TX-35: Greg Casar (D)

REPLACING:

Lloyd Doggett (D)[i]

WORK HISTORY:

Austin City Council (Council Member); Workers Defense Project (Policy Director)[ii]

EDUCATION:

Diploma, Strake Jesuit College Preparatory; BA, University of Virginia[iii]

CAMPAIGNED ON:

Let’s Build an Inclusive Democracy For All; Let’s Win Economic Justice For Working Families; Let’s Fix Our Power Grid & Create a Sustainable World For All[iv]

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Casar is pro-choice. In Congress, he will support increasing access to reproductive healthcare, repealing the Hyde Amendment, and codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law. As a city council member, Casar worked to pass budget amendments to help Texans access abortion care “with funding for travel, childcare, and more, delivering support to hundreds of people targeted by state officials.” He also “led the effort” to keep Planned Parenthood in East Austin open as it faced attacked from the Republican legislature.[v]

ECONOMY, JOBS & TAXES:

In Congress, Casar says he will fight for national paid sick leave legislation, universal paid family and parental leave policy, the Raise the Wage Act, Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, the PRO Act, and “other bills that support union power". As an organizer and city council member, Casar worked to raise the city minimum wage to $15, “stood alongside unions in their fights inside and outside City Hall,” and authored paid sick leave ordinances that passed in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. [vi] Casar believes “we must fairly tax top earners and ensure corporations pay their fair share.”[vii]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Casar argues that the only way to ensure every family has access to the doctors and prescriptions they need is to pass Medicare for All. He supports protecting Social Security and Medicare, as well as increasing Social Security benefits.

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

Casar supports reversing “all of Trump’s anti-immigrant policies and creat[ing] a path to citizenship for immigrant families.” In Congress, Casar commits to fighting to pass bills including the American Dream and Promise Act, the American Families United Act, and the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act. During Trump’s presidency, Casar “established an immigrant legal defense fund, setting a model that was followed by San Antonio and Houston.” He further went on “to coordinate the statewide lawsuit against SB4—Gov. Abbott’s discriminatory ‘Show Me Your Papers’ law.”[viii]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

As an organizer and city council member, Casar worked to end “all arrests and citations for personal marijuana use in Austin and helped support policies that reduced these arrests in San Antonio and San Marcos.” He also “successfully established the nation’s first mental health services available directly at 911, established an Office of Police Oversight and reformed use-of-force policies, and greatly expanded family violence shelters and gun violence reduction programs to protect public safety.” In office, Casar commits to supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the BREATHE Act, and the MORE Act, which will legalize marijuana and expunge past records.[ix]

GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS & ELECTION SECURITY:

Casar argues that “our democracy is under attack, especially here in Texas,” citing gerrymandering, voter suppression, false claims of voter fraud, and corporate money in elections. To “ensure our democracy is protected,” Casar will support legislation including the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, as well as policies promoting automatic voter registration. He will work to overturn Citizens United.[x]

EDUCATION:

Casar supports cancelling student debt, free community college and public universities, as well as universal pre-K and universal childcare. He advocates for protecting and investing in public schools, “support[ing] teachers with the resources they needs, and ensur[ing] that every single student is able to learn in a safe environment.” As a city council member, Casar “championed successful legislation” to keep afterschool programs open despite state budget cuts.[xi]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

Casar strongly supports a Green New Deal, arguing it is “our path to addressing the climate crisis, affordable housing, public transit, and good-paying jobs.” He advocates for fixing Texas’ electric grid “to ensure Texans aren’t left in the cold without power or water ever again.” As an organizer and city council member, Casar “helped lead the purchase of some of the largest solar installations in the entire state and moved our electric utility away from fossil fuel and toward renewable energy.” In Congress, Casar will promote policies strengthening federal oversight of the power grid and natural gas reliability and fight against price going during energy crises.[xii]

BIG TECH & DATA PRIVACY:

As an organizer and city council member, Casar has fought against tax breaks for Amazon and other major corporations.[xiii]

GUN SAFETY:

On his campaign website, Casar says he is “committed to ending the epidemic of gun violence in our country.” He supports funding common sense gun violence intervention programs, passing universal background checks, ending permitless carry, creating safe storage rules, and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. He also supports Ethan’s Law, reinstating the Violent Crime and Law Enforcement Act, and repealing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).[xiv]

FOREIGN POLICY:

Casar has said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “indefensible,” calling for “Putin and his oligarchs” to be held accountable.[xv] He further argued Russia is using Brittney Griner as a “political pawn” in its “immoral war against Ukraine.”[xvi]