Here are the Democratic primary candidates for Texas Congressional District 24
Three Democrats are competing in the primary for Congressional District 24 in Texas. The winner of the March 3 primary will advance to November and face off with Republican Beth Van Duyne.
Here are the Democrats’ responses to the Star-Telegram’s candidate questionnaire, in the order they’ll appear on your ballot.
Jon Buchwald
Age (as of March 3): 63
Campaign website: www.citizensforjon.com
Best way for voters to reach you: candidate@citizensforjon.com
Occupation: Consultant/Adjunct Faculty SMU Cox Business School & UTD Jindal School of Management
Education: MBA Entrepreneurial Management - Wharton Business School - University of Pennsylvania; BA Computer Science - University of California, San Diego
Have you run for elected office before? No
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in Dallas County and Tarrant County.
An important part of my mission as a candidate is to inform voters on how the actions of Congress impact their lives and the country. So beyond the usual activities of attending club events, campaigning, making donations and joining protests, I have been giving voter information talks on HR 1 (Big Beautiful Bill), as well as the implications of our actions in Venezuela.
Reading the entirety of HR 1 cover to cover has enabled me to break down the bill in a way that’s easy to understand and to discuss the best approach to undo the damage it has caused people. Given the sweeping impact of HR 1, I view understanding its detail as an important part of preparing for the job of CD 24 Representative.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain:
Defendant in intellectual property case - settled out of court
Plaintiff in personal injury case - settled out of court
Defendant in contested trust - won at trial
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
My donors are all individuals, and I respect their privacy. I have not accepted any PAC money.
Why are you seeking this office?
We are a divided nation, going through an “Identity Crisis.” We have forgotten who we are and the principles upon which we were founded.
Democrats stand for upholding the Constitution and Rule of Law but have been misunderstood by the electorate.
With the GOP in its current state, and weak Democratic leadership, it’s no wonder that Congress is in a state of dysfunction. To be effective, members of Congress should possess the skills and experience to know how to deliver for the American people, and for the sake of the Nation as a whole.
The Country and Democratic Party need leaders who have the skills to heal divisions and put the common good before Party politics.
That is why I am running for CD 24. I will bring real solutions and a path forward to CD 24, so that all my constituents are clear on what the Democrats stand for: the American People.
If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?
My campaign is built around Restoring the American Dream, specifically:
1. Financial stability - paying living wages, rebuilding our manufacturing capabilities, and make access to capital, such as SBA loans, easier for local businesses.
2. Affordable and accessible healthcare - re-imagine healthcare reform into a series of straightforward initiatives, including free primary care supported by catastrophic Medicaid.
3. Affordable and accessible housing - treating housing as infrastructure by creating more access to capital for increasing urban density to better balance supply and demand, address the wait and caps for housing vouchers, and enable direct seller-to-buyer home lending.
How will you measure your success as a member of Congress?
My success measures are based on my priorities.
1) Financial stability
Per capita middle class income growth (seeking greatest growth in Gen Alpha & Z)
Number of new businesses started in CD 24
CPI reduction
CD 24 public school block grants for financial literacy, entrepreneurship and skilled trades
2) Affordable & accessible healthcare
Increase in annual per-capita primary physical exams (ensuring people have primary care)
Eliminate patent games that increase drug prices
Reduction in overall ER expenses paid by individuals and insurance companies
Expand medical student loan forgiveness for accepting Medicaid
3) Affordable & accessible housing
Reduction of age of average first-time homebuyer
Reduction in per-capita rent expense
Reduction of adult children living at home due to inability to cover costs of living independently
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?
