Why I Am Running for Texas State HOUSE

Standing Up for Rural Texas and the People Who Live Here

I came to Texas in 1999 as a new Ob/Gyn drawn to rural health care. I spent the next 25 years in the Rio Grande Valley, living and working in a small community that grew to a bustling area approaching a million people. The growth brought real benefits — new restaurants, shops, a larger airport, and new schools. Small community hospitals expanded into major medical centers, and a new medical school opened its doors. The energy and opportunity were exciting.

But I also saw the costs. Local farmers struggled as water and land became too expensive. Urban sprawl pushed into neighborhoods and pastures. When my husband and I moved to Lee County to build our retirement, I hoped for a quieter life. Instead, I see similar challenges arriving here. Our pastures filled with oak trees, our historic town squares, and our close-knit neighborhoods are now facing pressure from power plants, data centers, heavy traffic, and industrial waste. Our groundwater is being pumped out of our district to fuel growth somewhere else.