Here’s who’s running to represent Texas’ 24th Congressional District in the U.S. House

Former Irving Mayor and incumbent Republican Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne is running for a third term representing a congressional district stretching from Keller to Richardson.

She’ll face first time candidate and education consultant Sam Eppler in the Nov. 5 general election.

Van Duyne’s campaign has prioritized border security, slashing federal regulation and expanding American energy production, while Eppler has focused on protecting funding for education, restoring abortion access, and investing in local businesses.

Here are the candidates’ responses to our survey.

Beth Van Duyne

Political Party: Republican

Age: 53

Campaign website: www.BethforTexas.com

Best way for voters to reach you: beth@bethfortexas.com

Occupation: Member of Congress for the incredible people of the 24th District of Texas

Education: Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cornell University

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): Prior to being elected as the Member of Congress for the 24th District in November 2020, I was Mayor of the City of Irving, Texas from 2011-2017 and an Irving City Council Representative from 2004-2010. I also served as a board member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities and Texas Municipal League and as Texas Chair of Community Leaders of America.

Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism: Through my district operations in North Texas, we have: held three major North Texas Job Fairs with nearly 50,000 cumulative attendees; toured 158 business to hear directly from job creators and employees; held 1,460 meetings across the district to hear from residents, organizations, and other government officials; conducted 38 roundtables/advisory board meetings with stakeholders in manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, construction, and other industries to learn about the legislative and regulatory challenges they are facing; successfully closed over 5,000 constituent cases where we have helped residents with Social Security claims, veterans benefits, Medicare issues, and other problems with federal agencies; successfully assisted residents by returning $40 million in claims with the federal government; provided back-to-school supplies and backpacks for 8,000 kids; and worked with more than 1,000 North Texas students through youth engagement programs.

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: In February of 2022, I joined with the State of Texas and the Texas Public Policy Foundation to sue the Centers for Disease Control to end mask mandates on commercial air travel and other public transportation.

Earlier this year, I joined with fellow Republican Congressman from Texas, Ronny Jackson, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), and Ohio Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, to sue the Biden Administration for Executive Order (EO) 14019, which attempts to turn federal agencies into partisan voter registration machines. We know from our congressional investigations, that the Biden Administration is unlawfully directing taxpayer dollars to be used for voter registration efforts in swing states and in key democrat turnout areas.

I was sued twice in my capacity as Mayor (one of which was by a former political rival) – both were dismissed. During other lawsuits against the City, I was named along with the rest of the City council

Who are your top three campaign contributors?: We are blessed to numerous contributors who have donated the maximum amount allowed.

Why are you seeking this office?: I am, once again, honored to have been chosen by the people of North Texas to be the Republican nominee for the 24th Congressional District. The people of our district know I share their values and priorities. In Congress, I have been fighting for conservative, limited government policies that rigorously uphold individual Constitutional rights and liberties while constraining the federal government and delineating clear separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

What are your top 3 policy priorities?: Returning to the strong border security policies we enjoyed under President Trump so we can stop the national security nightmare inflicted on our country by the Biden-Harris open border policies which have flooded our nation with 15 million+ illegal immigrants and tens of thousands of known criminals who are endangering every neighborhood in America.

Slashing federal regulations while renewing and expanding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act so the American people keep more of what they earn and American businesses have the assurance that they can invest in the future and be more globally competitive.

Vastly expanding American energy production while also investing in technology like small modular reactors to bring energy sources closer to where they are needed and deliver them emission free. Making America energy dominant is a priority so we have affordable, abundant, and reliable energy supplies that will not only fuel our economic growth but will help us support allies around the world.

Would you support the bipartisan border security bill that failed in the current Congress? Why or why not? If not, what changes would need to be made to win your vote?: No. The Senate bill was a farce from the beginning as it normalized nearly 2 million illegal crossings each year while focusing less on actual border security and more on processing illegal immigrants as fast as possible. Perhaps that is why the bill couldn’t make it out of the Senate.

To stop the mass illegal immigration being inflicted on our nation by the reckless Biden-Harris Administration, we must re-elect President Trump so we will, once again, have an Executive Branch that is actively enforcing our laws, empowering Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs enforcement to do their jobs by catching and deporting illegal immigrants, as well as actively combatting the Mexican cartels. We need to restore the Remain in Mexico and Safe First Nation policies that had asylum seekers, many of whom had fraudulent or inadmissible claims, stay in a safer country while their claim was adjudicated. These policies absolutely served as disincentives for illegal immigration.

