Texas General Land Office commissioner candidates in Democratic primary March 1
Michael Lange
Occupation: Investment Manager
Age: 58
Campaign website: Langeforland.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Michael@langeforland.com/info@langeforland.com
Education: Public Schools, then Strake Jesuit College Preparatory - Houston. University of Texas - Austin, BBA - Finance. Rice University, Houston - Advanced Finance Courses. New York Institute of Finance, New York City -Advanced Finance Courses. INSEAD - Graduate Advanced Management Program - Fontainebleau, FRANCE.
Have you run for or held elected office before? No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held):
Houston Food Bank - Warehouse Volunteer and Faithful Friends Supporter. Houston Holocaust Museum - Director Level Member. Friends of the Alamo - Member. Photo Forum - Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Patron. Fisher House Foundation - Zach’s Club Member. FotoFest - Investment Committee and First Look Member. Texas Farm Bureau - Member. Asia Society- Patron. Texas Tribune -Member. Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University Member. KTSU Radio - Standing Together Member. Moody Center for the Arts, Rice University - Member, Hobby School of Public Affairs, University of Houston - Member. LBJ Foundation/Friends of the LBJ Library - Member.
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? Friends. No PAC Money.
Why are you seeking this office? Improve the quality of Texas Public School Education, Overhaul the Veterans Land Board so that Texas has the Gold Standard in State Benefits across the Nation for Veterans, My Texas Has Your Six plan. Ensure environmental safety, protect the Texas coastline and vastly improve post natural disaster planning to speed up recovery plus much more. I prefer getting things done.
What qualities make for a good General Land Office Commissioner and how do you embody them? You must care about people and their needs. Treat everyone with Equal Respect. You need fiscal responsibility and efficiency. You must be a good planner and implementer and excel at creating positive partnerships across many areas and levels. Be A Man for Others. This is how I live my life.
The Texas Legislature has transferred care of the Alamo to the GLO. How would you approach this task as commissioner? The Alamo is an essential part of Texas History. The Shrine of Texas Liberty. It must be preserved and protected for future generations. It’s protection and preservation would be a priority.
Do you support the construction of a border wall on state lands? State Lands should be used to maximize sustainable and growing income to the Permanent School Fund for K-12 to improve Public Education.
What would be your top 3 priorities as GLO commissioner? The safety of the people of Texas. Treating everyone with Equal Respect. Make sure everything you are working on ensures that Texans have Better Lives. Better Lives, LANGE for Land. Langeforland.com
Jinny Suh
Occupation: Community organizer, bookkeeper
Age: 44
Campaign website: https://www.jinnysuhfortexas.com
Best way for voters to reach you: jinny@jinnysuhfortexas.com
Education:
B.S., Biological Sciences, University of Southern California
M.S., Biology, University of Michigan
J.D., Columbia University
Have you run for or held elected office before? No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held):
- Asian Family Support Services of Austin, Board Member (2018-present) and former Co-President of the Board (2019-2020)
- Immunize Texas, Founder and Leader (2016-present)
- Austin Asian American Bar Association, Treasurer, Social Chair, and Website Chair (2010-present)
- PTA President (2019-2020) and Treasurer (2018-2019; 2020-2021)
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: Dissolution of marriage, 2005
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
Kyung Suh
Chuck & Linda Schindler
Chun Kuo
Why are you seeking this office? Simply put, I want to make Texas better for my own young children and all Texans. I am running for Land Commissioner because Texas needs principled leaders who will not play politics with lives and state lands—leaders who rely on facts and evidence to proactively face the challenges ahead instead of being reactive and allowing suffering due to willful ignorance and inaction as we have seen in the recent past. Texans deserve leaders who treat facts as facts, not opinions. With my strong background in science and law, I know following evidence and science is critical to responsibly and sustainably managing our state lands and mineral rights, while also tackling the challenges climate change presents. It is time to elect a Land Commissioner with the vision, strength, and backbone to be part of a comprehensive, long-term solution for Texas while ensuring the needs of everyday Texas are always the priority when crafting policy.
