How to Research Candidates
Saving our country starts with citizens holding elected officials accountable at the county level. Researching candidates on the ballot is key to voting for those who represent We the People instead of their own personal interests.
Researching local candidates can be tricky, but is so important! Local boards and councils decide how much tax to collect and how that money will be spent. School districts decide what your children and grandchildren will be exposed to in the classroom. Some MUD boards are stacked with representation from big development companies and have little or no citizen representation. The Texas Democrat Party's Project LIFT specifically proclaims a “special focus on winning local, non-partisan races.” This is why your vote in these local races is so important!
Tips for Researching Local & Statewide Candidates
Access your sample ballot. View your personal sample ballot to see the exact races in which you will be voting. You can print out your sample ballot, mark your choices, and take a paper copy with you into the voting booth. Follow the tips below to research the candidates on your sample ballot.
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’ll find published questionnaires and video interviews at US Vote Smart.
Review local voter guides. The Montgomery County Republican Party’s Candidates Committee researches and interviews local candidates and often makes voting recommendations. Check our Upcoming Elections page for a link to voter recommendations if available for the current election - these are usually posted just before Early Voting begins so check back before you head to the polls. You can also check our News page for articles on the most recent election.
Other local conservative organizations also publish voter guides or hold candidate forums or educational meetings in preparation for local elections. Our Conservative Organizations page provides links to local groups that are in agreement with the Republican Party of Texas platform.
Don’t be fooled by fake Republican voter guides. Beware of Political Action Committees (PACs) that are created with deceptive names in order to deceive low information voters.
These are some examples of groups NOT associated in any way with the Montgomery County Republican Party, or not even focused on what their name implies, 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, Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Secure Our Borders Now, and more.
Many times these groups have a vested interest in the outcome of the election, rather than a focus on educating voters.
Big-Money, Pro-Gambling Voter Guides Seek to Fundamentally Change Montgomery County
The Devil’s Bargain: How Texans for Lawsuit Reform “Lost Their Way”
The Status Quo: How the Establishment Exerts Control Over an Increasingly Conservative State
Visit our Upcoming Elections page to see if the party is providing an official voter guide. Visit our Conservative Organizations page for a list of trusted local organizations that may provide voter guides or offer candidate forums or educational meetings in advance of the election.
Meet the candidates. In the months leading up to elections, local conservative organizations often provide 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 hosts well-respected candidate forums and educational meetings focused on local elections and posts videos on their website.
Other local organizations may also be holding candidate forums or presentations focused on local elections, including area Republican Women’s Clubs. Watch our calendar additional opportunities.
Attend local board meetings. Visit our Local Boards and Government page and 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.
Learn more about MUD elections. Many Municipal Utility District (MUD) elections are conducted by the individual MUD district instead of the county elections office. If you are in a MUD district but don't see a MUD board race listed on your personal sample ballot, it is very important to contact your MUD directly to find out when these elections are held and ask for more information about the candidates who are running.
Scour candidates’ websites and social media. A candidate’s personal social media page often provides better insights into the candidate’s beliefs, affiliations, and positions than an official campaign website. Remember, actions speak louder than words. Campaign sites are there to win over voters and do not necessarily reflect the real person.
Who is endorsing the candidate? You can tell a lot about a candidate by their endorsements. Candidates list their endorsements on their campaign websites and social media pages. Look for a proven conservative record from those endorsing the candidate - and don’t forget to follow the money!
Follow the money. Find out who supports a candidate financially. Is it the small donor - your friends and neighbors - or is it corporate donors, lobbyists, or PACs supporting issues you disagree with? 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.
Another way to follow the money is by researching the organizations and individuals promoting a candidate. For example, in the March 2024 Primary Election, voters noticed an unusual number of hit pieces in the form of text messages, mailers, and deceptive voter guides targeting Conservative Republicans in Montgomery County. Many voters were confused and even began to wonder if if there could be a grain of truth in these misleading voter guides because “where's there's smoke, there's fire.”
But a little research showed that these false voter guides and mailers were being paid for by:
The pro-gambling lobby and Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, who orchestrated the failed impeachment of our Conservative Attorney General Ken Paxton and killed Texas border security and election integrity bills.
Big corporations who want to control The Woodlands.
Look for the “paid for by” disclaimer on every election ad, text, or mailer and visit transparencyusa.org to see who is really behind the curtain, trying to sway the voters. Your research is crucially important in protecting Montgomery County from left-leaning individuals and groups who support Democrat interests and want to keep Conservative Republicans from holding office.
Pay special attention to school board candidates. Even though Montgomery County is a “red” county, conservative school board members are often outnumbered. This has to change if we’re going to protect our kids.
Conservative school board members are constantly under attack for opposing pornographic library books and standing against divisive "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" (DEI) ideology. Because political party affiliation is not provided on the ballot for school board elections, we must pay special attention to school board candidates.
Ask yourself the following questions about school board candidates:
Will the candidate emphasize academic skills over political or social issues?
Does the candidate want to protect students from the push towards transgender and alterative lifestyles?
Does the candidate believe in the importance of authentic American history?
Does the candidate believe in parental control of education?
Researching State Legislators
In addition to the techniques listed above, there are a few additional resources for researching state legislators.
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 and view report card scores for each of your representatives.
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.
Review bills supported by the legislator. Texas Legislature Online allows voters to research and search for bills authored, co-authored, or sponsored by the legislator. It also allows you to follow the progress of bills and watch sessions and hearings online.
Electing True Conservatives Must Be the Priority
Electing candidates who will follow Republican principles and values must be the priority. It starts at home, right here in Montgomery County, with every single election. It is our duty as voters to root out those candidates who represent lobbyists or their own personal interests instead of their Republican constituents.
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.
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