Janet Dudding

Janet Dudding earned a B.S. in business administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and an M.B.A. from Millsaps College. Dudding's career experience includes working as a governmental auditor, an accountant, and an investigator.[1][2][3]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Janet Dudding, CPA and public servant, is running for Texas House District 14 with a clear promise: ethics, integrity, and accountability in every decision. Texans deserve leaders who treat taxpayer dollars with care, follow the law, and answer to the people they serve — not wealthy insiders or special interests.

With a background in governmental policy, accounting, and oversight, Dudding has spent her career focused on measurable stewardship: transparent spending, responsible budgeting, and real accountability for how public programs operate. She believes public office is a public trust, and that trust must be earned through honesty, independence, and results.

Dudding offers voters a sharp contrast with incumbent Paul Dyson. Dyson sponsored and voted for a $1 billion private-school voucher program while serving as Vice-Chair of Allen Academy’s Board of Trustees, and Allen Academy is participating in that same voucher program. That kind of overlap raises serious ethical questions and undermines public confidence that public decisions are being made solely in the public interest. For Dudding, that choice matters: taxpayer dollars should be spent transparently and elected officials should be accountable to the families and communities they represent.

Janet Dudding will bring the same discipline she used in investigating waste, fraud, and corruption to the Texas House — demanding transparency, enforcing accountability, and standing up for the public interest every time.

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?

Affordability and healthcare are inseparable. Texans should not have to work two jobs and still struggle to survive. We can help families either by reducing costs or increasing earnings, and it is time to raise the minimum wage. When housing, groceries, insurance, prescriptions, and doctor visits are out of reach, every part of life becomes harder. Texans are tired of footing the bill while billionaires avoid paying their fair share. We need leaders who will lower everyday costs, protect access to care, strengthen local hospitals and clinics, and expand preventive, maternal, and mental health services. Ignoring climate change also drives up risk and costs for families. It impacts crops, supply chains and insurance costs.Texas communities need local control over data center growth. Cities have zoning authority; counties do not. Data centers may bring jobs, but they also strain water, power, and local infrastructure. Communities deserve full transparency on siting, water sources, energy use, and costs. I support requiring data centers to use recycled produced or gray water and to pay for their own cooling, water and wastewater treatment, power, and transmission infrastructure. I oppose tax abatements for data centers. If we are serious about lowering property taxes, new industry must pay its own way. Growth must be smart, transparent, and sustainable.Texas currently applies only its regular sales tax to THC sales, which is poor policy for a product that should carry dedicated public safeguards and public-benefit funding. I support a 15% excise tax on recreational THC, modeled on proven state cannabis tax systems. The enabling legislation would distribute revenue by set percentages for regulation and administration, public school fine arts, mental health services, veterans’ services, and mandatory local government revenue sharing. Medical THC purchased with a valid state-issued medical THC card would be exempt from both excise tax and sales tax. This approach supports consumer safety, product oversight, and meaningful public investment while protecting patients from added cost.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Academic freedom on college and university campuses is more than a slogan—it is the oxygen of learning. It means students and professors can follow evidence where it leads, ask difficult questions, and explore ideas that have not yet been reduced to consensus. Without academic freedom, education becomes compliance: neat, obedient, and shallow. When silence is mistaken for harmony, self-censorship takes hold. A university should not be a place of fear, but a place of inquiry, debate, and intellectual courage. Protecting academic freedom protects truth, strengthens learning, and prepares students for citizenship in a free society.

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

The most important qualities in an elected official are ethics, integrity, accountability, and a strong commitment to core values. I am guided by the Texas A&M Aggie Values—excellence, integrity, leadership, respect, and selfless service—along with a clear belief that loyalty belongs first to constituents, not big-dollar donors seeking to buy influence or favorable laws. Public office is a public trust, and that trust must be earned through honesty, transparency, and accountability, with decisions grounded in principle and always focused on serving the community above politics or personal gain.

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

My core responsibility as a member of the Texas House is to serve the people of District 14 with courage, honesty, and a deep respect for the dignity of every person. This office is about being a voice for the people I represent, standing up for their families, their freedoms, and their future, and making sure they are seen, heard, and respected by their government.

A state representative’s job is to write, debate, and vote on laws that shape everyday life in Texas. That includes strengthening public schools and universities, improving roads and infrastructure, expanding economic opportunity, protecting taxpayers, and keeping our communities safe. Families deserve to live in safe neighborhoods, send their children to good schools, and feel confident that their government is working for them, not against them.

