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.
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 may find the published questionnaires and video interviews at US Vote Smart.
The Montgomery County Republican Party interviews local officials for our Get to Know Your Local Officials page. If the candidate is an incumbent, visit this page to check for an interview.
Sheriff Runoff Resources
Click here to visit the US Vote Smart page for the 2024 Primary Election (includes Montgomery County Sheriff candidates).
The Montgomery County Republican Party interviewed Sheriff Rand Henderson in January for our Get to Know Your Local Officials page. You can read the interview here.
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 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.
Sheriff Runoff Resources
Visit our Conservative Voter Guides page for a list of trusted organizations providing voter guides.
Meet the candidates. In the months leading up to elections, local Republican 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 for local elections and posts videos of the forums on their website.
Other local organizations also hold candidate forums, including area Republican Women’s Clubs. Watch our calendar and visit organizations listed on our Community Resources page for more information.
Conroe Municipal Runoff Election Video
Attend local board meetings. Visit our Get to Know Your Local Officials page for 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.
Learn more about MUD elections. Many Municipal Utility District (MUD) elections are conducted by the individual MUD district instead of Montgomery County Elections. 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. 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 how candidates 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!
Sheriff Runoff Resources
Addressing Claims Made by the Candidates in the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Race
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, 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.
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 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?
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.
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 in the Texas Legislature 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.
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.
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 state 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.
Visit Grassroots America - We the People’s Lobby Comparison Page for more information on this tool.
Electing True Conservatives Must Be the Priority
Electing true Conservatives must be the priority. We have seen 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.
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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