Voters in state House District 66 have to make a choice between two strong candidates this November.
Incumbent Republican Matt Shaheen and Democrat challenger David W. Carstens are both fit for office. But our nod goes to Shaheen because of his experience and his track record as a serious lawmaker. We know him to be a conservative who is exactly who he says he is.
If we thought any less of Shaheen, 59, we would recommend Carstens, 26. Though young and inexperienced, he came to our interview prepared to articulate thoughtful policy ideas. Carstens is a relatively moderate candidate, and we think other Democrats running for office in Texas could benefit from emulating his campaign.
Through five legislative sessions going back to 2015, Shaheen has served this district that spans parts of Celina, Frisco, Plano and Prosper.
He made a conscience-driven vote to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, resulting in a primary challenge by a Paxton-backed candidate. Shaheen prevailed against ludicrous accusations that he was insufficiently conservative.
Last session, Shaheen filed a school voucher-like proposal that we think got closer to a balanced approach than any of the others we saw. The bill would have given tax credits to those donating to qualifying educational organizations that offer private school scholarships. Those scholarships would have focused on the students that need it most, including those in low-income families, in foster care or those with special needs.
It’s a smart approach that does not directly take money out of public education.
The expansion of legal gambling in Texas is an idea we’ve seen gaining more ground over the last few years. Shaheen staunchly opposes this, and told us he is greatly concerned about the amount of influence the gambling and casino lobby holds over the state House.
He said the gambling lobby is dumping millions of dollars into the House, offering an appearance that the House can be bought. “It’s just obnoxious and it’s obscene, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said.
Expanded legal gambling is something we think needs more study before lawmakers take action on it. We’re glad Shaheen would remain a sober voice in this debate if reelected.
On the border, Shaheen cited concerns with sex trafficking and fentanyl coming into our state. “We’re getting crushed by the border,” he said. Shaheen said Texas needs to continue investing in border security until the federal government steps up.
Shaheen has been involved in passing legislation we disagree with, like the READER Act that requires vendors to rate book titles for sexual content and prevents those books from being sold to school districts.
But no one can doubt the depth of Shaheen’s experience and his ability to represent his district well. Carstens is a good candidate, but voters should reelect Shaheen.
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