Public safety matters deeply, but so does fairness, accountability, and basic human decency. This office has a role in supporting coordination among state, local, and federal authorities, including ICE when it is tied to public safety and the enforcement of the law. But no family should be terrorized by fear, confusion, or abuse of power. No innocent person should be swept up without due process, and no constituent should feel abandoned when the system gets it wrong. Whether someone is a citizen, immigrant, or visitor, people deserve to be treated lawfully and with dignity. A state representative should be willing to step in, ask hard questions, demand accountability, and fight for a fair outcome when someone’s rights are at risk.

Beyond passing laws, a member of the Texas House must provide oversight of state agencies, protect taxpayer dollars, and help constituents when they need answers or action from state government. Above all, this office is about service. It is about showing up, telling the truth, doing the work, and never forgetting that public office is a trust placed in you by the people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

From talking with some in my community, the biggest legacy one could leave would be to get rid of the medians down Texas Avenue (Business State Highway 6-R).

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

I began my career with the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor, investigating government corruption and helping lay the groundwork for Operation Pretense, which sent more than 50 public officials to prison for procurement fraud. Working in the Investigative Audit Division under Louisa Dixon and Ray Mabus, I learned early that public service is about protecting taxpayer dollars, demanding accountability, and earning the public’s trust.

I later moved to County Audit to complete the governmental auditing experience required for CPA licensure under a certified public accountant. That work strengthened my expertise in public finance, compliance, and fiscal oversight—and reinforced the values that still guide me today: integrity, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public resources.

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

My college career was interrupted by a health scare, and I was lucky. I was a full-time student, and I had coverage through my parents’ health insurance. Without that, I could have been left with crushing medical debt on top of a medical crisis.

I was also lucky to get the care I needed when I needed it. Not everyone can say that now.

If that same health emergency happened in Texas today, I honestly don’t know whether I would have gotten timely care. That is a terrifying thing to say, and an even more terrifying reality to live in.

Women’s health care should not depend on where you live, what politicians believe, or whether you can afford to wait. When care is delayed or denied, people don’t just face more pain and fear. They risk their futures, their health, and sometimes their lives.

This is not abstract. This is personal. And it is happening to real people every day.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I believe the relationship between the governor and the legislature should be defined by independence, accountability, and constitutional checks and balances. The governor should set priorities and advocate for policy, but legislators should represent the people of their districts first, not serve as instruments of executive power or outside political influence.

In Texas, that balance has become strained, particularly on the issue of education. Rather than respecting the legislature as a coequal branch of government, Governor Abbott used extraordinary political pressure and outside money to reshape the House around support for his voucher agenda. In HD14, that matters directly. Paul Dyson was elected as part of that effort, and his support for vouchers is especially concerning given his position as vice-chair of Allen Academy, a private school that could benefit from voucher funding.

I believe the legislature should act independently, ask hard questions, and protect the public interest—even when that means disagreeing with the governor. In our district, that means standing up for strong public schools and universities, local representation, and a government that answers to constituents rather than powerful donors or political insiders.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Greatest Risk: Climate change poses the greatest long-term risk because it drives more extreme weather, strains water and food supplies, damages infrastructure, harms public health, and increases economic and security instability. The costs are already rising: insurance premiums are climbing as disasters grow more frequent and expensive, and Texas has experienced some of the costliest climate-related disasters in the country over the past decade.

For some, climate change still sounds abstract — a theory, a partisan debate, or a problem for someone else’s future. For me, it is personal. Hurricane Katrina’s destruction on the Mississippi Gulf Coast showed me how quickly storm surge can erase roads, homes, and entire neighborhoods, turning the familiar into the unrecognizable. A year later, my family relocated to Texas A&M, but that move only reinforced the lesson: when we ignore climate risk, the price is paid by real communities in lost homes, disrupted lives, and costly recovery.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes—compromise is both necessary and desirable for effective policymaking. Lasting solutions usually come from listening to different perspectives, finding common ground, and building broad support. I believe in governing by consensus instead of fear: bringing people together to solve problems in a practical, respectful way rather than using division or intimidation to score political points. Compromise does not mean giving up core values; it means working collaboratively to make real progress for the people we serve.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Texas Aggie Democrats.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

One of my earliest political memories is sitting in our den with my mother and brother, watching the Watergate hearings on our big tube TV in the summer of 1973. I was 14 — old enough to know something serious was unfolding, even if I didn’t grasp every detail. The quiet intensity of those moments stayed with me and helped shape my belief in accountability, public trust, and the simple truth that no one is above the law.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a Certified Public Accountant, independent and ethical. But I’m a different kind of CPA.

