Editor's note: Isreal Salinas did not return a questionnaire.
Adam Hinojosa
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I am an owner of five small local businesses including Ezekiel Diamond Company and The Point of Corpus Christi, a local bar & grill downtown. I am a solutions-focused leader who knows what it takes to breakthrough bad government red tape, regulation, and taxation. I believe we don’t need more government in business – we need more business in government.
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
As a successful small business owner, I know how to cut waste, streamline operations and focus on low-tax, pro-growth policies that create jobs. The radical liberals have pushed to kill oil and gas jobs in South Texas and beyond. We need strong business-minded conservatives to focus on job creation and to create new opportunity in the RGV. At the same time, as a young man, I graduated from the police academy and am proud to have the endorsement of local law enforcement groups including the Corpus Christi Police Officers Association, Nueces County Sheriff Officers’ Association, and Beeville Police Association.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
In addition to being a successful business owner, I am a strong conservative and Christian who shares the pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment values of South Texas. I am proud to have the endorsement of Texas Alliance for Life and the NRA’s highest ‘AQ’ rating. I will be a strong advocate for those values in the Texas Senate.
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
There is no question our biggest challenge is border security. Biden’s open border policies have brought crime, drug cartels, and human traffickers to Texas in droves. 1.9 million illegal immigrants were caught crossing the border in the last year alone. That is completely unacceptable and puts our families in danger. If the federal government will not get the job done, Texas must step up and finish President Trump’s wall, add the law enforcement we need, and secure the border. My first day in office, I will file legislation to address this problem – working closely with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and my Republican colleagues in the Texas Senate.
What do you see as long-term issues which need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
In addition to finishing the wall and fully securing the border, we must achieve a realistic long-term plan that substantially cuts property taxes across Texas. We have the 7th highest property taxes in America and we must permanently lower the burden on our families so they can feel like they truly own their homes.
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
Our local law enforcement and first responders keep our communities safe every day. We must ensure they are fully funded and have every tool they need to get the job done. We cannot allow the radical defund police movement to sprout up again in Texas. Just the other day the radicals in Austin indicted 19 officers who were doing their jobs protecting police headquarters from violent rioters wielding Molotov cocktails. They will stop at nothing to either defund or jail the heroes who keep us safe every day – rather than hold criminals accountable for their actions.
Raul Torres
Editor's note: No photo was submitted.
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I am a licensed CPA and insurance agent and I own and operate three businessesnin Corpus Christi Texas. No, I'm not retired.
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
My experience includes 27 years of active public accounting, payroll, tax and financial planning and business experience.
In addition, I served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2011 through 2013. This legislative experience is valuable in getting to work as soon as the session starts.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
Absolutely my life experiences has prepared me for this office in the Texas Senate.
In addition to the experiences I cited above I understand the many challenges that parents and children face in the public system. My wife and I managed to successfully graduated five children through CCISD system and they all graduated with bachelor's degree. So I understand these challenges first hand.
My 27 years of business experience has prepared me to understand the various challenges that comfront small business owners. I know what it takes make a payroll and to handle the many challenges often face by the majority of small business owners. I understand the role government plays in the success or failure of a small business and I understand what are the best practices for small businesses because I help imlement them and I get to see rhem work when they're properly applied.
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
On our first day of office we will begin building a working relationship with the other members of the Senate and key members of the House of Representatives. This is the most important factor to determine whether we will have a successful session or not.
What do you see as long-term issues which need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
- Strengthen our Border security efforts.
- Raise the accountability standards for all of our public education system.
- Seek to implement SB 563, the Government Efficiency pilot program, in all state agencies.
- Pursue the expansion of additional post graduate n programs in South Texas Universities.
- Pursue additional funding for all South Texas public education to deal with the special challenges facing the majority of students in South Texas.
- Purse the elimination of the margins tax.
- Pursue additional State funding for much needed infrastructure.
- Pursue the reduction of the property tax in Texas.
- Establish a program in South Texas to root out political and public service corruption. It is a well-known fact among the people of South Texas that it exists.
- Pursue policy to ensure that in the future no one person has the power or authority to close businesses churches or dictate to individuals what they can or cannot do as free Americans. This decision should rest on the entire Texas legislature.
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
Local government agencies need to continue to make all of their activities and decisions more transparent and easier for the public to understand and read.
Answers to KRIS 6 News questionnaires were written by the candidates in their own words and received little-to-no editing from KRIS 6 News employees.
