Steve Keough

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

Steve Keough

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, 1977

Graduate

Catholic University of America, 1983

Law

Boston College Law School, 1987

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Navy

Years of service

1973 - 2004

Personal

Birthplace

Newton, Mass.

Religion

Christian: Catholic

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Steve Keough (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Texas. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 5, 2024.

Keough completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Steve Keough was born in Newton, Massachusetts. Keough served in the U.S. Navy from 1973 to 2004. He earned a bachelor's degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1977, a master's degree in congressional studies from the Catholic University of America in 1983, and a law degree from Boston College Law School in 1987.

His career experience includes working as a captain in the U.S. Navy, as an attorney, and as a law professor. As of his 2024 run for U.S. Senate, Keough was affiliated with the following organizations:

• Texas American Federation of Teachers
• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• Licensing Executives Society
• National Rifle Association Lifetime Member
• U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association

Elections

2024

See also: United States Senate election in Texas, 2024

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Texas

Incumbent Ted Cruz defeated Colin Allred, Ted Brown, Analisa Roche, and Tracy Andrus in the general election for U.S. Senate Texas on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ted Cruz (R)	53.1	5,990,741
		Colin Allred (D)	44.6	5,031,249
		Ted Brown (L)	2.4	267,039
		Analisa Roche (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	1,906
		Tracy Andrus (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	919

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,291,854
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Dan McQueen (Independent)
• Mason Cysewski (G)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Colin Allred	58.9	569,585
		Roland Gutierrez	16.6	160,978
		Mark A. Gonzalez	8.8	85,228
		Meri Gomez	4.6	44,166
		Carl Sherman Sr.	3.3	31,694
		Ahmad Hassan	2.3	21,855
		Steve Keough	2.3	21,801
	Submit photo	Heli Rodriguez Prilliman	1.9	18,801
		Thierry Tchenko	1.4	13,395

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 967,503
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Zachariah Manning (D)
• Aaron Arguijo (D)
• Soren Pendragon (D)
• John Love III (D)
• Sherri Taylor (D)
• Victor D. Dunn (D)
• Tracy Andrus (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Texas

Incumbent Ted Cruz defeated Holland Gibson and Rufus Lopez in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Texas on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ted Cruz	88.3	1,977,961
	Submit photo	Holland Gibson	6.0	134,011
	Submit photo	Rufus Lopez	5.7	127,986

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,239,958
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Cody Andrews (R)
• Carlos Garza (R)
• Josiah Ingalls (R)
• Montgomery Markland (R)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. Senate Texas

Ted Brown advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. Senate Texas on April 14, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Ted Brown (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.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Keough in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Steve Keough completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Keough'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.

Steve is a retired Navy Captain (Submariner). He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, then earned a Masters degree in Congressional Studies and a law degree (JD).

He currently teaches law at a law school in San Antonio, Texas.

--- He has been a part of the pro-democracy movement worldwide. --- In January 1979 he chartered a plane and rescued Americans and other personnel and their families when the Shah fell in Tehran, Iran. --- His father was one of the hostages in Iran, taken in November 1979.

---Steve has done Intellectual property law in China and sailed with the Taiwanese Navy. He speaks Mandarin.

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?

• Immigration & Border Issues: We have a Responsibility to keep the U.S. safe and a Duty of care to immigrants
• Body Autonomy IS A BASIC RIGHT and IS HEALTH CARE: All U.S. citizens have a basic right to healthcare
• Veterans' Rights are a Moral Imperative: We MUST do better by our veterans!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Steve Keough is personally passionate about immigration and border issues, healthcare for all, including body autonomy and veterans rights. He is a true progressive democrat and has spent his life fighting for pro-democracy movements around the world.

On his website you will find a longer list of issues that he is fighting for today, such as LGBTQIA rights, human trafficking, foreign policy, gun safety, national security, trade, jobs, infrastructure, solidarity with unions, climate change and quality educational access for all.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

There are many great leaders, but one leader he particularly looks up to is President Lyndon B. Johnson, whom Steve met in the White House at the age of 9. President Johnson was initially a teacher, and in many ways he gave hope to all people. Steve believes in the framework of equality that was advocated by President Johnson's efforts in voting rights and education.

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

Steve believes the most important characteristic for a leader is empathy. No leader can personally have every experience, but when people tell them about their pains, sufferings and aspirations, a good leader not only listens, but hears what is being said, and is able to translate that into actionable policy.

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

Steve Keough has accumulated a lifetime of experience serving this nation. He has worked on behalf of the pro-democracy movement in other countries. He learned Mandarin Chinese in order to be able to work with the peoples of a region that is essential to the future of the world. He has served, as a civilian, appointed by multiple Presidents on the global Nuclear Threat Assessment. He currently works on intellectual property issues, which affect global trade and the maintaining of good American jobs. As a teacher, he is helping to train the next generation of lawyers. As a father of four daughters, he is an empathetic listener, a champion for equal rights and a strong proponent of body autonomy. He has visited many of the countries from which people are fleeing to come to our border. He has also made the effort and visited people in the refugee/asylum camps in Mexico, and heard their tragic and often horrific stories. As a Veteran, he continues to fight for the rights of those who have served and their families. He has a Master's Degree in Congressional Studies, and takes this job very seriously. Steve is uniquely qualified to not only be a Senator, but especially to represent the great state of Texas.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

As a young paperboy, Steve remembers reading the daily tragic headlines about the Vietnam War.

