Alex Triantaphyllis
Alex Triantaphyllis (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 7th Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 6, 2018.
In a May 2017 interview with The Texas Tribune shortly after announcing his run, Triantaphyllis cited opposition to President Trump (R) as a factor motivating his campaign: "I’m running for Congress because I think we need to hold the president accountable."[1] Triantaphyllis' campaign website emphasizes his stances on the economy, the environment, and transportation.[2]
Triantaphyllis has received endorsements from former Gov. Mark White (D) and state Rep. Armando Walle (D).
Click here for more information on the Democratic primary election.
Biography
Alex Triantaphyllis was born and lives in Houston, Texas. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and Hispanic studies from Rice University, a master's degree in economics while in Argentina, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Triantaphyllis’s career experience includes working as the director of immigration and economic opportunity at BakerRipley. He founded PAIR: Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees.[3]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for U.S. House Texas District 7
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher defeated incumbent John Culberson in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 7 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (D) | 52.5 | 127,959 |
 | John Culberson (R) | 47.5 | 115,642 | |
| Total votes: 243,601 | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ronald Kimmons (Independent)
Democratic primary runoff election
Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 7
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher defeated Laura Moser in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 7 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lizzie Pannill Fletcher | 67.9 | 9,888 |
 | Laura Moser | 32.1 | 4,666 | |
| Total votes: 14,554 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 7
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 7 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lizzie Pannill Fletcher | 29.4 | 9,768 |
| ✔ | | Laura Moser | 24.3 | 8,099 |
 | Jason Westin | 19.2 | 6,375 | |
 | Alex Triantaphyllis | 15.7 | 5,234 | |
 | Ivan Sanchez | 5.7 | 1,895 | |
| Joshua Butler | 3.8 | 1,253 | ||
 | James Cargas | 2.0 | 651 | |
| Total votes: 33,275 | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 7
Incumbent John Culberson defeated Edward Ziegler in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 7 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Culberson | 76.1 | 28,944 |
 | Edward Ziegler | 23.9 | 9,088 | |
| Total votes: 38,032 | |||
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Are half of all Fortune 500 companies founded by immigrants or their children?
February 13, 2018: In 2018, nonprofit executive Alex Triantaphyllis (D), who was seeking the Democratic nomination to represent Texas' 7th Congressional District, claimed on his website that "In recent years, nearly half of all Fortune 500 companies have been founded by immigrants or their children."
Was Triantaphyllis correct? Read Ballotpedia's fact check »
Campaign themes
2018
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Economy Despite Houston's limitless potential, the recent oil downturn has left many looking for work. In Congress, Alex will focus on building an environment that will create more jobs and better wages by fostering investment in small business development and supporting forward-looking policies to connect people to jobs in a changing economy. Alex has real experience helping both small and large businesses grow. He started a small business development program that works with entrepreneurs looking to launch and grow their enterprises, and served on the Economic Opportunity committee for Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner's transition team. Alex also spent years in the private sector helping businesses grow by entering into new markets, raising capital, and better understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Growing small businesses To improve entrepreneurs' ability to start and grow their businesses, Alex will partner with small business programs across the Houston area and make sure that Congress supports smaller, community-oriented banks—institutions that are more likely to lend to and build longer-term relationships with small businesses. Alex will work to ensure that our community's small businesses have the opportunity to benefit from:
Creating real, sustainable job growth that reflects the future of our economy
Flooding Our first priority must be to take an urgent approach to obtaining federal funding. Resources are critically needed to help rebuild the lives of the hundreds of thousands of Houstonians and Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey and by past major storms. We also need funding to make important progress with our infrastructure, including the following steps:
In addition, we can no longer rely on old and outdated models regarding the impact heavy rain and flooding will have on our city, with much of the damage in recent floods occurring outside of designated flood plains. We need new flooding policy based on more recent data. We should also take a more balanced, people-focused approach to new development. This includes providing homeowners and potential buyers with more resources to inform them of the risks of flooding in a given area. Lastly, we must acknowledge climate change’s role in exacerbating major weather events, incorporating its effects into our long-term planning and mitigating its role through the use of technology and other approaches. If we make investments, acknowledge the realities of flooding, and take a proactive approach involving collaboration among all levels of government, we can build a stronger, more sustainable economy and community. For the sake of all Houstonians, but especially for more vulnerable communities and for future generations, it is our responsibility to do so. Environment The recent decision by President Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord is a serious mistake that is bad for the environment and bad for business. In the coming decades, climate change is projected to cause economic damage in Harris County equal to up to 5% of our economy — and for some areas of Texas that figure is over 15%. Leading Texas energy companies have spoken out against this withdrawal. We cannot afford to miss the opportunity to create good jobs in the clean energy industry—which already employs nearly 200,000 Texans per year and is growing rapidly. We need strong leadership that will continue to grow this important sector of our economy and create good jobs for more Texans. Alex will fight to ensure that U.S. companies continue to develop clean energy technology and will also support our return to global leadership on the issue of climate change. We can create