James Matlock
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
James Matlock
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
Primary
Race
Railroad Commissioner
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Candidate did not provide
WORK & MILITARY
USMC, LCPL, 1992-1995
AFFILIATIONS
VFW, Chaplain
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
WinRed (2020)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Never
Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes.
Strongly Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Disagree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Under the First Amendment, government never has the authority to close a church.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
The CCP and their government owned companies are actively purchasing land, mineral rights, and leases here in Texas. This needs to be addressed.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes. The U.S. should maintain some form of working relationship with every country around the globe. Israel is the only democratic state in the Middle East.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) 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. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
Having spent 16 years in this industry, I have a solution that would benefit everyone. 1. Insurance companies can no longer use rating or exclusion. They have to take the whole person or deny the whole person. 2. If a person is denied by two insurance companies, they qualify for a “CHIPS” type program. 3. If an insurance company fails to exceed 8 times those on the government program, they lose the right to insure in Texas.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Never. That should be a decision between the individual and their doctor only.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I think people on minimum wage should be able to afford housing and bills as a single parent.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
The sea of Texas oil production has been acknowledged as one of the key contributors to the allies winning World War II. ESG would be detrimental to our national security and our national interests. Buried in the ESG context is a clause on “Natural Asset Acquisition.” That is where our mineral interests are purchased by foreign entities.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Having served as a member of an antiterrorist unit in the United States Marine Corps, I see what’s going on and it scares me. We need leadership that will prioritize our national security. In years past, those crossing the border were primarily from Mexico and Central America. Today, we have people, predominantly young males from 146 countries. Some of those countries have travel restrictions for entering the U.S. legally, and that should scare you.
EDUCATION
The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child through programs which protect parents' freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.
Strongly Agree
We need to do more for our children. Not everyone is going to a four year university. Our high schools should partner with organizations that will promote trades. Children should leave high school certified to enter the workforce right out of high school. For those pursuing a higher degree program, all of their basics should be covered in high school. There’s a magical phenomenon that happens between high school and higher education, debt. We need to end that aspect of the education process.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Strongly Disagree
Our local law enforcement agencies are working to protect the citizens of the communities in which they live. We must support them in their efforts.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
None. The Second Amendment has nothing to do with your right to hunt. The Second Amendment protects your right to defend yourself against tyranny. The founders of this great nation were well aware of tyrannical government overreach when they wrote the Constitution. They included this amendment to give the people the right to keep government in check and protect the first and subsequent amendments.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
Teachers that are properly trained in close quarters combat will serve as the first line of defense to protect our kids and grandkids.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
The sole purpose of the government is to put the interests of the people first on the global stage while maintaining law and order at home.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Very Conservative
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Strongly Agree
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Strongly Disagree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Strongly Agree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a devout Christian and I put my faith and trust in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I believe in the individual freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Strongly Disagree
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
We as a country have come so far when talking about racism. That’s geopolitical propaganda would have you thinking that people hate each other based on skin color and a host of other factors. Truth is, most people don’t like someone based on that persons character, not the reasons being pushed in the narrative. If the people are divided based on these insinuating things, they are too busy to know what’s going on in politics. We are all Americans and should be watching everything.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Strongly Agree
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? (Select all that apply) A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. C) Stricter environmental laws undermine U.S. energy independence and deter development of reliable electricity sources. D) Climate change is real and requires urgent policy action.
The Railroad commission of Texas is the state’s permitting, regulatory, and oversight agency for the oil and gas, mining, and pipeline industries in Texas. Don’t tell me we have an energy crisis when I’m still seeing waste. There are a lot of issues facing Texans within our energy sector and it’s time the Commission addressed these issues. We depend on oil for a number of things we use in our daily lives. We can produce it more efficiently and cleaner.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Methane, the primary component of natural gas, will remain the most reliable fuel for electricity generation. Don’t buy into the hype and sell your mineral rights. They wouldn’t be offering you good money for something that was about to be worthles.