What qualities make for a good General Land Office Commissioner and how do you embody them? A good Land Commissioner should have leadership skills, experience, and integrity. As a community organizer, licensed attorney, small business owner, former teacher, and working mom, I understand Texans want leaders they can trust to gather relevant information and make thoughtful decisions. The next Land Commissioner must be an innovative leader when it comes to taking action on climate change. This will require communicating science to the public in an accessible way to explain the need for proactive policies. After years of advocating for better public health policy at the Texas Capitol, I am a proven leader who can work together with people of all backgrounds. This job will require someone who can oversee large programs and projects, negotiate contracts, and manage people. I have those skills and experience. My history of fighting to better the lives of Texans, strong foundation in science, and experience make me the right person to be Land Commissioner.
The Texas Legislature has transferred care of the Alamo to the GLO. How would you approach this task as commissioner? As Land Commissioner, it would be a priority to ensure that the history of the Alamo is presented accurately. State leaders should not have politicized history and used the Alamo to try and score political points. The story the Alamo tells must be a full and honest account based on facts, evidence, and the standard academic understanding. We can be proud of the Alamo while also telling the true story that includes the perspectives, contributions, and experiences of all individuals involved—Anglo, Mexican, Black, and indigenous peoples. I would also be sensitive to the needs of marginalized communities and their interests, such as the Tāp Pīlam nation’s interest in the burial grounds under the Alamo. In addition, my approach aims to include everyone’s perspective, including local leaders, organizations, and individuals who have an interest in how the Alamo is managed.
Do you support the construction of a border wall on state lands? Immediately suspending border wall construction on state lands would be a top priority upon taking office. The current situation is improper and harmful. We have a state agency being used to score political points for a run for another office and state lands that belong to Texans being used for construction of an environmentally destructive border wall. These actions are in direct conflict with the mission of the General Land Office - to be a good steward of our lands for the benefit of Texans.
What would be your top 3 priorities as GLO commissioner? 1) The General Land Office will be more efficient, transparent, and accessible. This will make it easier for Texans who interact with the agency and those who want to know how state lands are being managed. Texans deserve a state agency that works with them, not against them. 2) Federal disaster relief funds will be distributed fairly and quickly, without politically motivated biases affecting how money is distributed. I would ensure that people are put first. Texans suffer when they are left behind due to politics. 3) The General Land Office has a big role to play in combating climate change and preparing for its impacts. Using my strong background in science, advocacy, and bringing together people with different motivations, I can work with stakeholders of all types to make Texas better by incentivizing the development of a more robust renewables industry that includes protections for workers while also taking action to prepare for future weather disasters.
Jay Kleberg
Occupation: Conservationist/Business Owner
Age: 44
Campaign website: jay4tx.com
Best way for voters to reach you: info@jay4tx.com
Education:
- Master of Business Administration, The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business- Bachelor of Arts in English, Williams College
Have you run for or held elected office before? In 2010, I ran for House District 78.
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held):
Currently:- Director of Texas Lyceum, a non-partisan civic engagement group - Advisory Board Member of the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business- Board Member of Flatsworthy, a grassroots conservation organization on the Texas coast- Board Member of the Caesar Kleberg Foundation for Wildlife ConservationFormerly:- Board Chair, Texas Water Trade, a non-profit water conservation organization- Board Chair, El Paso Regional Mobility Advocacy Group, non profit transportation advocacy organization- Board Member, El Paso Museum of History Foundation, philanthropic partner to Museum- Founder, Chalk the Block, largest annual public arts festival in El Paso history- Board, Community Scholars, a non-profit leadership development organization
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain. On August 10, 1998, I was charged and later pleaded guilty for a DWI in Carteret County, North Carolina. The case number was 01150CARTERET 1998CR 008654. The crime type was a traffic misdemeanor and offense code was 20-138.1(A) The arresting law enforcement agency was the Carteret County Police. At that time, I was also arraigned for driving after consuming alcohol under the age of 21 and injury to personal property, both of which were dismissed.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain. No
Who are your top three campaign contributors? My top three contributors are Mark Hart, myself, and Rod Sanders.
