James Buford

James Buford was born in Bakersfield, California, and lives in Grand Prairie, Texas. His career experience includes owning a business and working as a regional maintenance supervisor and pastor. Buford earned an associate degree from Dallas College North Lake in 2022. He has been affiliated with the Arlington Rotarians, Fort Worth Apartment Association, and National Apartment Association.[1][2][3]

James Buford did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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Campaign websiteBuford's campaign website stated the following:Downsizing GovernmentThe government should be on our side, not in our way. For too long, excessive regulations have held back local communities and small businesses. That’s why James Buford is committed to cutting the red tape and giving more control to local leaders. When the government gets out of the way, people and communities thrive. James is focused on making the government work smarter, not bigger, so that it’s more responsive to the needs of its citizens.The following Executive Orders focus on reducing the size, scope, and cost of the federal bureaucracy and ensuring efficiency and accountability. James will work to ensure that these are signed into law.14332: Providing oversight of federal grant-making. (Reducing wasteful spending and ensuring accountability in federal programs.)14356: Ensuring continued accountability and federal hiring. (Controlling the size and efficiency of the federal workforce.)14238: Continue the reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy. (Making the government smaller and more responsive.)14290: Ending taxpayer subsidies of biased media. (Reducing government spending on specific groups, which contributes to a smaller federal footprint.)Balancing the BudgetIt’s time to get serious about our nation’s financial health. Just like a household or a business, our government can’t keep spending more than it takes in. James is committed to bringing financial discipline back to Washington by focusing on balancing the budget and eliminating wasteful spending. We can no longer afford to pass the burden of debt onto future generations. James will prioritize responsible spending, making sure taxpayer dollars are used wisely, and that we start building a future that’s financially sustainable for all Americans.The following Executive Orders cut unnecessary government spending and save taxpayer money. James will work to ensure that these are signed into law.14290: Ending taxpayer subsidies of biased media. (Ensuring taxpayer dollars are not used to support partisan agendas financially.) 14332: Providing oversight of federal grant-making. (Ensuring accountability so taxpayer money is spent effectively.)14217: Ending taxpayer subsidies of open borders. (Terminating the use of federal funding that directly or indirectly supports unchecked border activities.)America First AgendaAmerican workers and families should come first. James Buford wants to secure our borders to ensure national security and create policies that prioritize American businesses. He understands that a strong America starts with a strong economy, one that works for everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful. By focusing on the needs of American workers and strengthening national defense, James will work to build a future where prosperity is felt by all Americans.The following Executive Orders promote national interests, protect fundamental rights, and prioritize the rights of American citizens and their values. James will work to ensure that these are signed into law.14149: Restoring freedom of speech and ending Federal censorship. (A key cultural and civil liberty issue within the agenda.)14202: Eradicating anti-Christian bias. (Protecting religious expression and values.)14291: Establishment of the Religious Liberty Commission. (Institutionalizing the protection of religious freedom.)14205: Establishing the White House Faith Office. (Institutionalizing support for faith-based initiatives.)14260: Protecting Second Amendment Rights. (Protecting a fundamental constitutional right.)14217: Ending taxpayer subsidies of open borders. (Stopping the flow of taxpayer money that incentivizes open borders.)— James Buford's campaign website (February 19, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A businessman, former pastor, dad, husband and grandfather of 12 grandchildren.

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?

Secure our borders, first and foremost.Government OverreachThe government needs to understand we all live with in a budget and so should they. We need to balance the budget and stay in the budget and stop sending money to Ukraine.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Small business owners

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

The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate

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

To follow the U.S. Constitution and operate within the enumerated powers.

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

Common sense and lifetime experiences.

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

To operate within the enumerated powers.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Lower the national debt.

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

Ronald Reagan was shot, and I was around ten years old.

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

Throwing newspapers, and I held this job for two years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible because it is the written Word of God.

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

The U.S. House of Representatives controls the purse.

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

No

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

Our debt as a nation.

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

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I am in favor of term limits.

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

Yes, Jim Jordan.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

Nothing will pass unless it lines up with the U.S. Constitution. We have to reduce our nation's debt.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Navarro Conservative Society. Several individuals.

What committees interest you?

Small business and Appropriations

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Nothing should be done behind closed doors or under a cloud of darkness. We should hold our government accountable.

Campaign website

Buford’s campaign website stated the following:

James Buford supports the Constitution of the United States as it is written, including the freedoms of speech and religion, the second amendment, and the right of all Americans to make their own health decisions.

