Dave Bennett
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
EDUCATION
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Ok, Electrical Engineering, 1975-1980
WORK & MILITARY
Properties Reimagined LLC, Owner, 2019-2026
Worley/Jacobs, Director Functional Safety and ICS Cybersecurity, 2018-2020
Phillips 66, Director, Industrial Control Systems, Global Refining, 2013-2018
AFFILIATIONS
Phillips 66, Automation and Electrical Engineering Lead, 2007-2012
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
School Board Trustee, Sandford-Fritch ISD, 1992-1995
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Texas State Representative District 149
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (8)
Dane Welch
David Lindley
Vincent Wedelich, PE, MBA
Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale
Dr. Lily Truong
OTHER INFORMATION
Dave Bennett completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
Taxpayer dollars should not fund abortion providers.
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Abortions are illegal in Texas. The exception would be only when a licensed physician certifies that the pregnant patient faces a life-threatening medical emergency.
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Agree
Human life should be protected from conception until natural death.
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Agree
Human embryos deserve protection from purposeful destruction.
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Agree
The Comstock Act should be enforced according to the current law and court decisions.
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I support market driven wages that allow businesses to grow, create jobs, and reward workers without excessive government mandates.
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
This is a basic tenant of the Constitution.
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
Implement recommendations from the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office to reduce waste and eliminate unnecessary regulations. Cap local government spending growth by setting limits on increases. Require 2/3 voter approval for major local tax hikes putting the final decision in taxpayer hands. Eliminate School Property Tax. The State of Texas already funds a significant part of public school funding. By moving/eliminating local school tax it would provide immediate relief to families.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
When the Constitution was written, the signers were explicitly stating that they were not bound to the Church of England. They wanted to, as I do, exercise their right to their religious beliefs.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Disagree
Individuals and businesses should not be forced to provide services that violate their held religious or moral beliefs, consistent with constitutional protections and applicable law. Let free enterprise resolve the issue.
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.
C) Medicare and Medicaid should remain available for those they were designed to serve. Fraud should be aggressively investigated and those who knowingly committing the fraud should be held accountable under the law.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Disagree
Government should protect medical privacy and avoid unnecessary databases of individuals’ health conditions.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
I have helped write policy to protect petrochemical critical infrastructure thru cybersecurity methods that are used internationally. We need better methods to keep China out of Texas Critical Infrastructure especially the Texas Electric Grid and close the security gaps that remain.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Israel is a key U.S. ally. We have real enemies that want to harm the US. We need to keep allies that have the same enemies.
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Disagree
Cities should enforce the law and cooperate with federal immigration authorities rather than provide sanctuary for those here illegally.
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Agree
Education decisions should be made closer to students by parents, local communities, and states, not Washington bureaucracy.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Agree
Foreign governments should absolutely not be allowed to fund or influence American education.
VALUES
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.
Agree
Parents have the fundamental right and responsibility to direct their children’s education, health, and well-being.
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Agree
Children should be protected from medical or social interventions that attempt to transition them to the opposite sex.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Neutral
I believe marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman, while recognizing the legal framework established by current law. Texas law does not require marriage to be between a man and a woman.
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Disagree
I do not support expanding gambling and the social and economic problems it can bring to Texas families and communities.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a follower of Christ, and my faith guides my values. I believe strongly in the Constitution’s guarantee of religious freedom. I will never impose my faith on others. I will protect the rights of every individual against any religion that limits the freedoms afforded by the constitution.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
Requiring photo identification is a reasonable safeguard to protect election integrity and public confidence in our elections.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Disagree
Government benefits should be based on individual need and circumstances, not race.
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.
Agree
Women’s sports and private spaces should 100% be protected on the basis of biological sex, while treating every individual with dignity and respect.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Disagree
Environmental challenges should be addressed with practical, science-based solutions that protect our natural resources without sacrificing energy reliability, jobs, or economic growth.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Texas has overbuilt wind and solar, which is now 50% of our generating capacity. To meet growing demand, we need more conventional generation (natural gas) and small package nuclear. As an Electrical Engineer, I promoted this in the 89th session.
ABOUT YOU
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?
Conservative
Conservative — but not hard right. I believe in conservative principles while recognizing that common-sense solutions require communication, cooperation, and a willingness to find common ground.
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
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?
In HD149 we have a serious crime problem. Repeat offenders are being caught and released on a regular basis. They’re allowed to return to our communities and commit more crimes. The first goal of our criminal justice system must be public safety and keeping dangerous repeat offenders off our streets. At the state level, I will support strong, constitutional bail laws that hold repeat offenders accountable and protect our communities.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Agree
Government has a responsibility to protect children from online sexual exploitation while respecting constitutional rights and individual privacy.
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Agree
U.S. and state constitutions and laws must remain the sole basis of our legal system.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Protect the Second Amendment while enforcing existing laws against violent criminals and keeping firearms out of the hands of those who are legally prohibited from possessing them.