My first job out of school, working for State Auditor Ray Mabus, investigated allegations that elected officials had embezzled money or taken kickbacks. I’ve spent my adult life auditing, accounting for, administering and even investigating state and local government - holding government and governmental officials accountable.

As a single mother, averaging 20 hrs/semester, I put myself through college to earn my accounting degree. I know what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet and stretch a dollar. As Comptroller - the state’s accountant - I’ll look out for us, the taxpayer, and our tax dollars.

I value good health. Both my husband and I are alive today because we had access to healthcare. We can ensure millions of adult Texans have that access while paying less taxes than we’re spending now by denying coverage.

As a Katrina survivor, climate change is personal to me. Leaking methane speeds that climate change. We spend billions of dollars on climate-disasters and even more in human suffering. The Comptroller is charged with reducing green-house gases like methane. Let’s capture methane vaper and use that energy to fuel production.

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?

Expand broadband internet across Texas and look at ways to do it that will generate revenue for local government, while keep the service affordable..Legalize recreational cannabis for adult use, creating $billions in new revenue for mental health, teacher’s healthcare and social security.Clamp down on corporate tax giveaways and property tax appraisals.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a Hurricane Katrina survivor, climate change is personal to me. Hurricanes happen, but that 32’ storm surge is not normal. Climate-caused disasters are costing us billions in damages and even more in human suffering. Methane is a leading cause of climate change. Texas leads the nation in methane emissions.

My husband and I moved to Texas a year after Katrina’s landfall to join the Texas A&M community, a top-tier research institution. Texas leads the nation in energy – we have the know-how to lead the nation in green initiatives.

The Comptroller is charged in statute with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, like methane. The Comptroller is the state’s accountant and oversees procurement. I’d like to work with stakeholders to cap methane leaking on state-owned land. That methane vapor is energy that can be capped to fuel production onsite.

Both my husband and I are alive today because we had access to healthcare. Texas leads the nation uninsured people – Texas doesn’t extend Medicaid coverage to any adult Texan unless they are pregnant, disabled, or elderly and very low income. For over a decade, we’ve been told that we could not afford to extend coverage. The fact of the matter is that Texas spends $100 million MORE to DENY coverage than it would to extend comprehensive mental health and physical healthcare coverage to 1.4 million Texans.

The Comptroller oversees broadband. I’d like to dialog with local government leaders about providing broadband as a utility.

Campaign website

Dudding's campaign website stated the following:

Legalize/Decriminalize adult-use recreational cannabis

Texas needs a new revenue stream to reduce property tax, fund education, health (& mental health) care, and public safety. A growing number of states are bringing in revenue by legalizing cannabis for adult recreational use. The industry is mature enough to have established best practices, which should be incorporated.

Conservative estimates indicate $1 billion in new state revenue would be realized from legalization. The key is stipulating what % of that money funds public education, etc. in the enabling legislation.

Decriminalization saves the state $300 million in criminal justice costs and saves local property taxes. Licensing fees from the different areas of the cannabis industry is sufficient to fund enforcement. Distributing licenses for the new businesses should formally consider which communities have been most harmed by the decades-long marijuana incarceration protocol and the resulting impact of felony marijuana convictions on housing, jobs and families.

Reduce methane emissions on state-owned land.

As a Katrina survivor who’s been married to a scientist for almost 30 years, Climate Change is very real and personal to me.

The Comptroller is charged with reducing greenhouse gases like methane, a leading cause of climate change. The Comptroller oversees procurement. The Comptroller also has rule-making authority, which then becomes part of statute.

Working with other agencies, as outlined in statute, and stakeholders, we can capture that vapor - which is energy - to cut methane emissions on Texas' vast state-owned lands. Doing nothing about methane is costing us billions of dollars with each climate emergency disaster.

Broadband internet is a utility. Help bring broadband and its revenue stream to rural Texas.

