of our military forces.
How should the federal government respond to high levels of illegal immigration? Do you support changes in asylum policy, and if so, how would you alter it?: I support secure borders and the enforcement of our laws, but that does not mean that we need an inhumane immigration policy. I support investing in surveillance at the border and believe we need to provide more pathways to citizenship.
The Texas economy has long depended on immigration to fill our workforces and increasing legal immigration would go a long way towards solving our current labor shortages. We should embrace legal immigration, have a robust visa program, and continue to be a beacon of hope for those fleeing areas of conflict and disaster. The backlogs in our immigration courts need to be solved so asylum cases move quicker and red tape is removed.
No immigration policy is complete without addressing the root causes of immigration. Climate disasters, war, crumbling economies, corrupt governments, and other hardships are causing mass migration and leading immigrants to flee to our Southern border.
Did Joe Biden win the 2020 election fairly?: Absolutely, and the fact that this is disputed is precisely why I felt a duty to enter this race. As a Marine who took an oath to defend the Constitution, I was appalled to see members from within our very government, including my own representative, still vote to overturn a free and fair election before and after the violence on January 6th. When my representative had the opportunity to put country over party and bring us together at a pivotal moment in our country’s history, she failed to meet the moment and worse, weakened democracy by further sowing distrust in our electoral system.
What voting-rights legislation or other election regulation would you support?: Our elections need reform, but not because there is massive fraud. We need to make it easier to vote in this country and that should be the goal of all representatives in our democracy. Election day should be a national holiday and people should be automatically registered to vote when they turn 18. We need to put an end to political gerrymandering. The extreme gerrymandering brought upon by advanced analytics nearly eliminates swing districts, makes incumbents unaccountable to their constituents, and leads to a further polarization of our politics.
I also believe that federal preclearance should be reinstated and this would have a particularly positive effect here in Texas. My district acutely felt the effects of gerrymandering as the new district lines completely divided and split up communities of color. When most of the growth in Texas came from communities of color, this growth is not reflected in the current political map.
If you were currently in Congress, what level of spending on the Build Back Better legislation would you support? What should be in the package and why?: I support stripping out individual elements of Build Back Better and sending them to the floor for a vote. I personally support universal pre-k and would vote for a $200 billion package over 10 years. Universal pre-k will serve 5 million children, save the average working family $13,000, lead to better educational outcomes, boost the GDP by $28.6 billion, create over 200,000 jobs in 2 years, and have half the costs paid for by higher tax revenues and lower public expenditures.
Next, I fully support paid family leave. As a parent of two kids, I can attest that it is well past time for our country to have paid family leave.
I also believe that Medicare should be able to negotiate to lower drug prices and expand coverage to hearing and vision. We need to expand access to healthcare and lower the costs for it in our country.
.jpg)