On November 13, Texas Republican Debra Medina (shown in front) announced her candidacy for the state comptroller’s office in 2014. She ran as a dark horse in the 2010 gubernatorial race opposing Governor Rick Perry, is wildly popular among constitutionalists and fiscal conservatives, and is expected to give establishment types a real run for their money.
After considering a second shot at the governor’s office earlier this year, Medina decided to stick with her original plan to win the seat being vacated by Comptroller Susan Combs, who is not seeking reelection.
Although Medina is called a Tea Party activist and has a solid support base among the more independent-minded, she has an impressive pedigree in the Republican Party, having garnered 19 percent of the 2010 primary vote against Rick Perry and former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Her run could still cause serious heartburn for the establishment, though, as her platform is based on sound fiscal and common sense.
Democrats in the state vowing to Turn Texas Blue — starting with Democratic State Senator Wendy Davis, who is running for governor — still face significant opposition. Some parts of the state are soundly Republican; however, Democrats in other areas, such as Davis’ Fort Worth, are confident of victory. And the 2014 races could polarize the state. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, U.S. Representative Steve Stockman, and a contingent of educated Ron Paul followers who rejected big government for a return to sound fiscal policy and limited government pitted against Blue-Staters make this election an important one. Medina’s win could put yet another burr under their saddles, strengthening the conservative base if other constitutionalists snag seats.
Texas resident and political observer Bill Cherry noted,
Debra Medina will be very good. She has a good mind for figures, and is a constitutionalist. She’s very honest, and will be astute and diligent in seeing that the budget is adhered to and no unscrupulous things take place that would increase spending.
The office has the power to blow the whistle if spending violates Texas law.
And Texans have seen many such spending proposals in recent years, from the highly controversial Trans-Texas Corridor (a key part of the NAFTA Super Highway, a major step in uniting Mexico, the United States, and Canada and eroding American sovereignty) to the recently adopted water bill that robs the Texas Rainy Day fund for risky water project funding.
Lone Star conservatives believe that having a whistleblower in the office of comptroller in a state the size of Texas would be highly significant and is long overdue.
Cherry continued,
Debra has always been guided by principles of liberty and honesty. The latest polls show she’s leading right now, and a victory could be a definite encouragement for other liberty-minded folks.
Medina’s no slouch when it comes to riding herd on expenses. A business owner in Wharton, Texas, she’s well versed in making a payroll, and has impressed both friend and foe with her principled approach, honesty, and fairness. She declared,
If elected, I promise to resist growth in government spending which takes money away from honest private enterprises and places money in the coffers of the politically connected. Simply put, Texas cannot continue on a path of prosperity without reducing the debt burden being placed on the citizens of Texas.
Medina has asserted that as comptroller she would further a statewide conversation on abolishing the property tax of Texas, which she argues “distorts the free market.”
In the Republican primary, Medina is running against State Senator Glenn Hegar, State Representative Harvey Hilderbran, and State Representative Raul Torres. At a meeting of the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association the day following Medina’s announcement, Hegar, Hilderbran, and Medina all said in their speeches that they were “interested in working to continue the state’s ongoing economic success.” But Medina gained particular attention with her look at the state tax system. She stated,
It’s important that we begin to look at taxes more appropriately, not as reward and punishment, not as carrot and stick, but as a means of equitably sharing in the cost of local and state government.
And Medina has put action behind those words. She’s developed a comprehensive tax reform proposal that is transparent, and will not only put costs and accountability back at the local level, but will restore private property rights to owners by eliminating the property tax. Medina has declared that the issue of property rights is not about taxes, but about liberty.
A significant part of the office of comptroller for Medina is the potential to educate and inform Texans about the proper role of government, and its role in taxation, including how her plan fits in. Her tax reform proposal, which is daily gaining traction, promises to be a remarkable model for other states if implemented.
Next to the biennial convention of the Texas Legislature, nothing promises more of a show than the mid-terms. In 2014, Texans will want to grab the popcorn and get a good seat toward the front.
