| | '''David Lee Watts''' (born 1967) is a business consultant and [[conservative]] activist from near Gilmer in east [[Texas]], who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate in the primary election scheduled for March 1, 2016, for the District 7 seat in the Texas House of Representatives, which encompasses Gregg (Longview) and Upshur counties. He faces competition from former Longview Mayor Jay Dean.<ref name=longnj>{{cite web|url=http://www.news-journal.com/news/2015/jul/03/republican-candidate-david-watts-joins-race-to-rep/|title=Republican candidate David Watts joins race to represent Gregg, Upshur counties|date=July 3, 2015|author=Glenn Evans|publisher=''Longview News-Journal''|accessdate=November 28, 2015}}</ref> | | '''David Lee Watts''' (born 1967) is a business consultant and [[conservative]] activist from near Gilmer in east [[Texas]], who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate in the primary election scheduled for March 1, 2016, for the District 7 seat in the Texas House of Representatives, which encompasses Gregg (Longview) and Upshur counties. He faces competition from former Longview Mayor Jay Dean.<ref name=longnj>{{cite web|url=http://www.news-journal.com/news/2015/jul/03/republican-candidate-david-watts-joins-race-to-rep/|title=Republican candidate David Watts joins race to represent Gregg, Upshur counties|date=July 3, 2015|author=Glenn Evans|publisher=''Longview News-Journal''|accessdate=November 28, 2015}}</ref> |
| − | In 2014, Watts was defeated for the Republican nomination for Texas land commissioner by [[George P. Bush]] of [[Fort Worth]], son of presidential candidate [[Jeb Bush]]. George P. Bush polled 934,571 primary votes (73 percent) to Watts' 345,565 (27 percent). Watts received only 36 percent of the ballots cast in his own county of Upshur.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/mar04_169_state.htm?x=0&y=3852&id=407|title=Republican primary election returns|publisher=team1.sos.state.tx.us|accessdate=March 6, 2014}}</ref> Bush then defeated the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] John Cook, a former mayor of [[El Paso]]. Watts has been critical of Land Commissioner Bush's out-of-state campaign appearances i 2015 on behalf of Bush's father's presidential prospects.<ref name=facebook/> | + | In 2014, Watts was defeated for the Republican nomination for Texas land commissioner by [[George P. Bush]] of [[Fort Worth]], son of presidential candidate [[Jeb Bush]]. George P. Bush polled 934,571 primary votes (73 percent) to Watts' 345,565 (27 percent). Watts received only 36 percent of the ballots cast in his own county of Upshur.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/mar04_169_state.htm?x=0&y=3852&id=407|title=Republican primary election returns|publisher=team1.sos.state.tx.us|accessdate=March 6, 2014}}</ref> Bush then defeated the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] John Cook, a former mayor of [[El Paso]]. Watts has been critical of Land Commissioner Bush's out-of-state campaign appearances in 2015 on behalf of Jeb Bush's presidential aspirations. He said that Bush should remain in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] to tend to his elected duties, rather than campaigning across the country.<ref name=facebook/> |
| | Watts is seeking to succeed Republican Representative David Simpson of Longview, who is instead a candidate for the Texas State Senate seat vacated by the retiring Republican Kevin Eltife of Tyler.<ref name=longnj/> Known for his constitutional stands, he uses the slogan "Less Government, More Liberty". He is strongly [[pro-life]] and in unwavering support of the [[Second Amendment]]. He even opposes [[property tax]]es, long a mainstay of local governments in Texas. Watts takes the view that such taxes deny homeowners full possession of their land and dwelling because annual payments must be rendered to city, county, school district, [[community college]], and various other entities as well. He calls this phenomenon "perpetual rent that you pay to the government for your property, for the rest of your life." Until these taxes can be ended, Watts said legislators must hold appraisal district accountable to voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wattsfortexas.org/?utm_campaign=thanksgiving&utm_medium=email&utm_source=davidwattsjr|publisher=wattsfortexas.org|title= | | Watts is seeking to succeed Republican Representative David Simpson of Longview, who is instead a candidate for the Texas State Senate seat vacated by the retiring Republican Kevin Eltife of Tyler.<ref name=longnj/> Known for his constitutional stands, he uses the slogan "Less Government, More Liberty". He is strongly [[pro-life]] and in unwavering support of the [[Second Amendment]]. He even opposes [[property tax]]es, long a mainstay of local governments in Texas. Watts takes the view that such taxes deny homeowners full possession of their land and dwelling because annual payments must be rendered to city, county, school district, [[community college]], and various other entities as well. He calls this phenomenon "perpetual rent that you pay to the government for your property, for the rest of your life." Until these taxes can be ended, Watts said legislators must hold appraisal district accountable to voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wattsfortexas.org/?utm_campaign=thanksgiving&utm_medium=email&utm_source=davidwattsjr|publisher=wattsfortexas.org|title= |