Second Amendment

On December 15, 1791, in the District of Columbia vs. Heller, the Supreme Court affirmed for the first time that the rights belonged to the individuals for self-defense in the home. On May 17, 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that warrantless gun confiscation from Americans' homes is unconstitutional, voting unanimously on the side of the Rhode Island man, whose firearms were taken by law enforcement without a warrant, after his wife expressed concerns that he might hurt himself. Make no mistake, the government is coming for our guns.

Texas has seen this before in 1836, the symbol of a cannon and the logo of the words “Come and take it!”, is a symbol of our freedom. William Barret Travis stated, “I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of liberty, of patriotism, and everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. ...VICTORY OR DEATH”. I make a commitment to you to push back on anyone who is trying to take away our freedoms to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects these rights and I intend to fight and remind our government that we indeed have the right to keep and bear arms.

Border Security

It is clear to me and to fellow Texans that the Biden administration is doing absolutely nothing to secure our southern border. The current administration is completely ignoring the border and are essentially promoting an open border policy, totally disregarding our national, state, and local laws. Today our border-town mayors, sheriffs, county judges, and frontline law enforcement officers, along with the residents, are being overwhelmed and overrun by the number of immigrants illegally crossing our Texas border.

So far this year there have been more than 1.1 million apprehensions, which doesn't include those that walked across unimpeded. If elected to be your representative, on day one, we must put forth legislation to secure our borders, not only for Texans, but for the United States. We will not have time to sit around. We will need to step into action immediately.

Economy, Mandates, and Lockdowns

Texas has experienced the steepest drop in economic activity in modern history due to the mandatory shutdowns:

Sales tax revenue down 5%

Oil production - down 45.5%

Natural gas production - down 25%

Hotel occupancy - down 48.5%

Texas unemployment - skyrocketed 13.5%; nearly 1.2 million remain unemployed

The Restaurant Association estimated 15% of the state's 50,000 restaurants have closed permanently.

The hardest hit by the shut downs were our retailers, healthcare providers, electronics, clothing and home furnishing stores. The statistics go on, and the reality is, shutting down our country and state was catastrophic.

Federal, state, and local governments were making decisions on essential and non-essential workers. I find this totally preposterous. Who is the government to tell us who is essential and non-essential? Who can or cannot work?

This is the United States of America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. This should never happen again! We must have a plan of action to ensure that this never ever happens again in our nation and in the great State of Texas.

If I am elected and this issue arises again, I would vote against any mandates or shut-downs. This is a prime example of government overreach and against our Constitution. The federal government does not have any authority to impose this on us, the people.

The Federal Budget, CISA, and Government Censorship

The federal budget is not a budget at all right now. The government spending is out of control. They need to reduce the federal budget to pre- COVID numbers. It has has been decades since someone has ran their campaign on balancing the budget and for stating our government needs to stop spending. If we, the people, have to budget and live within our means the government should as well.

CISA and government censorship is Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. A constituent of district 6, reached out and asked, "Would you vote to shut down CISA and any other effort by the federal government to restrain free speech?" Yes, absolutely without a doubt I would vote to shut it all down. Our forefathers fought and wrote one of the greatest documents known to mankind, our United States Constitution. We should never have to worry about our God given rights and freedoms being infringed upon by any local, state, or federal goverment.

Parental Rights

The Supreme Court issued a parental rights ruling in a free speech case on June 30th, 2021. This case was about schools being able to police our children off campus. Justice Alito stated, “Our society, parents, not the State, have the primary authority and duty to raise, educate, and form the character of their children”.

The far left would try to convince you that there is nothing to see or worry about when it comes to critical race theory, better known as CRT. Let me assure you that this is the most toxic curriculum being taught in public schools and major corporations across this nation. No one should have to apologize for the color of their skin.

Texas Family Code Sect. 469.877.9143 declares the following: "A state agency may not adopt rules or policies or take any other action that violates the fundamental rights and duty of parents to direct the upbringing of the parent's child.” The parent(s) in the State of Texas have the right to raise their children as they see fit. The Texas courts have repeatedly recognized the right that parents have to oversee their children’s education, medical, and spiritual well-being.[4]

—James Buford’s campaign website (2024)[5]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is James Buford, married for almost 23 years; five children and eleven grandchildren. Business owner for ten years and a pastor for over 30 years. My family and children have served in the military protecting our rights and freedoms.

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?

Against Critical Race TheoryProtecting our bordersFighting against vaccine and mask mandates

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The areas of public policy that I am personally passionate about are healthcare, jobs and the trade industry. I believe America should always be first and not last. I am passionate about protecting our children from the critical race theory teachings and being proud of where, who, and how the Lord made them.

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

The qualities I believe I posses to make me successful for the American people is being a genuine, motivated and driven person concerned for this country, family and neighbors. I am committed to seeing America be the leader to other countries and held with the upmost respect.

