Anthony Cristo

Anthony Cristo served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2007 to 2011. He graduated from Judson High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of the Incarnate Word in 2002. His career experience includes working as an educator.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a high school teacher in San Antonio teaching at a school less than a mile from where I grew up. The school did not exist when I graduated high school back in 1989 but it would have been my high school due to the proximity it has with my childhood home. My wife and I plus our four fur babies, reside in Cibolo, Texas and have been in the Schertz / Cibolo area since 2016. She and I have been happily married since July of 2013 and don't see any end in sight.I also served in the Navy / Marine Corps reserves as an FMF Corpsman for both the navy and marines. As an honorably discharged veteran, I have a particular connection to the welfare of our men and women in military service. Veterans issues affect me so I understand how they can affect others.As mentioned earlier, I graduated advanced with honors from Judson High School in 1989. I then started college at U.T.S.A in the summer of 1990 and then transferred to the College of Santa Fe in January of 1993 when I decided to look into becoming a Roman Catholic priest. I left the seminary and college and did not return to complete my Bachelor's degree until 2002 when I graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Incarnate Word.I have campaigned as a Libertarian for U.S. Congress in 2018 and 2020. As a teacher, I feel becoming lieutenant governor is the best way I can enact change in our educational funding for our children.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We must fund all public schools properly. Texas currently ranks 29th out of 50 in state primary and secondary education. It comes as no surprise because the base education allotment per child in Texas is only $6,215 per average attending student, and has been that way since 2019. Meanwhile, New Jersey, which is number 1 in state primary and secondary education spends an average of $14,972 per child.

Since our state is currently operating at a $24 billion budget surplus, there is no reason why we cannot fund education properly. There won't even be a need to raise taxes nor to cut spending.Ending the War on Marijuana. Current lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, has made it his life's mission to make all marijuana use illegal in Texas. Meanwhile, over a decades of data has shown that legalizing marijuana did not increase usage but actually reduced the crime statistics surrounding it. Additionally, the revenue generated from legal sales have been an economic boon to every state that has medical and recreational marijuana sales. The sales tax alone from legal sales would easily generate an additional $400 million to $1.1 billion to the state. This, along with our current budget surplus, could mean funding schools properly and lowering property taxes.Immigration Reform. Back when the border was open, travel between Mexico and Texas was cyclical. Mexican residents would cross the border during the day to work the fields or other jobs in the United States and then return home at night or at the end of the week. They did this because the cost of living in Mexico is astronomically lower than the cost of living here in Texas. They worked hard jobs for low wages because those low wages were more than adequate to sustain a decent cost of living over there. We need to lead the nation in immigration reform by allowing these hard working individuals into our country to work and allowing them to return to their native country afterwards.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

In case you haven't noticed, I am very passionate about education in Texas. I have been teaching since 2020 when the pandemic broke out and have remained a teacher ever since. Like most teachers, I do this job because I love educating young minds and enabling them to learn how to think for themselves. An educated mind is something that cannot be taken away from you.

Note: Cristo submitted the above survey responses to [the profile publisher] on June 2, 2026.

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January 8 submission

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I feel it is time we have a lieutenant governor that prioritizes the needs of Texas over party policies. We need a third-party candidate at the seat of the Texas Senate so that the bills brought upon the senate floor are in the best interest of the state as a whole instead of prioritizing partisan policies and agendas.As a native Texan, I have seen this state go through good times and bad times. Luckily, most of the times have been good. However, there are some people currently in office who want to maintain a steady flow of people through our prison system by creating or maintaining laws for victimless crimes. So long as a person is living their life without depriving someone else of life, liberty, or property, they should be allowed to live their life as they deem fit. The government does not need to nursemaid grown adults.As someone who has worked in the education field for over 20 years in various capacities, I recognize that the bar for our students is continually being lowered to meet low expectations from our students. Ultimately, the more the state meddles with the education system, the worse it gets. This is because each area of the state has different educational needs. Even within school districts there are differing educational needs. Ultimately, the state needs to step back and let the teachers teach and let the parents decide how best their child should be educated.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

One area of public policy that I feel needs immediate attention is the decriminalization of marijuana. In the United States, cannabis is legal in 40 of the 50 states for medical use and 24 states for recreational use. Marijuana is a safer recreational drug than alcohol. If you drink until you pass out, there is the possibility that you may never wake up due to alcohol poisoning. However, if a person smokes until the pass out, they will wake up without the threat of death. It is time to decriminalize marijuana for recreational use and use the tax money to help with addiction programs for all substances and alleviate the burden of property taxes.

