District 17 race features stacked Republican field

A very crowded primary field for Texas Congressional District 17 in the U.S. House of Representatives will be on their toes until Election Day on March 3.

The race has become hotly contested after a September 2019 announcement by incumbent Bill Flores, stating he would not seek a sixth congressional term in 2020. There are currently 14 candidates running in the primaries, with 11 Republican candidates and three Democratic hopefuls.

The Recorder has collected information through candidates’ websites and various forums that have taken place in the Freestone and Limestone County areas, with profiles serving to better educate TX17 residents on a tough decision.

A stacked Republican ticket begins the Recorder candidate profiles, with 11 hopefuls of all different backgrounds competing.

Candidate: Ahmad Adnan

Background-The candidate has been a financial advisor for 18 years, handling his own financial advice and investment management company.

Endorsements-Adnan has been endorsed by the Austin American-Statesman in the Republican race.

Top platform items-Adnan’s top policy agenda is education, specifically raising the starting pay of teachers to $80,000 a year. He states that “we will never have the best education system if we do not attract and retain the best, highest-quality teachers, and we can only get the best if we actually pay them what they are worth.”

He plans on paying for the teacher pay raise through the legalization and regulation of cannabis. His plan for cannabis is to put a tax on the product after legalization, much like cigarettes, and use the tax to help teacher pay. “It’s time for us to legalize cannabis,” Adnan’s website states, also pointing to the large dollar figure it takes to keep non-violent criminal offenders in prison.

Adnan’s other top stance is being very much against money in politics, saying that it equals corruption and hinders the government from “working for people rather than special interests.”

For more information, visit ahmadforoffice.com.

Candidate: Scott Bland

Background: The candidate went into military service after the World Trade Center collapse in Sept. 2001, spending five years as a Special Agent for the United States Secret Service. He returned to Waco in 2006 and took over his family business, Jim Bland Construction. Bland currently serves on the board of housing project Neighbor-Works, and is an elected board member of the Greater Waco Chamber, receiving numerous awards in building.

Endorsements: Bland has been endorsed by Jim Olson, a former CIA Director of Counterintelligence.

Top Platform items: The Republican puts job creation and ending the illegal immigration crisis at the top of his agenda, vowing to “push back against socialists’ agenda” with devotion to American industry.

On immigration, his website states that his construction experience can help “teach career politicians a thing or two about building a wall.”

For more information, visit blandfortexas.com.

Candidate: George W. Hindman

Background: The candidate is the owner of Keystone Aerospace, a small business devoted to advanced aerospace research and development. Hindman is a FAA certified commercial pilot and flight instructor, and previously worked in the Mission Operations Directorate at Houston’s NASA Johnson Space Center. Over his 30 years of experience, he also worked as a project manager for Dell Computers.

In politics, Hindman was the Republican nominee for Texas State Senate, District 14, in 2018. He was also a TX17 candidate in 2012.

Endorsements: Hindman has been endorsed by the following individuals and organizations:

-Former Texas Representative Matt Rinaldi

-Central Texas Republican Assembly

-Texans for Fiscal Responsibility

-Texas Homeschool Coalition

-Texas Right to Life

-Texas Values Action

-Young Conservatives of Texas

Top Platform items: Hindman’s agenda begins with immigration, believing the current system as it stands is broken. His three main points are securing the border via a border wall, reforming immigration policies, and focusing on dealing with illegal immigrants that are already living in the United States. “America has been a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws,” his website states.

He also stands for cutting spending, restraining the federal government, balancing the federal budget, and maintaining a strong military.

For more information, visit votehindman.com.

Candidate: Todd Kent

Background: The Republican candidate served as the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs for the Texas A&M campus in Doha, Qatar. He was also a founder of the Christian academic and leadership organization Worldview Academy in 1996.

Kent has a long history in political consulting, first organizing campaigns in Texas counties for George H. W. Bush during his successful 1988 Presidential bid. He has worked as a consultant for many elected officials in Brazos County.

Top Platform items: The candidate will primarily fight against what he deems “costly” government regulations, citing a Competitive Enterprise Institute report that states that every United States household pays over $14,000 annually to cover government regulations.

