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Bill Brannon
Bill Brannon (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 2. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Elections
2020
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 2
Bryan Slaton defeated Bill Brannon in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bryan Slaton (R) | 81.3 | 63,074 |
| Bill Brannon (D) | 18.7 | 14,514 | ||
| Total votes: 77,588 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary runoff election
Republican primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 2
Bryan Slaton defeated incumbent Dan Flynn in the Republican primary runoff for Texas House of Representatives District 2 on July 14, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bryan Slaton | 61.1 | 9,772 |
 | Dan Flynn | 38.9 | 6,229 | |
| Total votes: 16,001 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 2
Bill Brannon advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 2 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Bill Brannon | 100.0 | 4,408 | |
| Total votes: 4,408 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 2
Incumbent Dan Flynn and Bryan Slaton advanced to a runoff. They defeated Dwayne Collins in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 2 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dan Flynn | 44.8 | 12,246 |
| ✔ | | Bryan Slaton | 36.1 | 9,889 |
 | Dwayne Collins | 19.1 | 5,223 | |
| Total votes: 27,358 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2018
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 2
Incumbent Dan Flynn defeated Bill Brannon in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 2 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dan Flynn (R) | 80.0 | 45,843 |
| Bill Brannon (D) | 20.0 | 11,432 | ||
| Total votes: 57,275 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 2
Bill Brannon advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 2 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Bill Brannon | 100.0 | 2,178 | |
| Total votes: 2,178 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 2
Incumbent Dan Flynn defeated Bryan Slaton in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 2 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dan Flynn | 51.7 | 11,803 |
| Bryan Slaton | 48.3 | 11,013 | |
| Total votes: 22,816 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Bill Brannon did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Bill Brannon completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Brannon's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Education, Health Care, Fixing State Agencies
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Public Education: It's our future and currently in Texas it is not being properly financed which has having numerous bad results. Property owners are being over taxed. Educators are not being properly compensated. Kids are not getting their best opportunity to achieve their God given potential. Health Care: Our failure to expand Medicare under the ACA is a failure of governance. This action keeps hundreds of thousands of Texans uninsured, has resulted in the closing of 18 rural hospitals, left a hundred billion of our tax dollars on the table losing several hundred billion of economic development. State Agencies: Our under funded Child Protective Services is not protecting children, our Juvenile Justice system is a train wreck, our Health and Human Services agency is but corrupt and incompetent.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
I've had the privilege of working for a number of elected officials on both sides of the state capitol and the U. S. House and would be proud to follow any of them. There are also aspects of a great many other leaders that I admire, Ann Richards, Walter Mondale and LLoyd Bentsen to name three of a long list.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
Caro's series on LBJ or The Grapes Of Wrath by Steinbeck.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Empathy and integrity.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
In every position I've held one of my responsibilities was to deal with local officials and individuals on both policy and case work. I know how governmental actions impact local communities and individual families and I understand the consequences of those actions.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
To use the tools at their disposal to do the best they can for their constituents every day an to improve those tools when the get the opportunity.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I did everything I could to help our kids, our communities and our state prosper. That I did it respectfully and without malice towards others. That I encouraged young people to get involved.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
I was about 5 miles from the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham when the Klan bombed it. Four young girls about my age (13) were killed and many others badly hurt. I know the language that the Governor and Police Commissioner were using about integration. They didn't plant the bomb or light the fuse but they sure didn't snuff it out either. It showed me how much words matter and that when we start talking about others as something other than people we're courting bad things.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I had a lot of different jobs when I was going through school and didn't keep any of them very long. My first real job after college was as a political consultant--I still have it.
What happened on your most awkward date?
It's been a long time and while I'm sure I had some I don't remember much. When I first moved to Texas my parents and a couple they were friends with sent me and their daughter to a Texas/OU game. It wasn't really awkward we just had nothing in common and were only there because of them. There was no second date.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Christmas and then Thanksgiving. I actually enjoy my family.
What is your favorite book? Why?
The Caro series on LBJ. It taught me a lot about a character I'm interested in
If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?
Pretty much any Grisham lawyer.
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
My dogs. They're friendly and we enjoy each other.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
For What It's Worth by Buffalo Springfield.
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
I don't cope particularly well with grief and loosing loved ones has been very hard.
Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
It has not always been this way but at this moment the Senate is more single directed and ideologically oriented while the house members in general are more representative of their individual constituencies.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
I think all experience is useful but I think it's quite important to know how government impacts people, where to get information you can trust and how the legislature works.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Improving and properly funding education at all levels. Dealing with growth and infrastructure demands. Being sure our citizens have access to affordable quality health care.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
Both the Governor and the legislature should come forward with their agenda and they should work together to resolve the state's most important issues.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
It's absolutely important to build relationships with other legislators. Firsts, in a one hundred and fifty member body you better be able to work with others if you wish to accomplish anything. Second, we should be looking at the substance of ideas more than the source and relationships matter.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
Non-partisan commission.
If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?
I would like to serve on Appropriations because it gives you the opportunity to promote your district. I would like to serve on Calendars because in Texas it gives you the opportunity to interact with others and encourage them to help with your issues. I would like to serve on Recreational Resources because I appreciate the issue they deal with.
If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?
No. I'm interested in influencing my parties direction and seeing it prosper but not in leadership.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
As I said earlier I've worked for a number of legislators who served their constituents well and built relationships across the aisle. I would be proud to follow any of them
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
No.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
I and every legislator or member of congress I worked for have listened to and seen far too many families suffer from being unable to obtain or afford healthcare for their loved ones. Some have been elderly, some in the prime of life and some babies. We've seen too much heartache, put too much money in mason jars asking for help and drafted too many memorial resolutions. We can do better.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
