2020 TX Senate race: on Government Reform


MJ Hegar: Day one: work on campaign finance, ethics reforms

It is time to clean up our broken system and return the power back to people. We will not get the needed action on health care, climate change, lower-cost prescription drugs, common-sense gun safety measures, or comprehensive immigration reform until we get the influence of money out of our political system. On day one, I will work to pass comprehensive campaign finance and ethics reforms that ensure Washington is accountable to the voters--and no one else.
Source: The Yale Politic e-zine on 2020 Texas Senate race Apr 2, 2020

MJ Hegar: Refuses corporate PAC money, endorsed by End Citizens United

Whenever someone tells me they don't understand why a bill passed or decision was made in Washington, I always tell them to follow the money. Americans are sick and tired of watching DC politicians put special interest donors and political games over the needs of the people. It is time to clean up our broken system and return the power back to people. That's why I am refusing to accept any corporate PAC money and am proud to be endorsed by End Citizens United.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website MJforTexas.com Jan 20, 2020

MJ Hegar: Overturn gerrymandering, fight voter suppression

Once elected, I will make it a priority to overturn partisan gerrymandering schemes that further polarize our politics, fight the increasingly-common voter suppression tactics designed to keep people from exercising their right to participate in our democracy, and pass comprehensive campaign finance and ethics reforms that ensure Washington is accountable to the voters--and no one else.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website MJforTexas.com Jan 20, 2020

Sema Hernandez: Create uniform requirements for voting

I will introduce legislation to create uniform requirements for voting. We will provide for voter identification, location and number of polling sites, voting methods, maintenance, maintenance of voter rolls, automatic voter registration, notification of voter status changes, election verification, funding to implement the foregoing. I support the constitutional right of all convicted persons to vote, under the equal protection of the laws.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website, Sema4Texas.com Jan 12, 2020

Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: No corporate PAC money, but other PACs ok

TzintzŁn Ramirez, meanwhile, could tempt criticism with her acknowledgment last month that she narrowed her campaign's initial pledge against accepting all PAC money -- a promise that Beto O'Rourke famously adhered to -- to just corporate PAC money. She said she dialed back the pledge after hearing from labor unions who wanted to have the option to give to her through their political arms.
Source: The Texas Tribune on 2020 Texas Senate race Dec 13, 2019

Royce West: Government contracts raise issues of conflicts of interest

West has dismissed concerns about any conflicts of interest, saying he makes it clear to entities that hire him that they are talking to him in his capacity as a private lawyer, not as a state lawmaker. "I tell people all the time, 'When you come into this office, you're seeing me as an attorney,'" West told the Dallas Observer in 2007. The writer took note of a "State Senator Royce West" nameplate in that same office, in full view of potential customers.
Source: The Texas Tribune on 2020 Texas Senate race Sep 5, 2019

  • The above quotations are from 2020 Texas Senatorial race: debates and news coverage.
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Candidates and political leaders on Government Reform:

Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
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