and maintain good jobs while reducing the harmful effects of climate change. Transportation and Infrastructure In Congress, Alex will push for forward-looking investments in transportation as well as other infrastructure plans that create the kind of system that will benefit the Houston area throughout the 21st century. He will also work to make sure that we are doing everything we can at the federal level to address flooding issues in the region. Increasing transportation options A strong, multi-modal transportation network that builds upon our successful light rail, high-occupancy vehicle lane, park-and-ride, and bus-related investments can provide Houstonians the mobility options they need while relieving some of the burden of car ownership and traffic for working families. Generating local infrastructure solutions The gas tax, traditionally the main revenue source for the federal transportation program, no longer comes close to paying for highway expenditures. In recent years, large transfers of general tax dollars have been necessary to keep the Highway Trust Fund afloat. Despite these infusions, Texans send more gas tax money to Washington than they get back in transportation funding, an unfair and unreasonable outcome for a growing state with acute mobility needs. This poorly serves Texas families who pay their fair share and is an issue Alex will address head-on in Congress. The federal government has an important role in funding the maintenance of the interstate highway system. However, Washington is not the right place to make decisions about how Houstonians move around our region. We should focus on infrastructure maintenance and on the development of other modes of transportation here at home so that the next generation of Houstonians can get around Houston more quickly and conveniently. In addition to transportation issues, Alex is committed to addressing flooding challenges. As the representative for TX-07, Alex will convene a task force of flooding victims and experts to develop solutions for improving our reservoir and drainage systems and devise additional improvements so that we can stop the disturbing trend of residents' lives being upended by major floods in the area. Healthcare Alex will work to make sure we all have access to quality and affordable health coverage from the first day of his first term in Congress. It is both the right thing to do morally and a smart investment in the health and well-being of our community. By controlling healthcare costs and fostering a sustainable health care system that is responsive to the needs of patients, we will save taxpayers money and improve the quality of care. In doing so, we will finally create a system that meets the standard that the American people deserve. We will also strengthen our economy and give entrepreneurs the freedom to create jobs and grow their businesses by reducing the severe fluctuations in healthcare costs that they face today. John Culberson and other House Republicans voted for a disastrous bill that would result in 23 million Americans losing their healthcare coverage, raise premiums in Texas by 78%, endanger protections for people with preexisting conditions, and do away with mandatory coverage for maternity care and preventive health services—all while implementing an age tax that would penalize seniors. Republicans in Washington have co-opted the word "choice" to try to sneak a tax cut for the rich by the American people. The Affordable Care Act provides coverage to millions more Americans, but improvements are needed to address root-cause challenges within the system. Alex will work tirelessly to address those challenges. Providing affordable coverage to all Americans Alex will work with leaders and experts across the political spectrum to explore all possible approaches to achieving affordable coverage for all Americans. Reducing costs and improving quality Our healthcare payment system is fragmented and inefficient. Currently, thousands of insurance plans have their own overhead and operational costs, and they do not coordinate to negotiate pricing and bring down costs for consumers. This lack of coordination contributes to higher prices, while still leaving consumers to face challenges related to quality and access. We must address the astronomical prices that continue to rise faster than wages and the cost of living. In addition to encouraging coordination, we can save billions of dollars for working families by implementing smart, patient-focused changes to our healthcare system. Potential examples include:
Increasing transparency We should increase information regarding price, quality, and other factors. We need to enable patients to make informed choices and to better understand where savings in healthcare spending can be achieved. We can do so by:
Immigration It is no secret that our immigration system is broken. Alex rejects President Trump's attempt to bar entire groups of people seeking better opportunities for themselves and their families from resettling in the United States based on arbitrary standards such as religion or nationality. Alex has spent years advocating for immigrants and connecting them to legal resources for themselves and their families as well as capital and technical assistance for those who want to start or grow small businesses. In addition, he led the Welcoming Houston Task Force, a citywide initiative that aims to make our community more welcoming to immigrant Houstonians to the benefit of everyone in the region. In Congress, Alex will fight for these ideals while representing one of the country's most diverse cities. We cannot take the economic impact of immigrants lightly. In recent years, nearly half of all Fortune 500 companies have been founded by immigrants or their children. Texas's 7th Congressional District boasts more than 11,000 immigrant entrepreneurs. Immigrants in the district pay $2 billion in taxes and have a total spending power of more than $6 billion. Most importantly, we should keep families together and make our communities safer. We must find ways to help immigrant children learn English, receive an education, and have access to a path to citizenship. We should also ensure that immigrants have stable family lives rather than a cloud of uncertainty hanging over them because of the constant threat of deportation for a friend or family member who has been a productive and upstanding member of society. In doing so, we'll also create safer communities, making it easier for law enforcement to do its job, since immigrants will feel comfortable reporting crimes and working as partners with law enforcement. We've seen far too many attempts to use fear to drive the immigration debate. In a changing economy and a changing world, we must develop smart policies that leverage immigration as a positive catalyst for economic growth rather than a threat, while letting law enforcement continue focusing on keeping communities safe. Women's health Protecting reproductive rights Increasing funding