I have talked with thousands of voters across CD 24 and built a platform around their stated needs and how they want to be represented. My campaign platform of Restoring the American Dream comes directly from CD 24 voters and consists of 5 areas:
- Financial stability
- Affordable & accessible healthcare
- Affordable & accessible housing
- Real World Ready Education that brings financial literacy, skilled trades and entrepreneurship to public schools
- Fair & balanced immigration that balances protecting our border with fair and humane treatment of immigrants, along with a streamlined immigration process
Additionally, I have read the entirety of HR 1 (Big Beautiful Bill) cover to cover, identifying its full impact on the American people and have developed and prioritized a plan to fight against the negative effects of HR 1.
I am the only candidate ready to bring CD 24 what they’ve really been asking for with a plan to implement it.
What is the biggest challenge facing Congress? How would you address it if elected?
The biggest problem that Congress faces that it’s a broken and spineless organization that is resulting in:
- Inability to rein in the Executive Branch
- Inability to work across the aisle and the associated gridlock
- Appeasement of extremists, and the associated division across both parties
I will seek to strengthen our Legislative Branch by:
- Taking the time to get to know all 500+ colleagues across the House and Senate, understanding their fears, concerns and objectives.
- Driving collaboration between different members of Congress who have common interests
- Finding like-minded colleagues who also seek to heal divisions in Congress
What is the number one challenge your constituents are facing, and how do you plan to resolve it?
In speaking with thousands of CD 24 voters, I’ve heard concerns ranging from the state of democracy to ICE to women’s rights, but affordability and financial concerns are most frequently mentioned.
A common sentiment of many professionals and seniors is that they have worked hard and planned for the future, but life keeps getting more expensive and stressful. Even parents who have achieved financial success express concerns over kids who still live at home or are surviving paycheck to paycheck.
Resolution includes:
- Treating housing as infrastructure to reduce costs by better balancing supply and demand
- Bringing financial literacy, entrepreneurship and skilled trades to our public schools so that our K-12 educational system provides a clear path to earning and saving.
- Re--imagining healthcare reform into a series of compact and readily implementable initiatives, such as free primary care supported by catastrophic Medicaid.
How would you interact and work with members of the opposite party? Are there specific policy ideas where you see opportunities for bipartisanship?
When I get to Washington, I will make a point of personally contacting all 500+ colleagues across the House and Senate, and it will take time. This will enable me to build the relationships needed to find opportunities for bipartisanship.
Some specific opportunities that I see for bipartisanship are:
- Public school grants for financial literacy, entrepreneurship and skilled trades
- Streamlining how we address individual undocumented immigrants, that ensures due process, fair treatment and a fast decision
- Expanding Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices, ending drug patent gaming (“evergreening”), and replacing commissioned sales reps in the operating room with salaried technical advisors for medical devices and technologies.
How would you approach foreign policy as a member of Congress?
We are currently in a cold war with both Russia and China.
Russia has been overtly aggressive while China is more clever and subtle, using tactics such as intellectual property theft and economic penetration of less developed countries.
Over the last 20 years, China has made significant inroads into Latin America and is now South America’s largest trading partner. As such, I would focus on:
- Ending our foreign policy of seeking control of the Western Hemisphere and leaving the rest of the world to itself, as this enables both Russia and China to engage in expansionist policies.
- Rather than making Latin American countries afraid of the United States, focus on engaging with them as partners
- Balancing our support of NATO allies with our desire for a negotiated solution in Ukraine. This requires the courage, resolve and skills to push back on Putin, all of which we are lacking today.
What steps, if any, should Congress take regarding artificial intelligence, including regulation and/or safeguards?
I believe that technology can be leveraged to increase accountability of social media and AI platforms. I support a content rating system for social media platforms that rates content based on its likelihood of being AI generated, likelihood of being from a fake or stolen identity (or a hostile foreign country), and an overall fact check score.
This would ensure that consumers of content have a more objective way to judge for themselves whether they believe what they are seeing, hearing or experiencing. We should fund research into technology that can objectively generate such ratings and push social media companies to cooperate with such efforts.
AI generated content should come with a disclosure telling users as such, and those who intentionally propagate AI generated hate speech or propaganda that incites violence should be held accountable similarly to a person who incites a riot.
