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'''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 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 Upshur County 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 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 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/>

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]], the former [[governor]] of [[Florida]]. 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 as Watts would have done had he won the 2014 election, 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=

David Watts for Texas House|accessdate=November 28, 2015}}</ref>  

David Watts for Texas House|accessdate=November 28, 2015}}</ref> He supports the election of appraisal board members, rather than the long-term system of appointment by the governmental entities.<ref name=longnj/>

He favors using state military personnel to guard the lengthy border with [[Mexico]], considering the lack of consistent federal involvement in such patrols. Like [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]], he opposes the admission of [[Syria]]n [[refugee]]s into Texas for fear of [[terrorist]] threats. "We must fully fund law enforcement efforts on the border and provide them with the tools to get the job done," said Watts on his [[Facebook]] page. He opposes sanctuary cities in Texas, which harbor [[illegal immigrant]]s, a measure which departing Senator Eltife, a moderate Republican, helped to kill in the 2015 legislative session. He opposes the legalization of [[marijuana]].<ref name=facebook>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/WattsForTexas|title=Watts for Texas|publisher=[[Facebook]]|accessdate=November 28, 2015}}</ref>

He favors using state military personnel to guard the lengthy border with [[Mexico]], considering the lack of consistent federal involvement in such patrols. Like [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]], he opposes the admission of [[Syria]]n [[refugee]]s into Texas for fear of [[terrorist]] threats. "We must fully fund law enforcement efforts on the border and provide them with the tools to get the job done," said Watts on his [[Facebook]] page. He opposes sanctuary cities in Texas, which harbor [[illegal immigrant]]s, a measure which departing Senator Eltife, a moderate Republican, helped to kill in the 2015 legislative session. He opposes the legalization of [[marijuana]].<ref name=facebook>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/WattsForTexas|title=Watts for Texas|publisher=[[Facebook]]|accessdate=November 28, 2015}}</ref>