Immigration is a privilege that should be reserved for those who come here legally and respect our processes and our laws. Illegal immigration makes a mockery of those who follow the law. Rampant, unchecked illegal immigration is an unsustainable burden to American taxpayers who must fund all of the increased costs associated with a porous border: additional law enforcement, health care, and education, not to mention the heartbreak from families subjected to the influx of deadly fentanyl.
Under Joe Biden, the federal government has failed Texas by failing to secure the border. As a result, Texas has been forced to spend billions on border security in order to combat a flood of illegals, drug cartels, human trafficking, and an influx of deadly fentanyl. I voted for the toughest border security laws of any state, including the ability to arrest and deport illegals. Texas has deployed the Texas State Guard and military equipment such as gunboats and surveillance aircraft. We are building a wall and installing security barriers. In the last year alone, I voted for over $6 billion to upgrade border security. As a member of Congress, I will work to force Washington to uphold their duty of securing the border. There is no greater responsibility for the federal government than to protect the homeland and its citizens, and the Biden Administration has failed to do so.
One of the consequences of the federal government refusing to secure the southern border is the poison of fentanyl infiltrating our state; last year, an average of five people per day died from fentanyl in Texas alone. That’s why I decided to do something. In the most recent legislative session, I authored HB 6, which creates a criminal offense of murder for anyone that supplies fentanyl resulting in someone’s death. Governor Abbott signed this bill into law on September 1, and we are already seeing the impact of this legislation. Recently, the Tarrant County DA indicted a man in a fentanyl overdose death – the first of its kind to occur since the new law went into effect. In Congress, I will keep fighting to track these people down and get them off the streets.
In Congress, I will combat the “defund the police” radicals intent on undermining public safety and placing our communities at risk. In the Texas House, I authored tough anti-crime laws to keep our streets safe and ensure justice for victims of crime. I authored Molly Jane’s Law, named after a young woman from this area who was brutally murdered by a sexual predator, to give police better tools to identify and capture sexual predators before they commit more heinous crimes. I also authored the bill to stop large cities from defunding their police departments and passed a law to combat human trafficking, including mandatory jail time for human and sex traffickers. To rein in rogue District Attorneys who refuse to enforce laws they disagree with, I helped pass legislation that provides for them to be removed from office. I’m honored to have the endorsement of the Fort Worth Police Officers Association.
Americans are overtaxed, and I will support any efforts to return more of their hard-earned money back to them – just as I have done in Austin. As State Representative, I helped pass a ban on a state income tax or wealth tax, and have fought to eliminate the Texas franchise tax. More recently, I worked to pass the largest property tax cut in Texas history.
I am proud to have voted to expand Second Amendment freedoms during my service as a State Representative. For example, I voted to make Constitutional Carry the law in Texas, ensuring that you have the right to ensure your personal safety without government interference. As a member of Congress, I will continue to fiercely protect your Second Amendment rights and freedoms. Here are some of my specific votes in support of your right to keep and bear arms:
I believe strongly that human life is worth protecting, and that has been my consistent record in the Texas House. The Texas Heartbeat bill, which I supported, stated that if a heartbeat was detected then an abortion could not occur. As a result of this bill, at least 35,000 lives have been protected. As State Representative, I voted to defund abortion providers and instead fund alternatives to abortion in order to support those mothers who choose life. In Congress I will continue to stand for the unborn. I am the only candidate in this race with a proven pro-life record, and the only candidate endorsed by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Texas Alliance for Life.
The founders intended for Americans to be able to practice their faith and religion free from government interference. Religious liberty is a cornerstone of American life and must be protected. After some local governments closed down churches and houses of worship during COVID, I supported a new law which prevented this from ever again happening.
The so-called Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) movement seeks to inject a liberal political agenda – often targeting our energy industry – into decisions best left to the marketplace and investors. The Biden Administration’s efforts to force ESG upon America’s investment funds would threaten millions of energy jobs, including many here in Texas. In the Texas House, I have voted to oppose ESG policies and will do so in Congress.
As a State Representative, I have worked to pass legislation which protects children and will continue to do so in Congress. First, I voted to stop harmful, experimental gender modification surgeries on minors, and these surgeries are now banned in Texas. In 2021, I voted to protect girls sports at the high school level. Just last year, I voted for the Save Women’s Sports Act, which extends that protection to women’s sports at the collegiate level. These bills ban men who claim to be women from participating in girls’ sports, ensuring the safety of these athletes.
I worked to pass a bill that prohibits sexually explicit performances and drag shows where children are present, and also a bill to protect our kids from online sexual predators. Protecting our kids extends to the classroom and that is why I have voted to ban Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Texas schools. CRT is a divisive and corrosive philosophy which divides our people based on race.
The world is unstable, and making certain we and our allies have strong and robust national defense is critical. Whether from China, Russia, or Iran, the international threats are escalating and require that America be prepared. President Ronald Reagan once said, “We maintain the peace through our strength; weakness only invites aggression.” Locally, thousands of men and women here in Congressional District 12 play an integral role in this mission. In December of 2016, I was there when the first F-35 was delivered to Israel, an aircraft manufactured here in the heart of the district. It was an incredible honor to sign the fuselage for that very first F-35, especially when reflecting on the strategic importance of this aircraft in protecting not just Israel, but many of our NATO allies who have purchased the F-35 for their own national defense. I would also add that at the federal level, national security must include defending our borders, which the current administration has failed to do and as a result has placed our nation at risk.
As a member of Congress, I will be a strong and unequivocal voice in support of Israel. The enemies of Israel are dangerous and relentless. The October 2023 slaughter of over 1,400 Israelis (including at least 36 Americans) at the hands of Hamas makes this reality abundantly clear. While Israeli hostages remain captive in Gaza, it is critical that Israel is able to defend herself and ultimately is able to achieve its military objective: to dismantle Hamas. There is simply no room for ambivalence or wavering on where the United States stands in this matter – the United States must continue to stand by Israel in its fight against the sheer brutality and inhumanity of Hamas. In October, I authored a strong, unequivocal resolution expressing Texas’ support for Israel in light of the heinous attacks, and recognizing Israel’s right to act decisively and unilaterally in self-defense to protect its citizens.
As a small businessman who has paid taxes and met a payroll, I am a firm believer that government regulation must be kept at bay so we don’t crush job creators. In Congress, I will continue to support pro-growth, low tax policies that have made the Texas economy the strongest in the nation. The hard work of taxpaying citizens and entrepreneurs in the private sector is the engine of our economic growth, not central planners in Washington, D.C. As an example, the new digital economy, including Cryptocurrency, holds great promise and potential to create another wave of jobs, technological innovation and economic opportunity. While we must protect citizens from unsavory operators, government shouldn’t limit the financial transactions of citizens or imperil their privacy under any regulatory framework. My voting record in the Texas House underscore my fundamental philosophy that free markets work best, where we seek to unleash the creativity and genius of our citizens to create new products and services for consumers, thus improving the standard of living for everyone.
the process of illegal ballot harvesting. When signed into law, it was the
strongest election integrity bill in the history of Texas.
"I’m honored by your support to win the Republican nomination to represent you in Congress. With your continued support, we can win the General Election on November 5th. My record proves I will be a conservative fighter who will prioritize border security and the American taxpayer, and I ask for your vote."
-Craig Goldman
Paid for by Craig Goldman for Congress