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

The core responsibilities I believe for this office is to represent the people. We should get back to the basics and how our great country was founded and governed and uphold the United States Constitution as it is written.

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

The first historical event that I remember was Ronald Reagan's attempted assassination. I was in the seventh grade at the time when they brought the television into my classroom to watch the tragic event. I could not believe this was happening to our President and in the United States. President Reagan accomplished so much for us and was held in high regard and is still honored today.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book would be the Bible. Why, because it is the greatest book ever written. In Exodus you will find the first laws given to humanity which were the 10 Commandments.

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

No, I do not believe that it is beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics in order to hold any office or position. The individuals elected for a congressional role should be fighting for their neighbors and know the heartbeat of those on the ground. People need to have hope and believe in that person and be willing to be on the ground floor fighting for those concerns or values. Therefore, if someone is willing to role their sleeves up and take on the fight, for the people they should have the opportunity to do so even if they have never served in a political position before.

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

China, cyber security and fake news will be the United States greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade.

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

Yes, I would want to be a part of the small business committee to fight for their success. To keep business taxes and laws attainable and still be profitable. I would also like to be a part of the homeland security committee to help protect our borders and protect the families in the bordering communities.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I support term limits in all elected roles.

Campaign website

Buford's campaign website stated the following:

Texas Strong on the Issues that Matter

James Buford supports the Constitution of the United States as it is written, including the freedoms of speech and religion, the second amendment, and the right of all Americans to make their own health decisions.

Second Amendment

On December 15, 1791, in the District of Columbia vs. Heller, the Supreme Court affirmed for the first time that the rights belonged to the individuals for self-defense in the home. On May 17, 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that warrantless gun confiscation from Americans' homes is unconstitutional, voting unanimously on the side of the Rhode Island man, whose firearms were taken by law enforcement without a warrant, after his wife expressed concerns that he might hurt himself. Make no mistake, the government is coming for our guns.

Texas has seen this before in 1836, the symbol of a cannon and the logo of the words “Come and take it!”, is a symbol of our freedom. William Barret Travis stated, “I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of liberty, of patriotism, and everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. ...VICTORY OR DEATH”. I make a commitment to you to push back on anyone who is trying to take away our freedoms to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects these rights and I intend to fight and remind our government that we indeed have the right to keep and bear arms.

Border Security

It is clear to me and to fellow Texans that the Biden administration is doing absolutely nothing to secure our southern border. The current administration is completely ignoring the border and are essentially promoting an open border policy, totally disregarding our national, state, and local laws. Today our border-town mayors, sheriffs, county judges, and frontline law enforcement officers, along with the residents, are being overwhelmed and overrun by the number of immigrants illegally crossing our Texas border.

So far this year there have been more than 1.1 million apprehensions, which doesn't include those that walked across unimpeded. If elected to be your representative, on day one, we must put forth legislation to secure our borders, not only for Texans, but for the United States. We will not have time to sit around. We will need to step into action immediately.

Economy, Mandates and Lockdowns

Texas has experienced the steepest drop in economic activity in modern history due to the mandatory shutdowns:

Sales tax revenue down 5%

Oil production - down 45.5%

Natural gas production - down 25%

Hotel occupancy - down 48.5%

Texas unemployment - skyrocketed 13.5%; nearly 1.2 million remain unemployed

The Restaurant Association estimated 15% of the state's 50,000 restaurants have closed permanently.

The hardest hit by the shutdowns were our retailers, healthcare providers, electronics, clothing and home furnishing stores. The statistics go on, and the reality is, shutting down our country and state was catastrophic.

Federal, state and local governments were making decisions on essential and non-essential workers. I find this totally preposterous. Who is the government to tell us who is essential and non-essential? Who can or cannot work?

This is the United States of America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. This should never happen again! We must have a plan of action to ensure that this never ever happens again in our nation and in the great State of Texas.

Parental Rights

The Supreme Court issued a parental rights ruling in a free speech case on June 30th, 2021. This case was about schools being able to police our children off campus. Justice Alito stated, “Our society, parents, not the State, have the primary authority and duty to raise, educate, and form the character of their children”.

The far left would try to convince you that there is nothing to see or worry about when it comes to critical race theory, better known as CRT. Let me assure you that this is the most toxic curriculum being taught in public schools and major corporations across this nation. No one should have to apologize for the color of their skin.

Texas Family Code Sect. 151.003 declares the following: "A state agency may not adopt rules or policies or take any other action that violates the fundamental rights and duty of parents to direct the upbringing of the parent's child.” The parent(s) in the State of Texas have the right to raise their children as they see fit. The Texas courts have repeatedly recognized the right that parents have to oversee their children’s education, medical, and spiritual well-being.[4]

—James Buford's campaign website (2022)[6]