Michael Berlanga

Strongly Agree

Moral Objections: Funding abortion is immoral and government money shouldn't be used to support it. "Fungibility" Argument: Even if funds aren't directly used for abortions, they subsidize the organization, freeing up private donations for abortions. Conflict of Interest: Concerns exist that clinics referring for abortions have a vested interest in directing patients to those services.

Some interpretations suggest the Bible considers the life of a pregnant woman to have more value than that of a fetus, or that life begins at first breath rather than conception. I believe life begins at conception. My parents gave birth to life beginning with my oldest sister and brother followed by 5 miscarriages. Their continued commitment to grow a family led to my birth as the fifth of seven or tenth of twelve conceptions. With God all things are possible in the mortal life of any fetus

Strongly Agree

The concept of legal protection from conception reflects a core belief in the sanctity of life, prominent in many religious and pro-life movements, grounded in the view that life begins at fertilization, making the unborn a "person" with inherent rights, a stance supported by biological facts but debated legally and ethically regarding when personhood and full rights begin, especially in contexts like abortion, euthanasia, and IVF. ADOPTION IS THE OPTION!

Agree

Human embryos, even those created artificially (like via IVF or for research), possess a moral status demanding protection from destruction, in as much as the embryo represents potential life needing full rights to viewing them compared to viewing such embryos as biological material, leading to varied stances on research, 'spare' embryo disposal, and 'synthetic' embryos. Life begins at conception while destruction should not exist for potential medical breakthroughs.

Strongly Agree

The Comstock Act bans mailing items intended for abortion and enforcement is a major point of contention, with anti-abortion advocates pushing for it as a pathway to a nationwide ban on medication abortion. The argument that it's an outdated "zombie law" devastating healthcare access, though a 2022 DOJ opinion suggesting it doesn't apply if the drugs are used lawfully is misleading. Enforcement could impact medication abortion, constitutes the majority of abortions, but legal challenges remain.

The free market, not the government, should determine wages. I believe that minimum wage hikes hurt businesses, lead to job cuts and automation, and increase consumer prices.

Strongly Agree

The need to restore the right to own private property is priority one of the Comptroller which has been ignored under the current and previous Comptroller. The affordability crisis of all Texans is at an all time high of anger and anxiety as I have traveled the State teaching the rights to protest values on behalf of both elected officials, the City of San Antonio, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. This is paramount to the Governor's goal to eliminate School Property Tax @ September 2023

Auditing state agencies, enforcing state spending limits, and increasing financial transparency are minimum requirements of the Comptroller. Directing the Legislature to do its Constitutional duty under Article 7 and fund education efficiently with strongly recommended guidelines as to metrics for minimizing School Districts authority to bond and spend outside the classroom. Reducing property value studies results to the lowest within a given range of values thereby reducing surpluses.

The separation means distinct realms for God and Caesar. Government should enforce civil order while church should spread the Gospel, preventing a state-controlled church but allowing for Christian engagement in politics; Such wisdom of keeping institutions separate leads to Christian faith to inform their public lives. "Render unto Caesar..." (Matthew 22:21) government's role (Romans 13) recognizing distinct duties, preventing corruption of totalitarianism while protecting freedom of conscience

Agree

Requiring businesses to provide services against moral/religious beliefs involves balancing religious freedom (First Amendment) with anti-discrimination laws where courts often rule businesses can refuse service if it's not based on a protected class (like race/gender) but on expressive conduct, though refusing service to entire groups often leads to legal challenges, with the Supreme Court allowing religious refusals but requiring individualized guidelines rather than blanket discrimination.

B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary.

Neutral

Ultimately, the potential for improved public health planning and economic efficiency against the fundamental rights to privacy and protection from discrimination is complex. Existing systems (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC), health insurance claims data) etc., already collect aggregate data to inform policy and monitor health trends without specifically tracking individual citizens on a national scale. The right to privacy should be superior to the risk of government control

Strongly Agree

Yes, U.S. government and intelligence officials consistently state that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses serious, comprehensive, and existential military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States. The FBI has declared that confronting this threat is its top counterintelligence priority.

The relationship is highly important due to a combination of shared democratic values and significant, mutually beneficial strategic interests. Israel is often cited as the only liberal democracy in the region, with a civil society, free elections, and an independent judiciary, which aligns with America's commitment to democratic principles. Both share an unwavering commitment to individual liberty, the rule of law, and free markets. Both nations must be accountable to shared principles.

Strongly Disagree

Sanctuary cities should not be allowed. The complex debate, with proponents arguing they boost public safety by encouraging immigrant trust in police, fostering community integration, and upholding local control has not justified the undermined federal law. Shielding criminals, reducing public safety risks by hindering immigration enforcement is unacceptable. Improved crime reporting for citizens in cities should reduce costs and burdens from supporting large undocumented populations.

Strongly Agree

Rodriguez v. San Antonio ISD (1973) was a pivotal U.S. Supreme Court case where parents, led by Demetrio Rodriguez, challenged Texas's property-tax-based school funding system for creating unequal education, arguing it violated the Equal Protection Clause; the Court ruled 5-4 against them, holding education isn't a fundamental right, thus preserving state control over financing but sparking ongoing fights for equity, noted Edgewood ISD v. Kirby. The DOE should not be used to violate state rights

Agree

Foreign funding, especially from adversarial nations (like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea), pose a national security risk, leading to the theft of sensitive research and technology. Foreign money buys influence or control over teaching, research, and campus discourse, potentially leading to the spread of propaganda and suppression of academic freedom on controversial topics. Failures by institutions to adequately report foreign gifts suggest that a full prohibition may be necessary.