Kent also believes in running to support small farms across TX17 and Texas at large, working to help small farmers that receive little help from the government and large corporations. He also supports stopping the epidemic of rural hospital closings throughout the country, as well as the regaining of a Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

For more information, visit www.toddkent.com.

Candidate: Laurie Godfrey McReynolds

Background: She began a dry cleaning and laundry business at the age of 23, expanding to multiple locations throughout central Texas. The candidate was appointed by Texas Representative Tom Craddick to the Small Business Compliance Assistance Panel in 2007. She has also earned a real estate license.

Top Platform items: The candidate’s top priority is fiscal responsibility, focusing in on the fight to reduce the deficit and the pursuit of tax reform.

Her tax reform policy would include cutting taxes for the middle class, simplifying the tax code, and reducing tax burden on small businesses. “As a small businesswoman, I understand how excessive taxes hurt small businesses and middle-class Americans,” McReynolds told Ballotpedia. “I will be a champion for average, everyday people keeping more of what they earn.”

McReynolds is also staunch in her pro-life stance, and would work to defund Planned Parenthood if elected to Congress.

For more information, visit www.lauriemcreynolds.com.

Candidate: Kristen Alamo Rowin

Background: The candidate has worked in real estate brokerage throughout her career, including founding Alamo Real Estate in Waco. She has been affiliated with the Texas Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.

Top Platform items: Her pro-second amendment stance is at the forefront, advocating for the residents of TX17 to be free to exercise their second amendment rights.

She fully supports “Stand Your Ground” advocacy and the Castle doctrine, which protects residents’ use of force against intruders in the home.

Rowin is also strongly in favor of safe borders and a wall system to aid in security.

She also is supportive of vetting any person entering the country, stating “the truth of the matter is that all Americans should advocate for strong and safe borders.”

She also supports school choice, believing that parents should have “all say” in their child’s schooling, well being, and health.

For more information, visit www.karforcongress.com.

Candidate: David Saucedo

Background: Saucedo has been part of many local committees throughout TX17, including Neighborhood Mentoring, Community Clean Ups, The Carver Neighborhood Association, and Right Track Ministries.

Top Platform items: Saucedo’s top three issues in the race are education, promoting economic mobility-retaining local wealth, and health care through the Primary Care Enhancement Act of 2019.

The bipartisan health care legislation was introduced through U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in December. According to Cassidy’s website, the model encourages patients to develop personal relationships with their primary care physician, including extending access to care. It would focus on prevention and primary care, relying less on specialist and hospital referrals. During a recent forum at

During a recent forum at Fairfield High School, Saucedo called for “civil discussion” on these and other issues if elected.

For more information, visit www.saucedoforcongress.com.

Candidate: Pete Sessions

Background: The former Congressman was an executive at AT&T from 1978-1993, before his transition into politics. He served as U.S. Representative in Texas’ 5th Congressional District from 1997 to 2003, and then served as Representative from Texas’ 32nd District from 2003 to 2019. He is also an Eagle Scout and Committee Member of the National Eagle Scout Association.

Endorsements: Sessions has received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association.

Top Platform issues: From a statement on his website, these are the five issues Sessions will fight for if elected:

-Keeping America safe through a strong national defense;

-Balancing the federal budget without raising any new taxes;

-Standing with President Trump on building a border wall and strengthening immigration laws; -Delivering better health

-Delivering better health care to families at lower costs, and;

-Ensuring that the United States remains competitive with a renewed commitment to research and development.

Sessions states “he is ready to serve taxpayers again in the U.S. House, providing us with experience that will give our voice the extra strength we need in Congress.”

For more information, visit www.petesessions.com.

Candidate: Trent Sutton

Background: Sutton served over two decades as a United States Marine, completing several tours of duty in combat zones abroad.

Top Platform items: Sutton supports what his website calls the “four pillars of national security,” which are border, food, economy, and energy.

He wishes to vote to fund the building of a border wall, and views border security as an issue on par to national defense.

Sutton also will work to strengthen rural communities by protecting them from “unforeseen disasters.”

On the economy, Sutton believes the federal government should “facilitate economic growth rather than stifle it with burdensome regulation and interference.” Energy goes hand-in-hand with the economy for him, as the website claims elimination of reliance on foreign oil has been an economic stimulant.

For more information, visit www.suttonforcongress.com.

