I received this email on September 18:
Dear Candidate:
We are reaching out to you as we are in the process of vetting approximately 100 ± 2026 election candidates for Montgomery and Walker, Texas counties, so we can summarize the results for all our church members prior to the planned 2026 early voting dates for the Primary, Primary Runoffs, and General Elections.
Covenant Church is in Willis, Texas and is an Affiliate Member of the Salt and Light Council (S&L). The S&L Council is a not-for-profit focused on America’s biblical and moral foundations being restored by training and equipping churches and its members to establish Salt & Light Biblical Citizenship ministries that will defend and promote life, natural marriage, and our constitutional and religious liberties. For additional information on the S&L council, please see their website at www.saltandlightcouncil.org and the Covenant Church S&L Ministry website at www.ccwillis.org\salt-and-light.
We are formally requesting your participation on the Biblical Principles Questionnaire so we can summarize all candidates’ responses. The Biblical Principles are taken directly from the Biblical Voter Comparison of Major Party Platform 2024-2028 Positions. The principles are straightforward and cover a broad cross-section of issues that are of interest to pro-family and Christian voters. We will be using this. Information along with public statements, campaign materials, as well as voting records (if any) to educate our Covenant Church members by identifying candidates’ stances on pertinent issues that are central to their values.
Your willingness to run for office is appreciated and we trust your responses will reflect your values so we can make more informed decisions on whom to support. Please place a check mark in the appropriate “Support” or “Oppose” field, then sign and date. Please reply to the completed answers via email.
We look forward to receiving your response.
Sincerely,
Covenant Church
Salt & Light Ministry
I appreciate anyone that asks my opinion. I like to respectfully and thoughtfully respond when possible. The survey below only allows checking a box. That is insufficient to respond accurately. This post is intended to properly explain my responses.
It is notable that are 3 candidates on the ballot for Governor of Texas, and all are Catholic. You might think that a common faith would result in identical answers on this survey. I fully support the separation of church and state. I will not impose my faith on anyone. That may explain how my answers will differ from my opponents.
My responses are:
Life & Abortion: …we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed. Will Appoint Judges who’ll support Sanctity of Life at all stages. Opposes use of public funds to …perform or promote abortion or to fund organizations like Planned Parenthood.
RESPONSE: I would not appoint judges that ignore the law to impose their own personal beliefs. The legislature makes law. I used to be a basketball official, and when I stepped on the court I didn’t care who the teams were, what gym I was in, or what the fans thought. My job was to see the game and use the rule book. I did not substitute my preferences over the rule book. My favorite supreme court justice was Scalia, who was an originalist. I would not appoint activist judges that legislate from the bench. By the way, the Governor only appoints judges when there is a vacancy, and appointments need to be affirmed by the Senate.
Marriage, Family & Society: Foremost among those institutions is the American family. It is the foundation of civil society, and the cornerstone of the family is natural marriage, the union of one man and one woman. The data and facts lead to an inescapable conclusion: children thrive in a home with a mother and father present.
RESPONSE: Nothing in this statement implies any government action or role for the Governor. As a personal belief, I don’t object to this. I also do not object to homosexual couples adopting or caring for a child.
Education: We will continue our fight for school choice until all parents can find good, safe schools for their children. Parents are a child’s first and foremost educators and have primary responsibility for the education of their children’s parents have the right to direct their children’s education care and upbringing.
RESPONSE: See https://patdixon.org/parent-teacher-empowerment/ and https://patdixon.org/school-choice/
Second Amendment: We uphold the right of individuals to keep and bear arms and natural inalienable right that predates the Constitution and is secured by the 2nd Amendment. Lawful gun ownership enables Americans to exercise their god given right of self-defense. Supports the repeal of the bad legislation that restricts gun rights.
RESPONSE: See https://patdixon.org/guns/
Support for Israel: “Unequivocal Support” Considered only country in the M.E. sharing essential US values of freedom of religion and speech. Committed to Israel’s security; will ensure that they have a strong military edge over adversaries against BDS mvmt. Recognizes Jerusalem as Capital.
RESPONSE: See https://patdixon.org/israel/
Man-Made Climate Change & Environmental Policy: Will analyze hard data on man-made climate change; Sees United Nation efforts as political, will reject agendas of Kyoto protocol and Paris agreement. Supports the enactment of policies to increase domestic energy production to reduce vulnerability to foreign influence. The environment is too important to be left to radical environmentalists… their approach is based on inferior science, scare tactics, and centralized command and control regulation
RESPONSE: The last sentence is one I do not support. Even if I disagree with policies or principles of an opposing side, as Governor I am not going to attack them. My approach is to look for common ground and find policies that make sense and support the principles of liberty. This subject has been heavily debated for many years and there is disagreement on the science. I personally find the arguments of Dr Patrick Moore and Bjorn Lomborg compelling.
Religious Freedom & Repeal of the Johnson Amendment: For religious freedom at all times everywhere; Full repeal of the Johnson Amendment. We pledge to defend the religious beliefs and rights of conscious of all Americans and to safeguard religious institutions against government control. We endorse the First Amendment Defense Act… legislation… which will bar discrimination against [those who] act on their beliefs… [regarding] marriage.
RESPONSE: The Johnson Amendment (LBJ’s attempt to restrict churches from political action) is federal law, so the Governor has nothing to do with it. The last sentence is unclear to me. I defend religious freedom, which means government should not care what religion, if any, you follow. That also applies to Muslims (see https://patdixon.org/texas-muslims/)
The bottom line is the Governor of Texas should have nothing to do with religion or Biblical Principles.