What should be prioritized in federal spending and what, if anything, do you believe should receive less budget allocations?
In accordance with my priorities, we should increase funding for:
- Housing in urban areas to increase density and supply
- Healthcare and in particular Medicare, primary care and a social safety net
- Education to support teacher pay increases and bring financial literacy, entrepreneurship and skilled trades to public schools & re-start Dept of Education
- Small business support and access to capital
- Restoration of USAID
We should decrease funding for:
- ICE
- Undeclared wars and acts of aggression not declared by Congress
What should Congress do to address healthcare?
The fastest and most efficient path to universal healthcare is to reimagine healthcare reform. Specifically, we should
- Quickly launch free primary care supported by a safety net of catastrophic Medicaid. This will be faster and easier to pass and implement than complex sweeping changes and provides a base to grow from.
- Expand Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription drugs. This needs to expand to a wide range of commonly used drugs.
- Eliminate gaming of patents through “evergreening” methods, which will expand access to lower cost generic drugs.
- Replace commissioned sales reps with salaried technical advisors in the OR for medical devices and technologies. These technical advisors should be required to follow the same compliance measures as commissioned sales reps are today.
- Implement uniform set of billing and reimbursement rules that reduce administrative complexities and costs in hospitals and doctors’ offices.
How do you plan to ensure affordability for Texans in the day-to-day as well as in the housing market?
A strong middle class is key to a strong economy. To strengthen the middle class, I would:
- Provide tax credits targeted specifically to the middle class, and a more fair and equitable tax structure for all Americans.
- Eliminate costly trade wars that result in economic retaliation against our middle class and fight for sustainable trade agreements.
- Leverage greater openness to taxing wealth and capital gains. If billionaires at Davos themselves are saying they want to pay more tax to support the Middle Class, then why not take them up on it?
- Provide tax credits to small and medium sized businesses whose costs for commonly used goods are rising the fastest, along with incentives for them to pass these savings on to customers.
Housing:
- Enable direct seller-to-buyer home lending
- Right of first of refusal for individual home buyers vs private equity, in redevelopment zones.
- Create access to capital for increasing urban density (housing as infrastructure).
What should Congress do, if anything, to address security along the U.S.-Mexico border and immigration policy?
We need a balanced approach to border security that treats people humanely while taking into account the need for a secure border and proper enforcement of the law. Specifically, my plan includes:
- Treating warehousing of human beings is a civil rights violation that should not be tolerated.
- Holding executives of for-profit detention facilities accountable for human rights violations.
- Maximum holding time when a border crosser is detained.
- Strengthening our border security with an organization whose mission, culture and training balances stopping illegal border crossings with treating illegal border crossers humanely.
- Streamlining the path to legal immigration for those who have been in America and have contributed to our tax base.
- Engaging with Latin American allies to address the reasons that people choose to flee to the US.
TJ Ware
Age (as of March 3): 41
Campaign website: ElectTJ.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Email (tj@electtj.com)
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Education: Some college
Have you run for elected office before? No
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in Dallas County and Tarrant County.
I have served as a board member and volunteer for various organizations, including BESTWA, focusing on maternal health and other issues in West Africa. I have also served as a board member, board advisor, volunteer, an advocate for the North Texas special needs assistance partners equipping adult adults with developmental disabilities with job and life skills to be successful. I’m also an incident commander for United Survivors Disaster Relief offering multiple services and means of support for victims of large scale disasters. The past few years, I have spent even more of my time focusing on fighting corrupt insurance companies, and fighting for FEMA and other disaster services in Washington DC and in various states across the nation.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain:
I’ve never filed bankruptcy. As a business owner, I have been involved in three civil suits. I have never been found legally liable of any wrongdoing or had to pay any settlement or judgment.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
Hemal Doshi, Luis Diaz, Alejandro Ayala
Why are you seeking this office?
