Ernie Beltz, Jr.
Ernie Beltz, Jr. was a 2012 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 25th Congressional District of Texas.
Biography
Beltz served as the Veterans Employment Program Manager for the United States Department of Treasury. In that position he worked promoting employment opportunities for veterans and veterans’ employment initiatives. He developed the agency's first operating plan and numerous inter-agency partnerships relating to the recruitment and retention of veterans in the federal government.
Beltz enlisted into the United States Marine Corps in October 2001. Among his commendations are the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Beltz left active duty in January 2006, and became a small business owner in Austin. In early 2008, he returned to public service as a member of the Commissioner’s staff at the Internal Revenue Service. In 2009 Beltz founded the nonprofit organization, Warrior Transition Project to develop programs to assist transitioning service members, veterans and their families during the transition from military to civilian life.
Campaign themes
2012
Beltz's campaign website listed the following issues:[1]
- Job Creation
- Excerpt: "The United States has the second highest corporate tax rate among developed countries. Too many jobs have been moved overseas to save money and avoid costly taxation. It’s time we fight for a competitive tax structure for international corporations owned by Americans, and encourage businesses to bring jobs home from overseas."
- Small Business
- Excerpt: "Small business represents 99 percent of all companies in America and employs more than 50 percent of the private sector workforce. The opportunity to build personal wealth and own a business should be within reach of all Americans. In fact, at this moment, one in ten Americans are taking active steps to build a new business."
- Debt and Spending
- Excerpt: "Our national debt has soared to well over 15 trillion dollars – more than 48 thousand dollars per household. We need new leadership in Washington to get our country back on track. It is time our leaders are held accountable for their spending. I will fight for transparency across government, so we know where our money is going."
- National Defense
- Excerpt: "We have seen the impact of terrorism both here at home and around the world. Our country must maintain a strong military to protect against threats both foreign and domestic. The United States military is the leading military power in the world. It must remain strong, ready and capable of responding to our nation`s needs at a moment’s notice."
- Veterans and Families
- Excerpt: "Our government must provide transitioning service members and their families the tools and resources necessary to succeed upon returning to civilian life. More than 14 percent of all homeless in Texas are veterans. Our country cannot allow veterans to become unemployed or homeless. I will develop partnerships within our government and in our local communities to help homeless veterans get off of the street."
- Education
- Excerpt: "Children are the future of our country, and they deserve the best education possible. Since there isn’t a one-size fits all approach to education, control of education should be returned to the states. While federal funding is necessary for schools to succeed, burdensome and costly regulations must be eliminated."
- Immigration
- Excerpt: "Comprehensive immigration reform is needed now to ensure the safety of our borders and integrity of our laws. Our government has ignored this problem for too long putting our borders and country at risk. The immigration process needs to be simplified so those who wish to pursue the American dream can do so legally."
Elections
2012
Beltz ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Texas' 25th District. He was defeated by Wes Riddle and Roger Williams in the Republican primary on May 29, 2012.[2]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 Roger Williams |
25.1% | 12,894 |
| Wes Riddle |
14.6% | 7,481 |
| Justin Hewlett | 12% | 6,178 |
| Dave Garrison | 11.9% | 6,133 |
| Michael Williams | 10.5% | 5,392 |
| Dianne Costa | 9.4% | 4,810 |
| Brian Matthews | 3.6% | 1,824 |
| Charlie Holcomb | 3.3% | 1,690 |
| Chad Wilbanks | 3.1% | 1,593 |
| Bill Burch | 3.1% | 1,575 |
| James Dillon | 2.3% | 1,174 |
| Ernie Beltz, Jr. | 1.2% | 596 |
| Total Votes | 51,340 | |
Campaign finance summary
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External links
- Official Campaign website
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Facebook page
- Twitter feed
- YouTube channel
Footnotes
