How to Research Candidates
December 28, 2023 | Montgomery County, TX
Saving our country starts with citizens holding elected officials accountable at the county level. Researching candidates on the March 5 Primary ballot is key to voting for those who represent We the People instead of their own personal interests.
How to Research the Candidates
Read/watch candidate interviews. The Montgomery County Tea Party vets candidates via an extensive questionnaire and video interview. Unfortunately, not all candidates agree to participate, but you can learn a lot about a candidate by their willingness (or unwillingness) to engage with the voting public. You may find the published questionnaires and video interviews at US Vote Smart.
Attend candidate forums. In the months leading up to the Primary, there will be opportunities to meet, evaluate, and ask questions of candidates. Again, not all candidates agree to participate, but attending candidate forums allows you to get to know those who do and find out which candidates value their constituents enough to show up.
Montgomery County Eagle Forum (MCEF) hosts well-respected candidate forums for local elections. This year, they are partering with the Montgomery County Pachyderm Club, Faith Votes - We the People CIT, and Citizens Defending Freedom to make the forums even more accessible throughout the county.
MCEF Candidate Forums will be held in January and the first Thursday in February at Grace Woodlands Church. Scheduled candidates and times are posted on the Montgomery County Eagle Forum website.
Voters are encouraged to ask questions of the candidates and test their knowledge of issues and positions regarding areas of concern and interest. Eagle Forum does not prepare questions in advance - all questions are asked by those in attendance.
Other local organizations also hold candidate forums, including area Republican Women’s Clubs. Watch our calendar and other local county listings for schedules.
Attend local board meetings. Visit our Get to Know Your Local Officials page to read profiles of some of our local Conservative officials and view a list of local elected boards and government. Attend meetings of taxing entities and governmental boards to find out how your current elected officials are voting. Visit their websites for meeting minutes, livestream options, and video archives.
Research the Republican County Chair race. Montgomery County Republican Party meetings also are open to the public and minutes are posted after each meeting. The Republican County Chairman has spent his current term breaking Texas Election Code, party bylaws, and party rules in an attempt to circumvent the Conservative party majority. Read more about how you can help protect government by the people right here in Montgomery County by electing a new Republican County Chair in the March 5 Primary Election.
Review incumbent state legislators’ report cards. Do they support and promote Conservative bills and issues? Visit Your State Legislators on our website where you can look up who represents you in the Texas Legislature and view report card scores for each of your representatives.
For example, Texas Scorecard, a Conservative watchdog news site, publishes a directory that includes report card scores compiled by Conservative organizations, a Transparency USA financial summary, and articles about issues relating to the legislator.
The John Birch Society publishes a report card for each Texas legislator. The score is based on the legislator’s voting record regarding Conservative bills and Republican Legislative Priorities.
Review bills authored by incumbents. Your State Legislators on our website lists bills authored by your representatives in the 88th Texas Legislative Session.
Texas Legislature Online allows voters to research bills and provides a directory of legislators’ websites which show what bills they authored and supported.
Scour candidates’ websites and social media. Skip the candidates’ campaign websites and go to their personal websites and social media platforms. These sites will reveal better insights into a candidate’s beliefs, affiliations, and positions.
Recognizing who candidates associate with, how and with whom they spend their free time, and how they voice their interests and concerns about issues is a good way to learn more about the person running for office. Remember, actions speak louder than words. Campaign sites are there to win over voters and do not necessarily reflect the real person!
Follow the money. Find out who supports a candidate financially. Is it the small donor, your friends and neighbors, or is it corporate donors, elected officials, or candidates? This is one of those questions that can reveal where a candidate’s loyalties may lie.
You can see all reported receipts and expenditures for candidates and elected officials at the Texas Ethics Commission.
Use the Lobby Comparison Tool
The video below explains how to use Grassroots America - We the People’s new Lobby Comparison Tool to determine how your legislators held up against pressure from groups that lobby in front of committees. Did they agree most with credible Conservative groups? Or did they tend to vote with the Democrat Party of Texas, Soros Cultural Marxist groups, Big Business, or Green Energy promoters? With the prevalence of RINOs and Uniparty Republicans in today’s political arena, the results are important when you’re preparing to vote in the Primary Election.
Visit Grassroots America - We the People’s Lobby Comparison Page to begin using this tool.
9. Use a Conservative Voter Guide from a proven conservative organization.
Warning: The Montgomery County Republican Party does NOT provide Republican voter guides or endorse candidates in Primary Elections.
Beware of Political Action Committees (PACs) that are created with deceptive names in order to deceive low information voters. They may list Toth, Trump, or Cruz at the top of their voter guide, but actually trick many voters into going against conservative grassroots Republicans in down ballot races!
These are some examples of groups NOT associated in any way with the Montgomery Co. Republican Party, yet voters have been easily deceived by these titles: Republican Voters of TX, Montgomery Co. Republican Club, The Republican Victory PAC, Associated Republicans of TX, and more.
WARNING! Voter guides are often used in Montgomery County to deceive voters into voting for Establishment Republicans or even an organization’s political clients. Make sure you only use voter guides from trusted Conservative organizations and learn how to evaluate voter guides for yourself.
10. Subscribe to our emails and follow us on social media for insightful articles, updates on the Legislative special sessions, and voter information. You can find our social media accounts in the header and footer of our website.
Electing true Conservatives must be the priority
Electing true Conservatives must be the priority for the March 2024 Primary Election. We have seen in the 88th Texas Legislative Session and here in Montgomery County how RINOs and Democrats are working together against Conservatives. We cannot allow it to continue. It starts at home, right here in Montgomery County, with every election, every office, every candidate. It is our duty as voters to root out those candidates who truly do not represent Grassroots Republicans.
It is also important to note that the Rules and Bylaws of the Republican Party DO NOT ALLOW THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO ENDORSE ONE REPUBLICAN OVER ANOTHER UNCENSURED REPUBLICAN. There are so-called “Republican Clubs” and PACs that mislead voters by asking, “Do you want a Republican Voter Guide?” This insinuates they are representing the Republican Party when nothing could be further from the truth! So voters BEWARE!
Remember, no matter how likeable or personable a candidate, or what the candidate or others claim to be true, always do your own research and make decisions based on evidence and documentation.
Your vote is your voice, let it be heard.
Get Involved!
The Montgomery County Republican Party needs your help as we prepare for the March Primary Election. It takes many volunteers to help with block walking, educating voters in parking lots, and getting out the vote for strong Conservatives. Please take a moment to learn how you can get involved!