Do you support extending provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set to expire in 2025? Why/why not?: As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax policy for our country, I will absolutely support extending and making permanent the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I also want to see additional tax relief provided by including elements of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 that we passed earlier this year. This important bill provided tax relief for working families with an enhanced Child and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, expanded innovation with R&D expensing, built up Main Street small businesses by cutting red tape, and boosted our competitiveness with China. Additionally, our bill locked in over $600 billion in proven pro-growth, pro-America tax policies with key provisions that support over 21 million jobs and eliminated fraud and waste by ending the Employee Retention Tax Credit program.

Would you support a Federal ban on abortion? Why/why not?: No. The Dobbs decision rightfully returned regulation of abortion policy to the states.

What role should the Federal government play in addressing the affordable housing crisis?: As a former Regional Administrator of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development where I oversaw HUD programs and operations in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, I saw first-hand how burdensome regulations prevented affordable housing from being developed. Slashing these regulations at the federal level and encouraging states to do the same would be enormously impactful in producing more affordable housing. Additional, we can use smart tax policy, like we passed earlier this year in the American Families and Workers Act of 2024 which included enhanced Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Most importantly, we need to get back to an economy that is growing while wages are rising and more job opportunities are available because we are passing tax, energy, and security policies that protect our nation, empower our businesses to be globally competitive, and create sustainable expansion in a lighter regulatory environment.

Will you accept the results of your election regardless of the outcome?: Barring massive and unexpected election irregularities, yes.

What’s a Federal policy impacting Texas that’s important to you, but not necessarily as high profile? Why do you think it’s important?: The failure of executive branch foreign policy with Mexico has resulted in dire circumstances for Texas farmers, ranchers, and individual businesses. I have been directly involved in pressuring the U.S. Department of State and our United States Trade Representative to more effectively deal with Mexico in regards to water rights in South Texas and the Lower Rio Grande Valley. As Mexico continues to refuse to release water that we are owed, we are seeing a serious impact on Texas agriculture.

Similarly, the Mexican government has proven repeatedly hostile towards American businesses who are properly and legally operating in Mexico. In the case of Vulcan Materials Company, the Mexican government has illegally shut down their quarry operations in Playa del Carmen and even used the Mexican military to invade Vulcan’s facilities.

These ongoing and hostile acts by the Mexican government threaten long-standing, bilateral relationships between our two countries.

Why should voters choose you over your opponent?: The people of North Texas want to see Washington, D.C. operate more like Texas with lower taxes, lighter regulation, and a focus on policies to protect our nation while empowering our families with growth and opportunities because they are keeping more of what they earn and are free to invest, innovate, and chart their own paths forward. The Biden-Harris Administration and Democrats in Congress have taken our country in a completely opposite direction that favors vastly higher taxes, crippling government regulation, and controls over every aspect of our lives and businesses. Not only have I fought against these big government, socialist policies, but I, along with my Republican colleagues, have offered solutions that will slash the inflation producing government spending, rein in out of control bureaucracies and their stifling regulations, re-secure our southern border and stop vast illegal immigration, and unleash the American energy sector.

Sam Eppler

Political Party: Democrat

Age: 28

Campaign website: https://sameppler.com/

Best way for voters to reach you: info@sameppler.com

Occupation: Education consultant

Education: Master of Education (M.Ed); Southern Methodist University 2020 B.A. Economics and B.A. International Affairs; George Washington University 2018

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): No

Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism: In 2018, I moved to Dallas to teach high school math with Teach for America. During the pandemic, my campus was designated the food distribution hub for all of West Dallas. I served as the site supervisor, organizing the distribution of thousands of pounds of food. I continued to teach in-person throughout the pandemic and, at the end of 2020, was asked to become an assistant principal at Molina High School. The following year, Dallas ISD asked me to lead North Lake Early College High School as Principal in partnership with Dallas College North Lake. I have attended over 50 community forums and knocked on over 20,000 doors, listening to constituents in CD-24 and learning about what citizens want from their government. They want a representative to help improve their lives by building new infrastructure, increasing the stock of available affordable housing, restoring child tax credits, and raising first responders’ paychecks to strengthen our local communities.

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?: Our campaign is fortunate to have received dozens of contributions from individuals who have given the maximum amount allowed by the Federal Election Commission. Information on specific donors can be found at FEC.gov.