Broadband internet expansion is now a fuction of the Comptroller's Office and I applaud the work started. I would like to explore local broadband as a utility fund of local governments to keep costs down, provide reliable service and provide a revenue stream to rural local governments.

Texans save $100 million by expanding comprehensive mental and physical health care

For over a decade, the public has been told that "Texas cannot afford" to expand Medicaid to 1.4 million adult Texans. The fact of the matter is that Texas is spending MORE to offer less.

We're spending $100 million dollars more in state tax dollars to deny coverage than we would to expand comprehensive mental health care and physical health care to adult Texans who qualify under the federal regulations. To compound this, we in Texas are spending our property taxes for critical indigent healthcare.

I will use the Comptroller's bully pulpit to point out that we get a lot more bang for our buck by expanding comprehensive mental health and comprehensive physical health care to the 1.4+ million Texans who qualify for Medicaid under the federal guidelines. Expanding Medicaid expands our economy by adding $45 billion in gross product, $29.4 billion in personal income while adding a half a million jobs.

Property tax Appraisals

The Comptroller plays a part in appraisal district property appraisals.

Under the guise of "Property Tax Assistance," the Comptroller audits appraisal district values. Many times, when the Comptroller comes up with a higher value, the appraisal district complies by raising its value. Higher appraised values * tax rate = higher taxes.

I am very concerned about the current Comptroller using their rule-making authority to hide compliance details on property tax corporate giveaways.

Public School Teachers

Public schools provide every child equal opportunity.

High quality teachers are the backbone of an excellent education and we need to recruit and retain the best and the brightest. With COVID-19, our teachers taught virtually over the internet. Our children need access to virtual learning through broadband internet infrastructure. Our schools must continue to prioritize safety for our teachers and our children.

We all saw first-hand the impact of our public schools systems during the first weeks and months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools stepped up to continue feeding our children and providing for our communities in ways that many of us were unaware of. The state must make good on promises made. We must protect our schools from state funding cuts.

Our teachers deserve an equitable compensation package, including retirement options. Not many realize that only a handful of Texas public schools participate in social security, leaving our teachers to retire on TRS (Teacher’s Retirement System) with out social security benefits. That TRS retirement is a flat amount that has not seen a COLA (cost of living adjustment) in decades. We consolidate our teachers’ insurance, yet price out a retiree-only package instead of spreading the risk and the price for all teachers. We can do better.[4]

—Janet Dudding's campaign website (2022)[5]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Janet Dudding is a CPA who began her career with the Office of the State Auditor investigating allegations that elected and governmental officials had embezzled taxpayer money or had taken kickbacks. As a single mother, she earned her BS-Accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi and her MBA from Millsaps College.

Janet's Texas roots run deep through her grandmother, a first-generation Texan born in El Campo over 125 years ago.

After suffering devastating losses in Bay St. Louis-Waveland, MS during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, she and James, her husband of almost 30 years, relocated to Bryan-College Station. James joined Texas A&M University's Department of Civil Engineering faculty and Janet worked for the City of College Station as their Budget Manager then as their Asst. Director of Finance. She returned to Waveland when she answered their crisis call for financial help. Within 2 years, she helped Waveland earn a clean audit opinion, build cash reserves and re-hire their workforce before returning to Bryan-College Station. Upon her return, she began her work with Texas A&M University. Janet took early retirement to run for office.

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?

Healthy PeopleHealthy PlanetHealthy Wages

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a CPA with 35 years of experience in governmental accounting, I built my career keeping governments accountable to people -- not corporate special interests. I am passionate about transparent responsive government and state/local coordination.

A close member of my family is a cancer survivor. I am passionate about access to affordable healthcare. We need laws that value our life - our health and our ability to provide for our loved ones. Texas no longer has to choose to be ranked among the nation's worst in health care coverage and maternal mortality. We can expand pregnant female's eligibility to 12 months after giving birth to address maternal mortality. We can (expand Medicaid) move our Medicaid ceiling from ~15% of the federal poverty rate to 135% for 10 cents on the dollar. Covering adult Texans will help save our rural hospitals, too.

As a Katrina survivor who's been married to a scientist for almost 30 years, Climate Change is personal to me and an area I am passionate about. We need to green the grid, electrify transportation and clean up existing industries. Together, we can still turn this around - and create good-paying jobs. Wind and solar installer jobs require a high school diploma and pay a living wage.