Michael Massengale
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Michael Massengale
Party
Republican
Election Year
2016
Election
Primary
Race
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 3
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, A.B. in Government
The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, TX, J.D. w/ Honors
WORK & MILITARY
First Court of Appeals, Justice, 2009-Present
Baker Botts, Partner
U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals,, Clerk
AFFILIATIONS
State Bar of Texas, Member, Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial Commissi
Commissioner, Federalist Society, Houston Lawyers Chapter, President: 2004-2009
Harris Co GOP, Precinct Chairman
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Justice - First Court of Appeals, 2009-Present
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (6)
Montgomery County TEA Party
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility
Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom
Texas Home School Coalition
Texas Patriots PAC
OTHER (1)
Texans for Lawsuit Reform
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
Texas Right to Life
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility
Jonathan Saenz - President - Texas Values
David Barton - President, Wallbuilders
Cathie Adams - President, Texas Eagle Forum
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (9)
Don Willett
John Cornyn
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations
Mike Schofield
Republican Women's Organizations
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (7)
Empower Texans
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations
Republican Women's Organizations
State Republican Party Organizations
Texans for Lawsuit Reform
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Election of judges by the people for a definite term of office is the best way to select judges.
Strongly Agree
Which current justice on the U.S. Supreme Court best reflects your judicial philosophy?
Scalia
Which of the following U.S. presidents best reflects your political philosophy?
Reagan
The founders established pure democracy in the Constitution because they believed that it is the best form of government to ensure the safety and equitable treatment of all citizens.
Strongly Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property turn mankind's natural self-interest into the most productive economic system there is.
Strongly Agree
George Washington's comment that “Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society” is still true today.
Strongly Agree
Islamic law (Sharia) does not pose a threat to the United States and its Constitution.
Strongly Disagree
Based on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, please arrange the following entities, starting with the highest source of authority, and continue the list in descending order of authority, skipping any that do not apply: Academia, Congress, Constitution, God, Industry, Media, Professional Sports, Supreme Court, Voters.
God --> Voters (We the People) --> Constitution --> Congress & Supreme Court (co-equal branches)
What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers in the Constitution?
The accumulation of government powers in the same hands is the definition of tyranny, and in that circumstance there can be no liberty. (Federalist No. 47.) To protect against this, government powers must be defined, separated, and limited, so that the natural ambitions of men in each department will result in rivalries in which the departments control one another. (Federalist No. 51.)
What is the proper use of legislative history in interpreting statutory law?
Statutes should be interpreted based on the actual text approved by the legislature, and not other sources of “legislative history.” Legislative history may sometimes provide useful context, but it is a notoriously unreliable basis for statutory interpretation, and it can never be used to override the plain text of a statute.
What specific text in the Declaration of Independence provides the critical basis for individual rights and the form of government guaranteed in the United States Constitution?
Basis for individual rights: “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Basis for form of government: “to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
In which partisan primary election did you most recently vote (e.g. Democratic, Republican, etc.)?
Republican
The U.S. Constitution and my state constitution should be interpreted as living documents, rather than use a strict constructionist or originalist philosophy.
Strongly Agree
In light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges allowing members of the same sex to marry, which justice’s opinion in that case most closely approximates your understanding of marriage?
Justice Alito’s dissent.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a practicing Catholic. My spiritual beliefs and values are grounded in the Bible. The Nicene Creed is an excellent summary of my religious belief.
Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which of these best describes you?
Very Conservative
Please defend your answer to the previous question by referencing your publicly available track record.
I was raised in a military family. I am an Eagle Scout. I have worked to advance conservative causes my entire life. I am a former Republican Party precinct chairman, and I am a former president of the Houston Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society. I have worked to elect Republican candidates. I am active in my faith community. I have a strong record of consistently applying conservative judicial philosophy in my appellate opinions.
E-mail address and phone number for voters to reach you.
massengalecampaign@gmail.com
Additional comment from candidate:
I am the Constitutional Conservative candidate in this race. My opponent is the most frequent dissenter against the conservatives on the Supreme Court, and she has a record of judicial activism. She is the only member of the Texas Supreme Court who refused to participate in the case involving a constitutional challenge to traditional marriage. She has embraced the use of legislative history to justify departing from the plain text of statutes. Please see my full list of conservative endorsements at www.michaelmassengale.com.