I am passionate about freedom, prosperity and liberty. I see Congress as an extension of the policy work and the advocacy I’ve been doing for years, except with far greater reach and impact. I love this country, and I only decided to run for Congress after I seriously considered leaving it. I am a former DOJ staffer, and Iraq veteran, I can’t stand by idly while watching so much corruption and malignancy take over our country.
If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?
Stop ICE.
Root out corruption at the highest levels.
Repeal Tariffs, focus on affordability
How will you measure your success as a member of Congress?
I will measure it by the response and support of my constituents.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?
I’m a dynamic person, I’m quick on my feet, I’m experienced in leading organizations and working with people on Capitol Hill, I am an innovator, and a maverick. I’m not OK with the status quo from either side. I’m ready to kick ass and take names in a way that my opponents are unable to.
What is the biggest challenge facing Congress? How would you address it if elected?
Campaign finance. And Donald Trump/MAGA. I believe campaign finance is a hill we should die climbing. Nothing else works until we address it.
What is the number one challenge your constituents are facing, and how do you plan to resolve it?
Affordability. I plan to support policies to help the middle class, not large asset holders.
How would you interact and work with members of the opposite party? Are there specific policy ideas where you see opportunities for bipartisanship?
The American people want some more things, there are tons of issues in which I can work with the other party and find both alignment in progress.
How would you approach foreign policy as a member of Congress?
I believe in a good relationship with our NATO allies. I believe in relying on generals and admirals, not news anchors. I believe we should seek partnership collaboration and collectivity with our allies, and I believe we should remain strong against our adversaries. I tend to be more non-interventionist, and I believe in congressional authorization for military action.
What steps, if any, should Congress take regarding artificial intelligence, including regulation and/or safeguards?
There need to be smart regulations put in place, we must be very weary of big tech. I have some experience in this arena, having dealt with the national Association of attorneys general and I personally know multiple national AI experts.
What should be prioritized in federal spending and what, if anything, do you believe should receive less budget allocations?
I believe we should prioritize federal mental health spending. I also believe we should spend money in ways that encourage production amongst all Americans, especially the middle class and small business. I believe we should look at smart cuts to defense, and I’m against tax breaks for billionaires.
What should Congress do to address healthcare?
Congress needs to expand coverage, and move toward a system that makes sense for average Americans. We demand affordable comprehensive healthcare, and a system that puts patients first. I’m willing to take part in overhauls that would reshape how Americans get their healthcare, and move toward a system where all Americans have health coverage, preventative care, low RX drug costs, and world class mental healthcare.
How do you plan to ensure affordability for Texans in the day-to-day as well as in the housing market?
I plan to ban corporations from buying up single-family homes and repeal tariffs to encourage affordability.
What should Congress do, if anything, to address security along the U.S.-Mexico border and immigration policy?
We should create a period of time for all undocumented people to get documented and receive work permits. Once people are documented, we can strengthen our borders by truly keeping out criminals.
Kevin Burge
Age (as of March 3): 40
Campaign website: www.kevinfortexas.com
Best way for voters to reach you: email (campaign@burgeforcongress.com) or socials
Occupation: Cybersecurity
Education: MA - Sustainable Development
Have you run for elected office before? No
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in Dallas County and Tarrant County.
I have used my platform to bolster LGBTQ+ organizations like Love Every Dragon.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? No
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
No PACS or coroprations, only individual donations, completely grassroots with an average donation of amount of $67
Why are you seeking this office?
Our community deserves a Member of Congress who serves all people, of all parties, of all walks of life, of all faiths or of none. Right now, the incumbent Beth Van Duyne can’t; no Town Halls since being elected, citations from the House Ethics Committee, and has worked to undermine the critical role of the Legislative Branch.
I have directly participated in good governance with 20 years of Federal Government service, and I know how different Administrations can either lift communities up or leave them behind. Today, the Trump administration and a do-nothing Republican Congress are damaging our government, our economy, and our standing in the world.
