Katija Gruene

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Katija Gruene

Green Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Personal

Birthplace

Shreveport, LA

Religion

Eclectic spiritualist

Contact

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Katija Gruene (Green Party) (also known as Kat) ran for election to the Texas Railroad Commission. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Gruene completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Katija Gruene was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. She attended Mount Holyoke College and Grand Canyon University. Gruene’s career experience includes working as a substitute teacher and records clerk.

Elections

2020

See also: Texas Railroad Commissioner election, 2020

General election

General election for Texas Railroad Commission

James Wright defeated Chrysta Castañeda, Matt Sterett, and Katija Gruene in the general election for Texas Railroad Commission on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Wright (R)	53.0	5,831,263
		Chrysta Castañeda (D)	43.6	4,792,422
		Matt Sterett (L)	2.3	247,659
	Submit photo	Katija Gruene (G)	1.2	129,638

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,000,982
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for Texas Railroad Commission

Chrysta Castañeda defeated Roberto Alonzo in the Democratic primary runoff for Texas Railroad Commission on July 14, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chrysta Castañeda	62.0	579,698
		Roberto Alonzo	38.0	355,053

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 934,751
= 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 Railroad Commission

Chrysta Castañeda and Roberto Alonzo advanced to a runoff. They defeated Kelly Stone and Mark Watson in the Democratic primary for Texas Railroad Commission on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chrysta Castañeda	33.8	598,638
✔		Roberto Alonzo	28.7	506,748
		Kelly Stone	21.7	383,453
		Mark Watson	15.8	279,911

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,768,750
= 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 Railroad Commission

James Wright defeated incumbent Ryan Sitton in the Republican primary for Texas Railroad Commission on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Wright	55.3	991,593
		Ryan Sitton	44.7	801,904

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,793,497
= 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.

Green convention

Green convention for Texas Railroad Commission

Katija Gruene advanced from the Green convention for Texas Railroad Commission on April 18, 2020.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Katija Gruene (G)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
= 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.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Texas Railroad Commission

Matt Sterett defeated Charlie Stevens in the Libertarian convention for Texas Railroad Commission on August 3, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Matt Sterett (L)
		Charlie Stevens (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= 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

Katija Gruene completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gruene's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have been an organizer and facilitator of various progressive political agendas and organizations since returning to TX in 1999. I've worked on voters rights, including secure and accurate voting mechanisms, ballot access for third parties and independent candidates, public financing of city council and mayoral campaigns, Global Warming issues like public transportation, water protection, shutting down old dirty coal plants, and preventing new nuclear plant builds, ending poverty through Guaranteed Basic Income, obtaining quality Medicare for all that includes more than just allopathic medicine, and dismantling the systems of oppression institutionalized in our existing political and governmental institutions. I've also worked for Fair Trade agreements and against Free Trade - NAFTA/CAFTA/FTAA, etc. I am a trained facilitator for consensus based meetings and have done such for myriad organizations, groups, and coalitions. Creating a sustainable & non-oppressive culture where the government is decentralized and communities have control, but also have to consider the impact on surrounding communities and the environment that sustains our lives - a system that is outside the profit driven economic model that has created and maintains our classist system of oppression of the people. This is the fundamental goal of my life's work.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• cap abandoned wells
• end fracking & flaring
• no new pipelines

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

environmental justice

electoral reform

guaranteed basic income as a transitionary step toward a new economy

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

This office is unique and important because the Railroad Commission regulates the oil & gas industries as well as coal and uranium extraction. This agency is supposed to be a consumer protection agency, but it has become an industry protection agency.

This is ground zero for Climate Justice - it starts at extraction.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Books: Ecotopia, anything on Guaranteed Basic Income

Essays/website: BlackBoxVoting.org; rangevoting.org, electionscience.org

film: Unbought and Unbossed, Toys

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

honesty - ability to say one does not know something and be open to learning

equity
future focus
sustainability
courage
independence from monied interests

social responsibility

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am not afraid of the powers that be, despite the death threats and blacklisting. I have connections to myriad organizations that actually do the advocacy that this office is directed to do. I understand the complexities of the state statutes and legislative process. I have ethical code that requires environmental justice. I know how to coordinate and manage projects to completion, and the tenacity for those that take 20years to complete ( like ending straight party voting).

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

to ensure the people and planet are protected from the industries the RRC regulates

What legacy would you like to leave?

Creating a sustainable & non-oppressive culture where the government is decentralized and communities have control, but also has to consider the impact on surrounding communities and the environment that sustains our lives - a system that is outside the profit driven economic model that has created and maintains our classist system of oppression of the people. This is the fundamental goal of my life's work.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

working the kitchen in college for work-study - one school year

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Fifth Sacred Thing - it shows the difficulty in movement from an oppressive system to one of equity in a post-capitalistic world, along with the joys of achieving that transition.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Wonder Woman of course

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Freedom - Wham! (after watching Grand Army)

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Being an anticapitalist and a woman in a patriarchal capitalist system.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Protecting the environment and the impact on the people from not protecting the environment from the extractive fossil fuel industries.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Most everyone thinks this office regulates the RailRoads. They no longer do that and solely regulate the extraction of coal, uranium, and the oil and gas industries. it is intentional that the name has not been changed to reflect the position accurately.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

no. It is more beneficial in this office if those in it have experience with standing up to the oil, gas, coal, and nuclear industries, and with environmental impacts of those industries. This office is supposed to serve the communities impacted by those industries. Politics just gets in the way of their mission. However, on the other side, one must also know how to work the legislative sessions to ensure regulations are not weakened and are strengthened. This is not that difficult to learn though. There are plenty of Environmental Lobbyists who can be relied on to provide such education to those who are not already aware.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

A strong backbone and willingness to stand strong against big monied interests. Skills in running meetings and following process to empower those affected by the decisions of the Commission. A Strong understanding of Environmental Justice is key.

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.

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