Meet the two Republicans running for Texas land commissioner

Republicans in Texas will resolve subsequent week who will likely be their nominee for commissioner of the Texas Basic Land Workplace: both Trump-endorsed candidate Daybreak Buckingham or GOP historian Tim Westley.

The winner within the Might 24 runoff will likely be a step nearer to helm the company in control of managing the state’s 13 million acres of land, in addition to the distribution of catastrophe support and assist for the state’s veterans.

Since 2015, the place has been held by Republican George P. Bush. However that can quickly change now that he’s working for Texas lawyer basic.

Whoever wins will face the winner of the Democratic runoff between Jay Kleberg and Sandragrace Martinez in November. (Learn in regards to the Democrats working for land commissioner.)

Daybreak Buckingham

The frontrunner within the Republican race is Buckingham. She’s presently a state Senator from Lakeway, outdoors of Austin. In March’s eight-person Republican major, Buckingham was the clear chief, receiving about 42% of the votes.

She has additionally secured large endorsements, together with the coveted help of former president Donald Trump.

Her marketing campaign’s web site prominently states she’s a confirmed conservative: anti-abortion and somebody who has championed border safety.

The Texas Newsroom made a number of interview requests with Buckingham’s marketing campaign, however she was by no means made out there for this story. In a February interview with the conservative outlet Texas Scorecard, Buckingham defined how she views the land commissioner place.

“The Land Workplace is actually the tip of the spear to defend our border with the state lands which are on the border, our historical past, and oil and fuel towards what the liberal left is attempting to do,” Buckingham stated.

On the marketing campaign path, she held a number of stops with Lt. Governor Dan Patrick the place they pushed again towards the Biden administration lifting Title 42 — a coverage that permits for the fast expulsion of asylum seekers and different migrants on the southern border on public well being grounds.

In her interview with the Texas Scorecard she stated she’ll do no matter must be accomplished to cease migrants from crossing the border illegally. However Buckingham hasn’t been particular when it comes to insurance policies.

When requested how the company can enhance catastrophe restoration, she stated, “There’s been a variety of articles about how we in all probability have a variety of room to enhance in our hurricane restoration. So, we’ll be taking a look at that very severely.”

How the Basic Land Workplace beneath Bush has dealt with catastrophe restoration has been a sticking level amongst Democrats and Republicans.

Final 12 months, the company introduced that the town of Houston and Harris County weren’t included within the first spherical of federal reduction funding associated to restoration efforts after Hurricane Harvey. The company backtracked its determination afterward.

Tim Westley

Catastrophe restoration is without doubt one of the issues Buckingham’s runoff challenger, Tim Westley, desires to particularly deal with.

“It’s not OK when we have now an instance of Hurricane Harvey hitting and we have now individuals which are nonetheless reeling from the consequences of it years later,” Westley informed The Texas Newsroom. “One of many objectives I’ve — fast objectives — is to guarantee that we have now liaisons in the entire areas throughout Texas the place individuals can attain them.”

Westley is the historian of the Republican Celebration of Texas. He stated his background as a historian and veteran motivated him to run.

Within the March Republican primaries, Westley obtained second place with simply 15% of the votes.

Westley stated he desires to make use of the position of land commissioner to assist protect historical past throughout the state. One of many examples he gave was the Alamo Cenotaph in San Antonio.

Also called The Spirit of Sacrifice, the Alamo Cenotaph is a monument close to the entrance of the Alamo in San Antonio to honor those that fought within the Battle of the Alamo.

Throughout his tenure as land commissioner, George P. Bush got here beneath fireplace for desirous to redevelop the positioning, and proposing relocating the Cenotaph due to its deteriorating situation.

However for Westley, the monument should keep.

“Like it or hate, it’s nonetheless historical past,” Westley stated. “If we don’t defend the historical past, then it’s straightforward to be rewritten and that is not what we would like.”

Buckingham informed the Texas Scorecard she would additionally not transfer the Cenotaph wherever.

Westley has carried on a low-key marketing campaign, laying out extra particular plans on easy methods to sort out the problems beneath the purview of the Basic Land Workplace.

Opposite to Buckingham, he hasn’t talked a lot about securing the border or being pro-life.

“I deal with these points however … there’s not a direct impression that the land commissioner’s workplace has on these,” Westley stated. “Am I pro-life? Completely I’m pro-life. With that being stated, these points are going to be extra on the legislative aspect. That is an government place.”