I am running for Congress because too many people in Washington serve the special interests and wishes of a privileged few, not the needs of the many who live, work, and worship in our community. It is time for people here to have their voices heard, and I will speak up for every resident regardless of party or persuasion.
If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?
1. Make life affordable for families and success achievable for small businesses.
A future working families can afford is most important, and my plan includes funding initiatives for early child care, elderly care, affordable housing, apprenticeships, Universal Healthcare, public transportation, diversification of energy sources, and revamping student loan programs.
2. Hold accountable an out of control Executive Branch and assert the power of Congress.
We must crack down on ICE Abuse and administrative waste.
3. Ensure public schools are fully funded. Strong public schools are the foundation on which all strong communities are built. Where the Texas Legislature cannot or will not act, the Federal Government must act to ensure every student receives a quality education at a safe neighborhood school.
How will you measure your success as a member of Congress?
As a freshman member of the House, success will be measured by: Forming consensus and developing legislation that has a reasonable chance of becoming law; This requires working with my colleagues of all parties to secure reasonable compromise that benefits all of our constituents.
Ultimately, my success will be measured by outcomes that improve the lives of the people whom I serve of all political persuasions, not just those who voted for me in the last election.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?
Experience, leadership, and moral fortitude. I am a direct reflection of my district in every demographic measure with a unique background in Military, Intelligence, firsthand knowledge of the value and importance of immigration among family members, and being a member of the working class.
I have served the American people for 20 years, enlisting in the Marine Corps at 17, with two tours in Iraq, and serving at the Defense Intelligence Agency and deploying to Afghanistan. I was the Technical Advisor to the White House Situation Room renovation under President Biden. I’ve worked alongside dedicated public servants, including those appointed by the President. My years of service qualify me to contribute meaningfully to our National Security and Intelligence Policy
I am not afraid to stand up and fight for the things I believe in. I will listen to those who disagree with me. I will be a voice for the many, not the few. I will serve all constituents equally.
What is the biggest challenge facing Congress? How would you address it if elected?
A large disconnect with the concerns of everyday Americans. Most Congresspeople are wealthy and have never served in the military or have children in the military.
I will listen to my constituents and seek genuine feedback when making decisions. I will hold town halls each and every month open to all in both Dallas and Tarrant Counties. I will push through legislative mechanisms and amendments in bills ways to create real change focused on urgency in delivering results people will feel in their pockets and see in their bank accounts.
I will fight for us all, rather than being a representative of the few.
What is the number one challenge your constituents are facing, and how do you plan to resolve it?
Everything is more expensive. It is harder to make ends meet. It is more difficult to grow a business or start a business. Rising inflation, healthcare costs, and erosion of social programs, and decreasing opportunities are pricing people out of a better future.
Young people can’t afford to start families, buy homes, or afford to save for unexpected events.
I plan to rebuild and strengthen the middle class and help people succeed in life. People are not looking for handouts. They are looking simply for a hand up to help them get ahead and have a fair chance at achieving the American Dream.
I will start with Universal Pre-K, fully funded public education, cutting red tape for affordable housing, funding universal healthcare and restoring the ACA Subsidies, offering a variety of educational opportunities, protecting worker’s rights, and providing resources for small business owners. This will allow more people to thrive in our economy and put money back in their pockets.
How would you interact and work with members of the opposite party? Are there specific policy ideas where you see opportunities for bipartisanship?
Members of both parties recognize that high expenses for Americans are critical. We are all elected to serve our constituents and rely on compromise and negotiation. I will approach every interaction as an opportunity to build consensus. Cost of living issues such as healthcare, energy costs, and economic development are the clearest areas of policy for bipartisan opportunity.
How would you approach foreign policy as a member of Congress?
