Texas House of Representatives District 17 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Texas, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Texas House of Representatives District 17 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Texas House of Representatives District 17

Stan Gerdes defeated Madeline Eden and Linda Curtis in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 17 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stan Gerdes (R)	64.2	39,092
		Madeline Eden (D)	31.9	19,404
		Linda Curtis (Independent)	3.9	2,388

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 60,884
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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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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?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Make growth pay for itself and harness property appraisals gone wild.

Keep our water local -- audit and cut back Vista Ridge, the San Antone Hose.

End giveaways to corporate interests as they destroy our land and water future.

Madeline Eden (D)

Improved Healthcare for Texans - A healthy community benefits us all. Unfortunately, between 15 and 20% of all citizens do not have health insurance in towns across District 17. This number has increased in the past four years. Those of us who do have insurance often see increasing premiums charged by for-profit, publicly traded insurance companies. These are unacceptable realities in the unprecedented times we live in, exacerbated further by a global pandemic. Now is the time to embrace science-based preventative medicine, including an expansion of mental health benefits, substance abuse treatment, and trauma prevention care.

Educational Opportunity for Texas Children - Even though Texas is one of America’s richest states, it scores 36th in spending per student. We have high turnover rates for teachers, and one of the lowest graduation rates in the country. Texans built this economy. We deserve to offer great schools and amazing opportunities for all of our kids.

Environmental Policies that Protect Our Communities - Energy companies are important, but they shouldn’t be able to use their lawyers and lobbyists to bully everyday Texans. Nobody wants a pipeline running through their backyard, or a toxic waste dump near their kids’ schools. We don’t want to lose our homes due to the devastating floods caused by climate change. No Texan should get a disease because of a company’s careless policies. We shouldn’t watch as our property values and communities are crushed because we didn’t have the big lawyers to fight them.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

--Secure an independent review of how growth challenges our electric grid.

--Open up Texas elections to electoral competition -- to more than two choices! --Harnessing appraisals gone wild.

I am running as an unaffiliated independent candidate. All independents are long shots. But ever since Ross Perot's 1992 lightning bolt presidential campaign, the American people have increasingly identified as independents.

Many voters -- from all parties and persuasions -- are telling me how disgusted they are by all the fighting over issues they think government should keep its nose out of. They don’t want government telling them how to live their lives.

I couldn’t agree more. But then, you (we) have to decide just what is the proper role of government in these times.

I favor a holistic look at some very complex questions to understand the function of government. For me, that begins with everyone following the same rules and having everyone at the table, not just the high rollers who are funding -- to the teeth -- my GOP opponent.

Madeline Eden (D)

As a resident of Bastrop County, I'm very passionate about disaster and pandemic response. I'm someone who works on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic every day, and I've also witnessed some of the worst wildfires in Texas history from my own backyard. I know what it means to live in the shadow of extreme climate events and public health emergencies. I want to bring that knowledge and experience to our state legislature and help ensure that Texans will be better prepared for the future.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Lenora Fulani, as the first woman and African American to get on the ballot for President in all 50 states in 1988.

Also, Ross Perot for being the imperfect insurgent and one of the funniest and most brilliant independents in US History.

Also, Mark Cuban as an innovator, shark for democracy, and for busting Big Pharma's chops with his new company, Cost Plus Drugs.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Essay: "Those Who Make the Rules Rule" by Professor Omar Ali

"Bulworth" - the film with Warren Beatty.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Honesty, backbone and non-partisanship.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

I know how to work with people from a variety of backgrounds/perspectives as I've been doing cross-partisan organization building for decades. I'm also versed on a range of policy issues that are of great import to Texas at this time.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Responsiveness to their constituents, as in ANSWERING THE PHONE and emails, and putting industry lobbyists at the end of the line.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

That I helped open up and clean up Texas politics.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

The Kennedy Assassination: 12 years old.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

A "Kelly Girl" - a temporary office assistant. 2 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

"Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop" by Lee Drutman

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Glenda-the Good Witch

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

"You Must Believe in Spring" by Tony Bennett

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Money--like most everyone else.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

The ideal relationship is the governor and legislature work together as a team, across party lines. Fat chance in a 2-party system!

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

For the last decade, the policies of a long-time incumbent governor, Rick Perry, has practically-speaking, locked in the failure of basic infrastructure to meet the needs of citizens. That's because too many people are moving here too fast, thanks to the policies of Rick Perry. I've laid this out in detail on my solutions page, something candidates never do. The citizens deserve real policy answers. https://www.linda4lege.org/solutions

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Nebraska seems to do fine, but they are a very low-population state. But I haven't studied this, because this isn't going to happen in TX.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Yes. But it shouldn't be a requirement.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Of course. Just not to the point of creating conflicts of interest.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

End gerrymandering in favor of redistricting by independent, non-partisan

redistricting commissions or a panel of retired judges. (I played a leading role in getting the one, unfortunately only, independent citizens redistricting

commission in Texas established in the City of Austin via petition in 2012.)

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Natural Resources; Elections; Business and Industry.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

N/A

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Kel Seliger and Ana-Maria Ramos.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

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?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

An 80-year old man, on his knees, crying because his well went dry.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Linda Curtis (Independent)

"Never wrestle a pig; you will both get dirty, and the pig likes it." - Jim Hightower

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Yes, it shouldn't just be up to the governor.

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

Linda Curtis (Independent)

Of course, I'm an independent. The question is always, "do we have to split the baby?" Without third and even additional viewpoints, and in a 2-party system, we are increasingly forced to split the baby. We have to have a multi-party system to bring new ideas into the process. This is becoming so obvious to people; that you see more and more people identifying as independent voters. But where are their candidates? Mostly...OFF the ballot, as my Republican opponent tried to do to me in his failed litigation.

See also

More about these elections:

• Texas House of Representatives elections, 2022

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