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

When he was 8 years old, Steve Keough was an early morning paper boy for the Burlington Free Press (VT) and delivered papers for 3 years. After the Naval Academy, his first job was as a submarine officer assigned to the nuclear submarine USS Sam Houston (SSBN-609). He served as a Strategic Weapons Officer for 2 years.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Over the next 10 years, United States hegemony is most threatened by the rise of Fascism globally, and an expansionist China. In his lifetime, Steve Keough has spent time serving with the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy, and as an Intellectual Property lawyer, who has trained Chinese lawyers in the modern global intellectual property system. Steve learned to speak Mandarin in High School and at the Naval Academy, and therefore understands not only the language, but also the Chinese culture. As a military officer, and as a civilian who worked on National Threat Assessment Matters, appointed by President Bill Clinton and continued under President George W. Bush, Steve has seen The People's Republic of China (PRC) becoming more confident in it's abilities to wield power globally.

Fascism is not just a word used to recall tyrants of the past. Modern world leaders are currently pursuing anti-democratic, fascist ideals, including a consolidation of power taken from the people and given to political cronies. President Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine is not the only example around the world of our need to constantly be vigilant and protective of democracies. Steve spent several years doing pro-democracy work in
Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and has seen first hand the dangers of the rise in fascism.

And yet, the sleeping giant may be climate change.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Steve Keough believes that term limits already exist; they are called elections. Ironically, with "term limits", the electorate loses its voice. Professional staff spends a career helping elected officials. Every time a new official is elected, senior staff comes in to advise them. Imagine a world where senior level staff has more influence over policy than the elected officials. This can be how democracy loses it representation.

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The Senate is designed to be the deliberative body in our democratic form of government. The perspective gained through the experiences of a lifetime is an important attribute of United States Senators. In fact, Senators who have represented the United States best, over time, are often referred to as senior statesmen/stateswomen of our Republic.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for senators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It is beneficial, but Steve believes it is most important for Senators to have pursued career paths their entire lives filled with service and a thoughtful advancement of American ideals. Being a Senator is not a consolation prize after a failed career in another industry. It is important that members of this deliberative body should reach this as a pinnacle of a career spent learning and living history, so that they can integrate this knowledge into a vision for the future of America.

What do you think of the filibuster?

Like Robert's Rules of Order, the filibuster is one of the tools within the deliberative process that is neither good or bad in and of itself. Who wields this tool and when they decide not to use the tool is part of the strategy of working within the bounds of the democratic process.

Is there a particular senator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

As a young boy, Steve Keough lived in Burlington, VT, where his father was the superintendent of schools who worked closely with a young, up and coming democrat named Pat Leahy. After serving in several local elected positions, Pat became the Senator from Vermont. Steve followed his career, and admired the Senator's work on the Senate Agriculture and Judiciary committees. Leahy's life-long dedication to the Constitution and his focus on fairly representing the ideals of the Constitution, especially in his oversight of judicial nominations and the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, were inspirational to Steve's career. Steve led a career of service and eventually became a lawyer defending the Constitution in his own way.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Ted Cruz.

How would you evaluate a judicial nominee?

Assuming the appointee is highly qualified and respected by his/her peers, a President should be allowed to nominate the people they choose for the position because elections matter.

What kind of relationships would you build with other senators?

The U.S. Senate was meant to be the deliberative body by the Constitution. It is important to make and maintain as many relationships as possible in order to be able to discuss issues in a civil and productive manner.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Steve believes that engagement and finding common ground with other Senators is an essential element to Democracy and good governance. Sometimes, when "getting to Yes," the wins come incrementally, and sometimes the opposition claims a few wins on their own along the way, and that is okay.

How should the U.S. Senate use its investigative powers?

The investigative powers of Congress are an essential part of the checks and balances built into the U.S. Constitution. "Investigative Powers" are a tool used by Congress in order to have oversight of the government and to ensure that laws are being followed and resources of the government are being used wisely.

What criteria would you apply when deciding whether to confirm presidential appointees to their Cabinet?

Assuming the appointee is highly qualified and respected by their peers, a President should be allowed to nominate the people they choose for the position because elections matter.

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.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Steve Keough campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. Senate Texas	Lost primary	$28,693	$29,040
Grand total			$28,693	$29,040
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

2024 Elections

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Newsletters

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External links

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Candidate

U.S. Senate Texas

Website

Facebook

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Footnotes

[show]

Texas' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

John Cornyn (R)

Ted Cruz (R)

Representatives

District 1

Nathaniel Moran (R)

District 2

Daniel Crenshaw (R)

District 3

Keith Self (R)

District 4

Pat Fallon (R)

District 5

Lance Gooden (R)

District 6

Jake Ellzey (R)

District 7

Lizzie Fletcher (D)

District 8

Morgan Luttrell (R)

District 9

Al Green (D)

District 10

Michael McCaul (R)

District 11

August Pfluger (R)

District 12

Craig Goldman (R)

District 13

Ronny Jackson (R)

District 14

Randy Weber (R)

District 15

Monica De La Cruz (R)

District 16

Veronica Escobar (D)

District 17

Pete Sessions (R)

District 18

Vacant

District 19

Jodey Arrington (R)

District 20

Joaquin Castro (D)

District 21

Chip Roy (R)

District 22

Troy Nehls (R)

District 23

Tony Gonzales (R)

District 24

Beth Van Duyne (R)

District 25

Roger Williams (R)

District 26

Brandon Gill (R)

District 27

Michael Cloud (R)

District 28

Henry Cuellar (D)

District 29

Sylvia Garcia (D)

District 30

Jasmine Crockett (D)

District 31

John Carter (R)

District 32

Julie Johnson (D)

District 33

Marc Veasey (D)

District 34

Vicente Gonzalez (D)

District 35

Greg Casar (D)

District 36

Brian Babin (R)

District 37

Lloyd Doggett (D)

District 38

Wesley Hunt (R)

Republican Party (27)

Democratic Party (12)

Vacancies (1)