Why are you seeking this office?: I decided to run for Congress because I turned on the TV and saw that my representative wanted to cut funding for the Department of Education. I dug deeper and discovered that her first vote in Congress was to overturn the 2020 election results. She voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which created thousands of new jobs and gave millions to DFW International Airport. She voted “no” on a bipartisan border security bill to strengthen our southern border. This is a Congresswoman who put extremism and her party above compromise for the sake of her constituents, and I knew she didn’t represent the values of North Texas. I am running for office to allow moderate, common-sense ideas to be represented in Washington.

What are your top 3 policy priorities?: My top policy priorities are expanding education, restoring a women’s right to reproductive health, and investing in local businesses and main streets. Texas educates more than 10% of students in America, and 94% of our students in Texas go to public schools. We must invest in the education of the next generation. The government has no place inserting itself into intimate, life-saving decisions between patients and their doctors. I want to protect the growth of the North Texas economy, and I intend to be a public servant who supports the thousands of businesses across DFW. In Congress, I will invest in roads and airports to increase commerce and invest in infrastructure to increase 21st-century chip manufacturing. I will prioritize cutting red tape and regulations for small businesses and main streets to allow our economy to continue growing for years to come.

Would you support the bipartisan border security bill that failed in the current Congress? Why or why not? If not, what changes would need to be made to win your vote?: Yes. We need secure borders. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants crossing our southern border isn’t safe, nor is it humane. We must secure immediate funding and resources for our border patrol agents, ports of entry, and immigration courts– not sign letters promising to defund them. I supported the bipartisan Schumer-Lankford bill that accomplished these goals. My opponent, Rep. Van Duyne, was against this proposal at the behest of former President Trump, as he cynically wanted immigration to remain a hot-button campaign issue.

Do you support extending provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set to expire in 2025? Why/why not?: No. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act unnecessarily expanded the federal deficit and needs to be reduced. While I don’t support extending the entirety of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, I support keeping the repatriation of the corporate capital tax rate to encourage companies to build in America. I want to incentivize companies to bring American business back to our great state, hiring Americans and boosting this nation’s economy.

Would you support a Federal ban on abortion? Why/why not?: No. The government has no place inserting itself into intimate, life-saving decisions between patients and their doctors. Rep. Van Duyne’s support for the Texas abortion ban led to terrifying outcomes well documented by the cases of Kate Cox and Amanda Zurawski. These bans are, unfortunately, the new norm for millions of Americans. I support restoring access to reproductive healthcare for women in America and plan to codify Roe v. Wade through legislation.

What role should the Federal government play in addressing the affordable housing crisis?: I plan to incentivize high-cost-of-living municipalities to increase the minimum wage to keep up with rising housing and childcare costs. We must cut red tape surrounding city permitting, increasing development and affordable housing while decreasing administrative costs to builders, buyers, and sellers. I will also provide a $7,500 tax incentive for teachers, police, and first responders. These individuals play critical roles in their community, so we need to reward those who pursue these industries that frequently face a lack of qualified applicants.

Will you accept the results of your election regardless of the outcome?: Yes. For a government official to engage in a clear lie and attempt to subvert the Constitution is not only embarrassing but extremely dangerous for the future of our democracy. The United States Congress has a responsibility to certify the election results. If elected, I would certify the results regardless of the winner.

What’s a Federal policy impacting Texas that’s important to you, but not necessarily as high profile? Why do you think it’s important?: While it’s not the most exciting campaign talking point, improving our infrastructure significantly supports the local economy. Ensuring city infrastructure development allows for the development of transportation, tourism, and small business storefronts. Investing in infrastructure creates new jobs, not just in construction development, but in expanding local business employment. I will protect the growth of the North Texas economy and will always support the thousands of businesses across DFW. In Congress, as mentioned above, I will always vote to improve North Texas’ infrastructure and will prioritize cutting red tape and regulations for small businesses to allow our local economy to keep flourishing.

Why should voters choose you over your opponent?: Voters should choose me over the current incumbent because I would treat being a public servant as a full-time job, not as extremist political theater. Rep. Beth Van Duyne’s first vote in Congress was to object to the 2020 presidential election. This alone should be completely disqualifying for a government official to engage in a blatant lie and attempt to subvert the Constitution. She consistently votes against legislation that has brought billions in funding to North Texas, created thousands of jobs, and built real business and manufacturing infrastructure like the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

I am also proud to say my campaign has been all over the district this past year as we attended town halls, meet and greets, and community forums and even tried to get our opponent to debate to no avail. I will always be accountable to my constituents and will strive to earn support from all residents of Texas’ 24th district, not just those who vote for me.

This story was originally published October 9, 2024 at 4:21 PM.

Harrison Mantas

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

817-390-7040

Harrison Mantas has covered Fort Worth city government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.