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Chris Watt

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Chris Watt
Image of Chris Watt
Elections and appointments
Last election

November 5, 2019

Education

Bachelor's

University of Southern Mississippi

Law

The University of Texas

Personal
Profession
Attorney
Contact

Chris Watt (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 148. He lost in the special general election on November 5, 2019.

Biography

Watt earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1994 and his JD from The University of Texas School of Law in 2001. His professional experience includes working as a lawyer. Watt has been affiliated with the Children at Risk Board of Directors and has served as a member of Lamda Legal's Houston Leadership Committee.[1]

Elections

2019

See also: Texas state legislative special elections, 2019

General runoff election

Special general runoff election for Texas House of Representatives District 148

Anna Eastman defeated Luis LaRotta in the special general runoff election for Texas House of Representatives District 148 on January 28, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Anna Eastman
Anna Eastman (D)
 
65.4
 
4,544
Image of Luis LaRotta
Luis LaRotta (R)
 
34.6
 
2,399

Total votes: 6,943
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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General election

Special general election for Texas House of Representatives District 148

The following candidates ran in the special general election for Texas House of Representatives District 148 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Anna Eastman
Anna Eastman (D)
 
20.3
 
4,212
Image of Luis LaRotta
Luis LaRotta (R)
 
15.8
 
3,282
Adrian P. Garcia (D)
 
12.1
 
2,496
Image of Ryan McConnico
Ryan McConnico (R)
 
10.8
 
2,228
Image of Michele Leal
Michele Leal (D) Candidate Connection
 
9.1
 
1,885
Image of Penny Morales Shaw
Penny Morales Shaw (D)
 
8.0
 
1,652
Image of Chris Watt
Chris Watt (D)
 
6.2
 
1,284
Image of Chris Carmona
Chris Carmona (Independent)
 
4.4
 
910
Image of Kendra Yarbrough Camarena
Kendra Yarbrough Camarena (D) Candidate Connection
 
3.9
 
818
Image of Rob Block
Rob Block (D)
 
3.3
 
679
Anna Nunez (D)
 
1.9
 
388
Image of Carol Denson
Carol Denson (D) Candidate Connection
 
1.6
 
334
Image of Alva Trevino
Alva Trevino (D)
 
1.5
 
317
Image of Mia Mundy
Mia Mundy (D) Candidate Connection
 
0.7
 
136
Terah Isaacson (D)
 
0.4
 
90

Total votes: 20,711
Candidate Connection = 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

2019

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Chris Watt did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Watt's campaign website stated the following:

Issues

  • Education
  • Increase education funding for our students: As your state representative, I will work diligently to increase education funding. Over the past decade, the legislature has continued to reduce its portion of education funding, placing the burden on local tax payers. We saw some positive movement on increasing education funding last legislative with the passage of HB3. I will work to ensure that we not only maintain but build on those funding increases. Without adequate funding we’ll never be able to provide for the smaller class sizes and improved student-teacher ratios that are critical to a quality education.
  • Improve teacher pay: We must recruit and retain the best teachers to educate our children. That starts with improving teacher pay. We made some headway this past legislative session, but we have a long way to go. We must also ensure that our retired teachers receive pensions that reflect rising costs of living. Educators have paid their fair share into the Teacher Retirement System with the promise that their wellbeing will be safeguarded. I will defend and protect the integrity of this system once elected.
  • High quality early childhood education: TEA estimates that only 47% of Texas children are ready for kindergarten upon entering elementary school. If we are really serious about improving educational outcomes in this state, we have to be laser focused on high quality early childhood education. As your state representative, I will work to expand child care to more working families and will prioritize investment in child care workers, including higher wages and more training.
  • Safety
  • Sensible gun control: Our children deserve more than “thoughts and prayers.” Our children deserve more than empty rhetoric. It is long past time that we implement sensible gun policies. The overwhelming majority of Texans agree that we need universal background checks and comprehensive red flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a danger to themselves or others. We must also work to close the loopholes on private sales and gun shows. As your representative, I will reach across to the aisle to make sure that we pass this legislation to ensure the safety and well-being of all Texans.
  • Stop human trafficking money and help victims: Politicians have talked a good game on human trafficking in Texas for a decade. Yet, the problem is growing and the money keeps flowing. Let's go after the business side of human trafficking and actually invest in services for victims. Governor Abbott just vetoed a bill that would have provided protection and increased services for victims. I will bring that legislation back to floor next session.
  • Healthcare
  • Fix healthcare and reduce costs: Many families are paying more while access to care continues to drop. The Texas Legislature has chosen to reject federal money and increase the cost of healthcare in Texas. Consequently, Texas has the largest uninsured population in the nation. As your state representative, I will work to pass legislation that will reduce costs while increasing access to care.
  • Protect women’s reproductive rights: In 1973, the Supreme Court declared that women have a constitutional right to their reproductive rights. Over the past several decades, the legislature has worked to restrict a woman’s right to choose. I promise to protect a woman’s liberty to choose and will work to ensure the state respects the decision handed down in Roe V. Wade.
  • Equality
  • End discrimination and ensure equal protection under the law: As your state representative, I will work tirelessly to prevent the passage of hateful and discriminatory legislation. More than a dozen anti-LGBT bills were filed last session, but thanks to the hard work of Democrats and the LGBTQ Caucus, only one of those bills passed. I look forward to joining members of the Caucus in continuing the fight for equality for all Texans.[2]
—Chris Watt’s campaign website (2019)[3]

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on September 13, 2019
  2. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. Chris Watt’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 16, 2019


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Hubert Vo (D)
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