Agree

A strong legal and philosophical consensus, supported by U.S. Supreme Court precedent and advocacy groups, maintains that parents possess fundamental rights to direct their children's upbringing, education, and health, often described as inherent duties. Debates exist on balancing these with state interests, particularly concerning topics like gender identity or critical race theory. Parents know their children best and are supported by legislation like Parents' Bills ensuring authority.

Strongly Agree

Texas should pursue policies and laws to define gender-affirming care for minors as child abuse, or ban the care entirely. In Texas, the Attorney General issued a non-binding opinion that certain "sex-change" procedures and treatments could legally constitute child abuse under existing Texas Family Code provisions, leading to a directive to investigate such cases. This directive, challenged in court with enforcement having been blocked by legal injunctions demands strong leadership for children

Strongly Agree

Marriage according to Scripture is when a man leaves his father and his mother and becomes joined to his wife, and the two become one flesh. Marriage then is the covenant relationship between a man and a woman before God. And Jesus, in fact, also fully endorses this definition. In Matthew 19, He quotes the Genesis account of marriage because He believes it’s still valid, and then He adds His own commentary by saying, “what therefore God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Strongly Disagree

Former State Sen. Kelly Hancock, who is now running for state comptroller, has hired John Jackson to run his campaign. Until earlier this year, Jackson served as Sands’ head political consultant in Texas. Hancock did not respond to a request for comment on whether he supports the group’s efforts to bring government-monopoly casinos to Texas. Source Texas Scorecard By Brandon Waltens | August 7, 2025. I recognize the risk of exposing the general public to gambling addiction and oppose expansion.

I believe God is the Creator of the universe and human life beginning with Adam and Eve. The evidence is clear that Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Word of God and resurrected after the crucifixion. As he promised, the Spirit came to take His place and dwells among us just as the kingdom of heaven dwells within us. I have been given the talent to calculate and communicate. I have also been given a free will from birth to grow closer to God, accepting the gift of eternal life and commanded to love others and love God. When I continue to accept this gift I feel the kingdom of heaven within me and the Spirit to bless others with those talents through care and compassion. My commission to spread the news of these truths is without limits.

Strongly Disagree

Election ballot fraud is still rampant. A photo identification is critical to election integrity at a minimum and any argument to the contrary leads to election results that are not above suspicion in appearance if not in fact. Such perception of fraud on the individual citizen and collective electorate undermines the trust essential by the people in a government of the people. I have witnessed and delivered evidence of such absentee ballot fraud without appropriate response by the State.

Strongly Disagree

As a fair skinned Texan American of Mexican descent, I know all too well the nature of discrimination based on appearance from my earliest years of inner city attendance at parochial grade schools. My grandfather was killed as an innocent passenger of a train derailed during the Mexican revolution by Pancho Villa. Race plays no part in the God given circumstantial challenges of country or kingdom to overcome and embrace the opportunity to succeed without heritage being an excuse to advantage.

Strongly Agree

As a former women's high school and college basketball coach, I understand the essential need to provide protection of women's sports from this invasion of athletic competition by the manipulation of the human body in transition from procedures allegedly making a transformation equitable in gender based competition. To suggest otherwise is a compromise of common sense and fairness to the intention of gender specific competition and privacy.

Neutral

Scientific consensus and global bodies like the UN and IPCC allege that human-caused climate change is a major global threat, impacting human well-being, ecosystems, peace, and security, requiring urgent, ambitious political action to cut emissions and adapt, as delaying action significantly worsens risks and closes the window for a livable future. The science however is not without its critics and the manipulation of the message for political gain and positioning persists over more other issues

Nuclear power consistently ranks highest for consistent baseload power, with over 92% uptime, making it extremely dependable. A diverse energy mix combining nuclear with dispatchable renewables (hydropower, geothermal) should continue to be sourced.

Conservative

I am a fiscal conservative believing in the preservation and investment of resources with minimal government burden from taxation. I believe in the God given free will to choose to follow His teachings not judging those who choose otherwise yet live under a law and order that allows for coexistence in lieu of forced coercion to obey a doctrine of religion. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows while refusing to be corrupted by this world.

No.

No.

The goal of the criminal justice system is multifaceted, aiming to maintain public order, ensure justice, and protect society by preventing crime, punishing offenders, and rehabilitating individuals, while also upholding the rule of law, ensuring fair trials, and providing support for victims, balancing safety with individual rights and fostering a more just community.

Strongly Agree

Governments generally have a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities. This responsibility is rooted in international human rights frameworks and the specific vulnerabilities of children, who require special safeguards and care, both offline and online

Agree

U.S. courts already handle religious-based disputes within constitutional bounds, often focusing on how it's voluntary or used in family matters, not as supreme law. While I advocate for federal bans citing extremist interpretations, many legal experts point out that U.S. law already supersedes religious law and that specific "anti-Sharia" laws risk violating constitutional protections for religious expression, even as some states have attempted them. God given free will must be preserved

Necessary gun ownership restrictions must focus on keeping guns from dangerous individuals providing for universal background checks, safe storage, red flag laws (Extreme Risk Protection Orders), banning certain weapons, and implementing licensing/registration, aiming to balance Second Amendment rights with public safety to reduce violence without disarming law-abiding citizens.