Why are you seeking this office? I’m running for Texas Land Commissioner because I believe that climate change is real and we don’t have time for inaction. Climate change is a threat to the state we know and love, and Texas––more than any other state––has the ability to lead the way in addressing the climate crisis. More frequent hurricanes, droughts, and unprecedented freeze events like we saw in February of 2021 should not incite politicized fights, but instead remind us that it is our fellow Texans whose lives and livelihoods are at stake. It’s time to elect a Texas Land Commissioner who dares to say: “I believe in science.” I believe loving Texas and accepting the science behind climate change go hand-in-hand. Equipped with decades of land management experience, a deep understanding of our state’s environmental challenges, and an MBA from the University of Texas, I’m ready to get to work.
What qualities make for a good General Land Office Commissioner and how do you embody them? For too long, this office has been viewed as a political stepping stone, and we have elected Land Commissioners without the necessary experience to do this job. Texans finally deserve a Land Commissioner who not only is dedicated to protecting and conserving our state’s natural resources, but also has the knowledge and expertise to utilize the office to secure Texas as an energy leader. I believe I am the only candidate running that has a deep understanding of the GLO and the practical experience to hit the ground running. I served as the Associate Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, where my team led the largest land acquisition for conservation purposes in Texas history. During my tenure, we raised $100 million for public lands, benefiting Texans from all walks of life. Now, as the founder of Explore Ranches, a land-based conservation business, environmental educator and advocate I work to safeguard the beauty of Texas for future generations.
The Texas Legislature has transferred care of the Alamo to the GLO. How would you approach this task as commissioner? The Alamo is a symbol of Texan and Tejano pride and we should honor their contributions to the state. We should also consider the role of early Black Texans and slavery in Texas’ history, as well as indigenous groups who inhabited the site for centuries. As for the battle, the GLO should tell the comprehensive story and honor the facts of those historic events. The General Land Office also owns the Woolworth building, which should be part of the planned visitor center and museum complex. It provides an opportunity to highlight a landmark moment in San Antonio’s struggle for civil rights. The 1960 protests targeting lunch counters at Woolworths downtown stores marked a key turning point in the city’s desegregation movement. The GLO should partner with the San Antonio community to ensure that this event is put in context within the larger civil rights movement throughout the city, Texas and across the nation.
Do you support the construction of a border wall on state lands? No. Despite the GLO not having responsibility for immigration-related issues on our southern border, the current Land Commissioner continues to silence our strong, thriving border communities as part of a politicized national debate. I traveled the border – all 1,200 miles – and it is clear to me the negative environmental impact that a border wall would have on the adjacent habitat and ecosystem. I have taken a clear and public stance against the border wall, in all its various iterations, and the GLO’s involvement in its construction, and I will continue to do so.
What would be your top 3 priorities as GLO commissioner? If elected, I aim to adequately fund our Texas schools through the General Land Office’s contribution to the Permanent School Fund, address the effects of climate change and diversify our state’s energy portfolio to strengthen our grid, and fortify our coast and other vulnerable areas to prepare for future natural disasters.
Sandragrace Martinez
Occupation: Licensed Professional Counselor, Mental-Health Policy Advocate
Age: adult
Campaign website: sandragrace4texans.com
Best way for voters to reach you: sandragrace@sandragrace4texans.com or a deputy via phone: 726-777-5510
Education: B.A., M.A.
Have you run for or held elected office before? Ran for San Antonio City Council, Year: 2016
Please list highlights of your civic involvement (for example, service on boards/commissions or leadership positions held): Bear County Sheriff’s Office Advisory Board 2020 to currentBoard Member Texas Criminal Justice Coalition 2012-2014
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain. No. (Actually, I have been on Parole Boards.)
