Chris Oldham

Chris Oldham earned a high school diploma from Fredericksburg High School and a bachelor's degree from Angelo State University in 1991.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A True Voice: Chris’s Story

I’m a native Texan, a father, and a proud resident of Mansfield. While I have lived in West, Central, and North Texas, my life partner Mike and I chose Mansfield as our home in 2019. I am committed to preserving the quality of life that makes our community special.

My view of the world was shaped by an early challenge. When I was a freshman in high school, I lost my father. I watched my mother, a Registered Nurse, work incredibly hard to provide for us on a single income. That experience showed me the resilience of Texas families, but it also showed me how much community matters. The support we received from our neighbors in Fredericksburg made all the difference, and it instilled in me a lifelong drive to support others.

I carried that spirit of service into Angelo State University, where I earned my B.B.A. and served as a Program Director for the United Campus Ministries. Working with students from various denominations taught me that we achieve more when we focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.

I spent my professional career at Verizon, serving 30 years in roles ranging from Purchasing to Systems Management. Whether I was supervising teams, managing budgets, or implementing complex technical systems, my focus was always on efficiency and accountability. I retired in 2024, and now I am ready to apply those decades of business experience to work for you.

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?

Investing in Our People, Not Just Our Politics

Texas has a record surplus, yet our families are still feeling the squeeze. I’m running to ensure our tax dollars work for us—by finally expanding Medicaid to keep our rural hospitals open and lowering the cost of living for working families. As a 30-year business veteran, I know the difference between a good investment and a waste. It’s time to invest in Johnson and Somervell County families.Protecting Our Local Schools from Austin Vouchers

Our public schools are the heart of our community. I am 100% committed to fully funding our local schools and giving our teachers the raises they deserve. I will stand firmly against any 'school voucher' scheme that sends our rural tax dollars to private schools in big cities. Let’s keep our money in our community, supporting our kids.We’ve all seen our grocery bills skyrocket lately. But Representative Kerwin’s HB 130 would make it worse by adding a 'Hidden Austin Tax' at every step of the food chain. It taxes the farmer, the trucker, and the grocer before the food even hits the shelf. By the time you buy a gallon of milk, you’re paying for four rounds of new government taxes that are hidden in the price. I want to lower your taxes, but I won't do it by making it harder for you to feed your family.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

When I decided to run for office, I did so knowing the odds were long. I didn’t run because I thought it would be easy to win. I ran because I believe there are moments when silence costs too much.

Over the last sixty years, our country has made real, hard-fought progress toward treating people with greater fairness and dignity. That progress wasn’t inevitable, and it wasn’t free. It came because ordinary people refused to accept cruelty, exclusion, or indifference as the price of doing politics.

Today, I worry that some of that ground is being quietly given back—not with loud announcements, but through laws that punish instead of protect, divide instead of solve problems, and