State Rep. Debbie Riddle (House District 150) hasn’t faced a Republican opponent since her initial run in 2002, a fact she attributes directly to her performance on the job.

“A large part of what I do is about legislation,” Riddle said, “but a bigger part is serving people. I feel I have done that well.”

Riddle will face-off against another Republican for the first time as an incumbent during the March primary. Spring insurance salesman James Wilson has filed to run against Riddle, claiming that she focuses too much on illegal immigration. Riddle says that isn’t true.

Riddle points to Castle Doctrine self-defense laws and to Jessica’s Law as proof that she isn’t just a one-issue candidate.

“We now have some of the strongest laws in the nation as far as protecting our children from pedophiles (with Jessica’s Law),” she said.

She also refers to bills that she authored, which range from extending the amount of time a person arrested for suspicion of a crime can be held before being released, to allowing the Department of State Health Services to revoke emergency medical workers licenses for certain crimes committed.

“You want people in the job that you can trust,” Riddle said.

She also said that border security issues, if resolved, will help to solve other issues as well.

“Border security is a huge issue,” she said. “We have over 1,000 arrests a month of illegal immigrants. Health care, education, law enforcement − many of these things that are creating our budget problems will be self-correcting if we fix the issue of border security.”

Riddle claims that Texas spends more than $13 million per month detaining illegal immigrants.

“Washington D.C. is hurting us, not helping us,” she said.

Riddle also said that education is an important issue to her. She said the state budget currently allocates 58 percent to education.

“We added $3 billion more this biennium than last biennium,” Riddle said. “With 10 grandchildren I think education is very important.”

With so much money being doled out for education and another 26 percent for health and human services, according to Riddle, she said legislators must have creativity and flexibility with the remaining dollars.

“That doesn’t leave a whole lot of pie for anything else,” she said. “We still have to have adequate prisons, good access for transportation and safe roads and funding what’s necessary for public safety.”

Riddle also points out her seniority and the numerous honors and awards she has received for her work as reasons for voters to keep her in Austin.

“I have served as a past president of the National Federation of Women Legislators and twice the Municipal Police Association awarded me the Legislator of the Year award,” Riddle said.

She has also been awarded honors from the Heritage Alliance, Harris County Medical Society, Texas Association of Business, Americans for Prosperity, Texas Criminal Justice Coalition and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility.

While new boundaries for state house districts are being challenged in court, Riddle doesn’t see that as a problem for her district. She believes that the current proposed boundary won’t be changed much, at least for District 150. If that boundary holds, Riddle will now represent the northern half of Tomball.

“I would be honored and excited to represent more of Tomball than I do now,” she said.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed