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|name=David Lee Watts

|name=David Lee Watts

|birth_date=1967

|birth_date=1967

|birth_place=[[Texas]]

|birth_place=[[Texas]]<br>

|death_date=

|death_date=

|death_place=

|death_place=

|religion=[[Church of Christ]] minister

|religion=[[Church of Christ]] minister

|spouse=Desiree Anne Hansen Watts

|spouse=Desiree Anne Hansen Watts

}}

}}

'''David Lee Watts''' (born 1967) is a [[business]] consultant and [[conservative]] activist from Upshur County in east [[Texas]], who ran unsuccessfully as a [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate in the primary election held on March 1, 2016, for the District 7 seat in the Texas House of Representatives, which encompasses Gregg and Upshur counties. He was defeated by the [[Moderate Republican]] [[Jay Dean]], the former mayor of Longview, Texas.<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 ran unsuccessfully as a [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate in the primary election held on March 1, 2016, for the District 7 seat in the Texas House of Representatives, which encompasses Gregg and Upshur counties. He was defeated by the [[Moderate Republican]] [[Jay Dean]], the former [[mayor]] of Longview.<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> Dean prevailed, 14,577 votes (58 percent) to Watts' 10,572 (42 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar01_273_state.htm?x=0&y=10420&id=95|title=Republican primary returns|date=March 2, 2016|accessdate=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=March 2, 2016}}</ref>

 

Dean prevailed, 14,577 votes (58 percent) to Watts' 10,572 (42 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar01_273_state.htm?x=0&y=10420&id=95|title=Republican primary returns|date=March 2, 2016|accessdate=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=March 2, 2016}}</ref>

==Background==

==Background==

Watts was born in Texas, location unavailable. He moved to Longview in Gregg County c. 1999 and worked and resided there for a decade. He since moved to East Mountain, a rural area between Longview and Gilmer. He and his wife, the former Desiree Anne Hansen (born 1961), have two daughters, Hannah and Natasha, and a son, James. He studied from 1988 to 1989 at California State University at Northridge, thereafter the  [[University of Louisville]] in [[Louisville]], [[Kentucky]] (bachelor's degree), and the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Downers Grove in DuPage County, [[Illinois]]. He is a minister of the [[Church of Christ]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelius.com/results.php?ReportType=1&formname=name&qf=David&qmi=&qn=Watts&qcs=Gilmer%2C+TX&focusfirst=1|title=David Watts in Gilmer, Texas|publisher=intelius.com|accessdate=November 28, 2015}}</ref>  

Watts was born in Texas, location unavailable and reared first in the [[Houston, Texas|Houston]] area. His father was a minister, and the family moved c. 1980 to the area about [[Louisville]], [[Kentucky]]. He returned to Longview in Gregg County c. 1999 and worked and resided there for a decade. He since relocated to East Mountain, a rural area between Longview and Gilmer. He and his wife, the former Desiree Anne Hansen (born 1961), have two daughters, Hannah and Natasha, and a son, James. He studied from 1988 to 1989 at California State University at Northridge, thereafter the  [[University of Louisville]] (bachelor's degree), and the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Downers Grove in DuPage County near [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]. He is a minister of the [[Church of Christ]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelius.com/results.php?ReportType=1&formname=name&qf=David&qmi=&qn=Watts&qcs=Gilmer%2C+TX&focusfirst=1|title=David Watts in Gilmer, Texas|publisher=intelius.com|accessdate=November 28, 2015}}</ref>  

==Political life==

==Political life==

In 2014, Watts was defeated for the Republican nomination for Texas land commissioner by [[George P. Bush]], 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]], son of defeated 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 Upshur County.<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 sought to succeed Republican Representative David Simpson of Longview, who ran instead unsuccessfully for the Texas State Senate seat vacated by the retiring Republican Kevin Eltife of Tyler. Simpson faced 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 in 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 ran instead unsuccessfully for the Texas State Senate seat vacated by the retiring Republican Kevin Eltife of Tyler. Simpson faced 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 in 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 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 City (Immigration)|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 City (Immigration)|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, is a native of Opelousas, [[Louisiana]]. He has 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 which the Speaker controls. 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, is a native of Opelousas, [[Louisiana]]. Dean 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 which the Speaker controls. 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 raised 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 4th 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.

==References==

==References==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watts, David}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watts, David}}

[[Category:Texas]]

[[Category:Texas]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Republicans]]