Our country has enjoyed 80+ years of Pax Americana because of our strong military, strong alliances, strong use of soft power, and strong economy. However, we have forgotten how powerful we are, even when we do not use our military. It’s time that we reestablish our traditional alliances, turn back on our Global Aid system that brings peace, stability, and prosperity.
Right now, we are trading worldwide influence for Hemisphere Influence allowing autocratic, dictator run, and communist countries to fill in the gaps resulting in spheres of influences threatening global stability. Therefore, we need to get rid of an outdated Monroe Doctrine and strengthen our alliances. We cannot continue to allow global competitors like Russia and China take advantage of weakness or disarray.
What steps, if any, should Congress take regarding artificial intelligence, including regulation and/or safeguards?
Two things need to be done quickly. 1.) Regulatory actions around the use of AI by companies to ensure people do not lose work opportunities to machines. In other words, we need to create a framework like NIST or HIPPA that protects workers rights and ensures non-discrimination in the workplace by AI. Congress must also provide funding for retraining programs paid for by increased taxing of companies who offset labor and lay off employees due to the use of AI.
2.) AI data centers require tons of power and water. Federal Permits should be required prior to building these high resource data centers and allow for proper public input prior to municipal approval for construction. This is a Federal Issue due to the amount of resources being utilized, including rivers and aquifers that span multiple states.
What should be prioritized in federal spending and what, if anything, do you believe should receive less budget allocations?
Federal spending needs to be designed and executed to address the national affordability crisis. To do that, we need to raise taxes for those earning more than $400,000 per year, and institute a graduated capital gains tax for the wealthiest. We need to reign in the ICE budget (which is currently higher than the entire United States Marine Corps) and invest in programs that grow our economy from the bottom up such as easier loan and grant opportunities for small businesses and more child care help for working families.
What should Congress do to address healthcare?
We need to decouple healthcare from employment and ensure that the primary method for obtaining healthcare is not through companies that gain profit by denying services. We must make meaningful progress towards universal coverage, whether through a hybrid or single payer system in line with all other developed countries that will allow stability in creating federal budgets and allow people to realize the American Dream through entrepreneurship and labor competition. We must NOT ban or restrict the ability for people to have a choice to buy or keep private insurance.
The best way to begin this journey is to bring people into this system by expanding Medicare to civil servants, military, police, and teachers. Then we can start lowering the age of Medicare by a decade every 5 years until a sustainable system is in place and people will by default have medical costs covered. Again, people should always and MUST always be able to purchase private insurance if and when they desire.
How do you plan to ensure affordability for Texans in the day-to-day as well as in the housing market?
I will fight to expand access to affordable child care and elder care so families aren’t forced to choose between caring for loved ones and staying in the workforce. Taking those burdens off working Texans frees people to fully participate in our economy and earn a living with dignity. I also support raising the minimum wage in a fair manner that does not cause a shock to small business owners and is phased in appropriately.
On housing, we must cut unnecessary federal red tape that slows home construction while still protecting quality and safety. We need more homes, of more types, at more price points. Finally, I will work to end Trump’s tariffs on building materials, which only drive up construction costs and housing prices. Lower costs, higher wages, and people-first policies will make Texas affordable and build a stronger economy.
What should Congress do, if anything, to address security along the U.S.-Mexico border and immigration policy?
We must stop the abuses by ICE agents across our country. It does not serve the communities they say they are trying to protect. It drives undocumented immigrants further underground and allows for a criminal underbelly to thrive while simultaneously causing people to fear reporting of crimes to local police.
Fully funding immigration judges and Border Patrol to ensure asylum cases are quickly and fairly adjudicated while stopping real crime such as drug and human trafficking.
We must revamp the work-visa programs to allow for seasonal surges for workers to support agriculture and tourism that fairly allows for people to pay taxes, work without fear of workplace abuses, and the ability to travel back home at the end of the season.
Fine companies for hiring undocumented workers outside of the streamlined immigration system.
This story was originally published February 14, 2026 at 3:00 AM.