Candidate: Renee Swann

Background: Swann is a Waco small business Chief Operations Officer, caring for more than 50,000 patients in her 38 years with Brazos Eye Surgery.

Endorsements: She has received the endorsement of Flores, the former Representative from TX17.

Top Platform items: Swann looks to stand firm with President Trump on many key issues, such as securing the border and helping stop terrorist operations in foreign countries such as Iran.

The candidate also seeks to cut government regulations that harm job creation and prevent healthcare innovation.

For more information, visit www.reneeswannforcongress.com.

Candidate: Elianor Vessali

Background: The candidate served overseas with Ernst & Young in Geneva, Switzerland for three years, followed by returning to Texas to teach high school chemistry in Spring Branch ISD for eight years. Vessali was elected to College Station City Council, Place 4, in 2018.

Top Platform items: The Republican hopeful wants to take back control of Congress for her party, stating that under Democratic control, Congress has lost focus spending time on the impeachment process of President Trump. Vessali’s website states the focus of Congress should be securing the border and allowing the Texas economy to “thrive” with less government interference.

Vessali will fight for low taxes if elected, and protected private property rights as part of College Station City Council. As a council member, she was the only member to vote against tax and budget increases.

For more information, visit www.votevessali.com.

The Democratic primary is a three-headed race between William Foster III, David Jaramillo and Rick Kennedy. In the previous primary in 2018, Kennedy was successful in securing the Democratic bid with 14,343 votes to Dale Mantey’s 8,300 votes.

Candidate: William Foster III

Background: The candidate began his professional career at Philco NASA, where he was a junior engineer working in communications with the first United States Space Lab, known as SKY-LAB. He formerly served as the Central Area Director for the National Education Associations’ Houston office, serving twelve schools in his area.

Top Platform items: First on the list for Foster III is health care, believing it should be a right for everyone. His website states that “with new medicines and technology, we should live longer than ever before and enjoy a more health[y] life, mentally and physically.”

With a background in education, the candidate also thinks schooling should be improved through having a decent living wage for teachers, saying that “the state and federal government is responsible and needs to be held accountable” for lacking wages.

Foster III also stands for increased action on climate change, as well as plans to expand a lawful immigration process.

For more information, visit www.fosterforcongress.org.

Candidate: David Jaramillo

Background: The candidate is an eight-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and was deployed to Iraq during this time. Jaramillo was also stationed at HMX-1 in Quantico, Va., where he obtained a Top Secret Yankee White security clearance. He was later awarded a Presidential Service Badge for his efforts, and has also worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Top Platform items: The Democrat is working on VA benefit reform, using his firsthand experience as a veteran to “clean up this mess.” He spent years working in the VA Waco Regional Office, and has experience working with disabled Veterans.

Another agenda item for Jaramillo is prison reform, seeing the “horrors” of a “for-profit prison system” from his time working in a detention facility. His website states that he would “treat human beings with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

For more information, visit www.jaramilloforcongress.com.

Candidate: Rick Kennedy

Background: The candidate’s career experience includes working as a software engineer and project manager. He previously ran for the TX17 seat in 2018, gaining 41.3 percent of the vote in a race against Flores.

Top Platform items: In a multi-faceted platform, the Democrat puts health care at the top of his issues list, saying it is “by far the number one issue I hear about from central Texans.” Kennedy supports the Medicare for America Act of 2019, which is a public option on top of established American health care systems that achieves universal coverage. He believes a public option will address uncompensated care for hospitals, preserve protections for those with preexisting conditions, and it will not eliminate private insurance.

He also believes in comprehensive immigration reform to meet “our economic and security needs and reflect our values as a society.”

Main points of his plan include treating asylum seekers with dignity, using technology and human resource solutions to secure our borders, and emphasizing mandatory pre-hiring E-verify checks on employers to increase interior immigration enforcement.

for more information, visit www.rickkennedyforcongress.com.

Early voting will continue to take place on Feb. 27 and 28, with ballots accepted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For those who want to cast an early ballot in Fairfield, residents can cast a ballot at the Fairfield Civic Center (Green Barn) at the fairgrounds.

In Teague, early ballots can be cast at Teague City Hall at 105 Graham, South 4th Avenue.

These locations will also be polling places on Election Day.