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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/>

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. Simpson faces fellow representative [[Bryan Hughes]] of Mineola.<ref name=longnj/> Watts is 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 sought 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. Simpson faces fellow representative [[Bryan Hughes]] of Mineola in the May 24 runoff election.<ref name=longnj/> Known for his constitutional stands, Watts used the slogan "Less Government, More Liberty". He is strongly [[pro-life]] and 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> He supports the election of appraisal board members, rather than the long-term system of appointment by the governmental entities.<ref name=longnj/>

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; departing Senator Eltife, a moderate Republican, helped to kill a measure to ban sanctuary cities in the 2015 legislative session. Watts 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>

Watts 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; departing Senator Eltife, a moderate Republican, helped to kill a measure to ban sanctuary cities in the 2015 legislative session. Watts 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>

Watts' opponent, Jay Dean, formerly served as the mayor of Longview in Gregg County. Dean has in the past contributed to Texas House speaker [[Joe Straus]], a Moderate Republican from [[San Antonio]] who often joins with Democrats to block conservative measures in the legislature, particularly through the House Calendars Committee. On June 4, 2014, Dean declined to issue a proclamation but instead wrote a welcoming letter to an [[LGBT]] gathering in Longview, an issue that Watts used against him in the campaign. Watts said that as a state representative he would "not bend to the LGBT agenda and will work relentlessly to protect our liberty and way of life."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wattsfortexas.org/?utm_campaign=lgbt1&utm_medium=email&utm_source=davidwattsjr|publisher=wattsfortexas.org|title=Jay Dean: Supporting the LGBT Community|accessdate=January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://meredith.worldnow.com/story/25730756/longview-mayor-pflag-group-reach-agreement-over-gay-pride-celebration|title=Longview mayor, PFLAG group reach agreement over gay pride celebration|date=August 8, 2014|author=Stephanie Frazier|publisher=KLTV|accessdate=January 26, 2016}}</ref> Watts carried the endorsements of two high profile Texas Republicans, Agriculture Commissioner Sidney Miller and U.S. Representative John Ratcliffe of the Fourth Congressional District in the [[Dallas]] [[suburb]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wattsfortexas.org|title=David Watts|publisher=wattsfortexas.org|accessdate=January 12, 2016}}</ref> Watts was also endorsed by State Senator Bob Hall and four Republican state representatives, Jonathan Stickland and Matt Krause, both of Tarrant County, Matt Schaefer of Tyler, and Molly White of Belton in Bell County.

Watts' opponent, Jay Dean, formerly served as the mayor of Longview in Gregg County. Dean has in the past contributed to Texas House speaker [[Joe Straus]], a Moderate Republican from [[San Antonio]] who often joins with Democrats to block conservative measures in the legislature, particularly through the House Calendars Committee. On June 4, 2014, Dean declined to issue a proclamation but instead wrote a welcoming letter to an [[LGBT]] gathering in Longview, an issue that Watts used against him in the campaign. Watts said that as a state representative he would "not bend to the LGBT agenda and will work relentlessly to protect our liberty and way of life."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wattsfortexas.org/?utm_campaign=lgbt1&utm_medium=email&utm_source=davidwattsjr|publisher=wattsfortexas.org|title=Jay Dean: Supporting the LGBT Community|accessdate=January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://meredith.worldnow.com/story/25730756/longview-mayor-pflag-group-reach-agreement-over-gay-pride-celebration|title=Longview mayor, PFLAG group reach agreement over gay pride celebration|date=August 8, 2014|author=Stephanie Frazier|publisher=KLTV|accessdate=January 26, 2016}}</ref> Watts carried the endorsements of two high profile Texas Republicans, Agriculture Commissioner Sidney Miller and U.S. Representative John Ratcliffe of the Fourth Congressional District in the [[Dallas]] [[suburb]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wattsfortexas.org|title=David Watts|publisher=wattsfortexas.org|accessdate=January 12, 2016}}</ref> Watts was also endorsed by State Senator Bob Hall and four Republican state representatives, Jonathan Stickland and Matt Krause, both of Tarrant County, Matt Schaefer of Tyler, and Molly White of Belton in Bell County.