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]]. 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. Straus is stepping down from the House in January 2019. 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.
In 2018, former Land Commissioner [[Jerry Patterson]], on his [[Facebook]] page, announced that he, [[Davey Edwards]], [[Rick Range]], and David Watts -- all opponents of George P. Bush in the 2014 and 2018 primaries -- are supporting the Democratic nominee for land commissioner, Miguel Suazo, in the November 6 general election. An energy attorney, Suazo is a former aide to former [[U.S. Senator]]s [[Pete Domenici]] and [[Jeff Bingaman]] of [[New Mexico]]. Patterson said that the decision is based on Suazo's commitment to preserving the historical integrity of The Alamo and keeping the cenotaph in place. Otherwise, Patterson said he will vote straight Republican.