Anthony Cristo did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

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What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

Enacting a Balanced Budge Amendment

Immigration Reform

Ending the War on Drugs

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a veteran who sat countless hours on suicide watch with men who returned from Iraq and Afghanistan in pieces, ending our military involvement abroad and supporting our veterans is something personal to me.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Frederick Douglass. He said , "I will work with anyone to do what is right, and with no one to do what is wrong." That is how you get things done politically.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

V for Vendetta

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Protecting people's rights and putting an end to victimless crimes.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am not a career politician nor do I intend to become one. I am a regular person who faces the same trials and tribulations of living in this country as everyone else. I do not come from money and I know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck. I know what it is like to force yourself to go to work when you are sick because that one day lost of work will mean the difference between paying your bills and having food on the table for your family.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Protecting the people of this country from having their rights taken away from them. When you start allowing the government to take away your rights in order to help some people feel safe or comfortable, then you are no longer free.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to be the known as the start of the movement to take our government back from the politicians and into the hands of the citizens. People should not be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember watching the Saigon airlift as a kid. Afterwards, I noticed how Vietnam Veterans were spat upon (literally and emotionally) by the citizens of this country. As I grew older, I recognized that it is okay to hate the war, but it is never okay to hate the soldiers. That was why I waived my right to be a communications / public affairs officer and enlisted at the age of 36 to become a Corpsman for the Navy / Marine Corps. I wanted to do more than put a bumper sticker on my car to support our troops. I intend to extend that commitment as a Congressman.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

As a kid, my parents volunteered to clean our church, Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church, in Kirby, Texas. When I was around 8 years old, I was tasked with helping them clean the church. We would go every weekend and scrub the toilets, sweep and mom the floors, clean the windows, and do the occasional waxing and polishing. Though it was unpaid, it taught me the value of working hard for the sake of doing good. I continued doing this into my late teens while working paying jobs.

What happened on your most awkward date?

I was driving home from a first date and accidentally ran over a cat. She was a huge cat lover so we did not have a 2nd date even though the accident was unavoidable.

What is your favorite holiday? Why?

My favorite holiday is Christmas. People seem to be a little nicer and it usually brings out the best in people. You see more volunteers at non-profit centers helping others and it is a beautiful feeling to know that others are doing for others and asking for nothing in return.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book is "The Tao of Pooh", by Benjamin Hoff. I like it because it clearly explains the principles of Taoism through the actions and thought process of Winnie the Pooh.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

If I could be any fictional character, I would want to be Wolverine, because of how fast he heals.

What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?

I really do not have a favorite "thing" for the simple fact that they are things. I do, however, love my dog, Biscuit. He is a chihuahua and Yorkie mix who stole my heart from the moment I saw him as a puppy. My wife fell in love with him as well.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I do not recall the last song stuck in my head, but now that I was asked this, I have "Hair of the Dog" by Nazareth stuck in my head.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Like most people, the constant struggle to make ends meet has been the biggest struggle in my life.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

My current district (district 15) is over 250 miles long. I guarantee you that the needs of the people in the far north are different than the people in the far south near the border. Districts should be drawn within a specific area that does not dilute voter needs. Another fix to this would be to add more congressional seats so that there is a representative for every 220,000 to 250,000 people and not the current 700,000 people.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The U.S. House of Representatives is unique in that it represents a specific group of people that share commonalities in Congress. Unfortunately, the group gets more and more diluted with the increasing population and the fact that Representatives are not added when the population increases. It remains at 435 total. When the number 435 was decided, it meant that a representative was there for every 220,000 citizens. With the population growth, that same representative accounts for 700,000 citizens. By allowing the House to grow with the population of the country, you allow more voices to be heard.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

One thing history has shown us is that no one needs experience in politics to hold office. If you have an educated understanding of how politics work and a passion to make change, you CAN make a difference.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

The $21 trillion deficit incurred after generations of voting for the lesser of two evils is the biggest concern over the next decade. Eliminating wasteful government programs is paramount to paying this off. Once we pay this debt off, we can then focus on eliminating taxes that cripple most families and hinder their ability to simply survive and not flourish.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

As a veteran and a 2nd generation Mexican American, I would want to be a part of the VA and Defense committee and the Immigration Reform committee.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

NA

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

The length of the term is not a problem. The lack of limits to how many terms a Representative can run is a problem. Term limits for Congress is long overdue. Like I said before, there should be no such thing as a "career politician."

What are your thoughts on term limits?

In elaboration to my previous answer, I feel that no more than 4 term as a Representative (8 years) and 2 terms as a Senator (12 years) should be established. This will allow for fresh ideas to come into our government and will prevent corruption as Representatives will no longer become entrenched in specific committees which could tempt bribery.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

Currently, the Libertarian Party has no members in Congress. However, more and more people are starting to take the Libertarian Party more seriously because it is getting near impossible to take the other two parties seriously anymore so I see that changing. That being said, I would work with anyone to do what is right and no one to do what is wrong.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Every politician has their pros and cons. There has not been any politician that I could say that I agree with 100%. I intend to be my own candidate. A representative that did what he felt was best regardless of whether it was popular or not.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

As a veteran, I have heard from numerous disabled vets who use marijuana to deal with PTSD, pain management, and seizures from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI's). The VA knows that there are veterans using marijuana for this very reason. However, even in states where it is legal, if a veteran is drug tested at work, they can and WILL lose their job because marijuana is legal on a federal level. I owe it to my fellow veterans to legalize marijuana federally so that they can use what they feel works best for them without the fear of losing their livelihood.