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain. No.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? (Private information)
Why are you seeking this office? (Aside from the $211,000/year salary, of course.) I have always been, and, am running as a Democrat. (I don’t go back and forth between Parties.) And it’s the easiest of the 5 Statewide executive offices to attain for a Texas Democrat candidate. And this time around: there’s no incumbent for this State-wide political position! But that aside, due to my hands-on background in Clinical Psychology, and long-time work assisting at the Texas Legislatures, my interpersonal skills are better suited for GLO executive position than those of an attorney, accountant, or a financial advisor - check out my opponents in this Primary election. Note: The Texas code does not require the candidate to be a licensed attorney, etc.The elected executive position for the Texas General Land Office (“GLO”) presents a great opportunity to solve certain kinds of Texan social problems or dilemmas per its discretion. Space here does not allow specifics.
What qualities make for a good General Land Office Commissioner and how do you embody them? First, as you may check with the Texas SOS (Secretary of State) website, this executive position at GLO is not named “Commissioner” because that would make it appear to have been given personal regulatory power over private land within Texas. (And, unlike in other States on the Coast, the GLO manages shoreline sea bottom as far out to sea as 10 miles.) I am qualified because it is in great part an Executive, Human Resources position. That is made clear on the GLO website with its strong emphasis on the general wellbeing of GLO staff and Boards’ members so they may pleasantly cooperate, ultimately for the benefit of the State. Amongst voters, there’s generally a great misunderstanding of the mandate and organizational structure of the GLO. Up to now, it and it’s Boards have keep a very low profile. Obviously, voters need to be aware of the job description in order to be able to decide who is better qualified.
The Texas Legislature has transferred care of the Alamo to the GLO. How would you approach this task as commissioner? The Alamo historic site building is on State land, but its surrounding tourist attractions (monument, etc.) are on City of San Antonio and private land. There’s a memorandum of understanding that GLO and SA will work cooperatively for that famous historic tourist attraction. It is not solely a GLO responsibility. The true history of The Alamo, as well as the names of the streets nearby focuses only on Anglo heroes, and not once on the Spaniards, Criollos, Mexicans and other people that fought in relation to that particular Texas battle, whose descendants still constitute a great part of our Texas’ population. A mere historical perspective regarding “The Alamo” would be inadequate because it is predominantly a commercial tourist attraction. The Alamo was a religious site that was later utilized to delay Mexican troops, and it has been by now transformed into a popular commercial historic site, somewhat exaggerated. Why else would a mere tourist visit San Antonio?
Do you support the construction of a border wall on state lands? The question should be regarding just a section of the “Wall” (a high fence), because the entire “wall” cannot possibly be constructed on State land. Obviously, any wall built for the purpose of some level of security has to be completed for it to have its full deterrent effect. Therefore, it is somewhat biased to ask whether a candidate supports the partial construction, as if the same candidate didn’t support other means for border security for which funds have been officially appropriated. I am not for an Open or porous Southern Border, because new risks like Cartels, terrorism, contagious diseases, human traffickers, etc. have appeared bringing drastic consequences to innocent Texans. But Texans can build many more miles of border pseudo-security with surveillance vs. a metal fence (which still would need to be surveilled). Cartels use drones now to transport very addictive chemicals over the border. A fence is not going to prevent that.
What would be your top 3 priorities as GLO commissioner?
1. Invite women of merit to GLO Boards. Presently, there’s only one woman on a Board, and only in a secondary capacity. Perhaps women have not been sincerely invited to apply or be nominated. The all-men composition of the GLO Boards is suspect, and I would be looking into it.
2. I would call for a meeting of the Prison Board, since it has not met for approximately 2 years, not even through Zoom.
3. I would continue the current plan for coastline reinforcement against hurricanes, not so much to protect against strong winds, but to protect against flooding, because flooding and strong currents produce most of the damage to businesses or homes or the environment along the lengthy coastline of Texas. The current head (G. P. Bush) of the GLO put together the plan to be contracted out, but nevertheless he is not running for re-election though 3 years remain in the execution of his plan! In fact he is simultaneously running for Attorney General. So, who is running the GLO nowadays?