for preventive health and family planning services Reducing maternal mortality Higher education Congress should ensure that students know the true return-on-investment of post-secondary education options and take action to help those struggling with debt regain sound financial footing. We should make it easier for students and their families to gather good information on the performance of post-secondary programs by expanding efforts like the College Scorecard to include employment and long-term student outcomes. We should also ease the burden of those struggling with student loan debt by allowing individuals to refinance their debt at current interest rates—giving them the same flexibility they would have for a car loan or home mortgage. Social Security and Medicare K-12 Education Congress should foster and encourage programs with a proven record of success, including high-quality public, magnet, and non-profit charter programs with strong oversight. Congress should reject plans to cut public education funding. We should not divert tax dollars to private schools, many of which are not subject to the same accreditation and accountability standards as our nation's public schools. Congress should foster innovation at the state and local levels to transform education by supporting efforts such as increasing access to vocational pathways in high school or rethinking how traditional curricula prepare students for work. Most importantly, we need to ensure that students, parents, teachers, and communities that are served by public schools have input into our nation's education policies. "Early Childhood' Research shows that those who experience quality care and learning achieve better education, health, social, and economic outcomes throughout their lives. Children, families, and society as a whole are all better off as a result. Simply put, investing in our youngest children is a rare opportunity that is the right investment morally, economically, and for the competitive well-being of our nation. Congress should support the various systems that are available to parents of young children when families are vulnerable financially, balancing astronomically high childcare costs with budding careers. Paid family leave As a new father, Alex has recently taken part in the challenging but beautiful and rewarding period shortly after the birth of a child. This personal experience has highlighted the deeply disappointing fact that the U.S. is the only developed nation in the world without a federal paid family leave program. Alex would support federal legislation that would create a nationwide insurance program offering up to 12 weeks of parental leave with at least partial pay. Paid family leave benefits our families, our children, and our economy, while improving worker retention and thus reducing turnover costs for employers. We can no longer afford to lag behind the rest of the world on this important issue. High-quality, affordable childcare and preschool This change should be paired with quality improvement initiatives such as preschool development block grants and quality rating systems as well as technical assistance for childcare providers, so that our children can benefit from stimulating learning environments from the start. Community support for parents Congress should continue to support proven programs like these, in addition to experimenting with new, lower-cost ways to reach families at pediatric visits and in other relevant contexts during their children's earliest years Campaign finance and electoral reform Campaign finance reform The enormous influence of money in politics erodes the integrity of the democratic process both by unduly influencing policy decisions and by giving large corporations and the richest Americans undue influence over our country. These effects reduce citizens' confidence in our government. To mitigate these effects, we should take a comprehensive approach that closes the myriad loopholes that special interests and the ultra-wealthy have created to evade the spirit of campaign finance limits, including lobbying, Super PACs, independent expenditures, and candidate spending. Alex will fight to overturn the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision and address the extreme influence of money in politics by supporting a constitutional amendment that reins in outside spending and allows states and Congress to enforce campaign finance laws appropriately. This amendment should also include a mechanism to allow Congress to cap candidate self-financing. We have seen too many candidates spend too much of their own money to buy elections that should instead be contested on the strength of policy ideas and relevant experience. These self-contributions should be capped similarly to how we limit other campaign contributions. In addition, Alex supports the DISCLOSE Act, which would require "dark money" groups to disclose their donors and spending when they engage in political activity of any kind. We must also ensure that reforms do not create loopholes, a challenge that has limited past reform efforts. Gerrymandering When the goal of gerrymandering is to benefit the politicians drawing the map, elected officials represent disjointed communities. Independent redistricting commissions should fairly draw congressional and legislative maps with the goal of empowering voters, not politicians. Alex will always be an objective voice seeking solutions that benefit our democracy, not incumbent politicians or the party in power. Voting rights Every eligible American should be able to exercise their right to cast their ballot and have a say in the future of our country. We have seen repeated attempts to disenfranchise voters by making it harder for certain groups of Americans to vote. This cynical approach betrays our values as a democracy and makes it more difficult to craft effective policy solutions that solve real problems. Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled that Texas's voter ID law was designed to discriminate against lower-income and minority voters, instead of its claimed purpose of preventing voter fraud. We must fight against these types of dangerous efforts to discourage and exclude voters. Alex is also a proponent of states expanding early voting hours and polling locations and instituting automatic voter registration. [4] |
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| —Alex T for Congress[5] | ||
Recent news
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See also
- United States House of Representatives
- Texas' 7th Congressional District election, 2018
- Texas' 7th Congressional District
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Swarm of Texas Democrats vying for two Republican seats in U.S. House," May 3, 2017
- ↑ Alex T for Texas, "Issues," accessed January 28, 2018
- ↑ Alex Triantaphyllis for Congress, "About Alex," accessed February 10, 2018
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Alex T for Congress, "Issues," accessed February 16, 2018
