Jonathan Hildner

Jonathan Hildner was born in Killeen, Texas. He earned a high school diploma from Killeen High School and a bachelor's degree from Limestone College in 2018. His career experience includes working as a business owner. Hildner has been affiliated with Let's Move Killeen, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and the Texas Democratic Party.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a proud native Texan. I have a dog, a truck, and a gun, and I am equally as passionate about protecting individual rights as I am about coming together for the betterment of the community.

My father, a Brigadier General in the Army who passed away in Afghanistan in 2012, taught me to trust in the power of authentic relationships and the importance of working toward collaborative solutions. It is in this spirit of community service that I was inspired to run for Texas State House.

Growing up in Killeen, especially playing football for Killeen High School, provided many invaluable memories and lessons, although it was not an easy journey. When I left Texas for college, I discovered that although every city is vibrant and full of life, not every city has the strength, resilience, and grit that Killeen has.

Through the challenges of 2020, I found comfort and strength in working with my neighbors to bridge gaps, distribute resources, and fight for local interests. After working to build grassroots support for the Biden campaign in Iowa and Georgia, I knew it was time to bring my focus back home, where I co-founded a community support non-profit, Let's Move.

If elected, I will work to energize HD-54 for the future -- revitalizing our infrastructure, protecting our veterans, creating a robust local economy, and legalizing marijuana.

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?

The people of HD-54 deserve modernized infrastructure; including reliable electricity and water, safe roads and bridges, accessible broadband, and affordable child and elder care. These things are the foundation for improving access to food, housing, and health care for our communities.We must harness the strengths of our district – people, technical skills, schools, diversity, natural resources – to create a strong future for HD-54. For too long, the importance of central Texas and the needs of its residents have been overlooked. Now is the time for us to step forward as leaders of Texas and the nation, prioritizing the training needed to keep young people and transitioning military folk in the area.Our public schools have the resources and freedom needed to find innovative ways to prepare students for college and careers. Texas ranks in the bottom 10 states in per student spending, and that has to change. We must reward the dedication of our educational professionals with the pay, benefits, and trust they deserve.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have and will continue to fight for voting rights and accessibility. Voting legally should be free, fair, and easy.

I believe strongly in protecting the rights of gun owners while also protecting our communities with enhanced background checks, red flag laws, and increased age limits for assault style rifles.

My birth mother, at 12 years old, was given the choice and community support necessary to have me. I believe all people should have the same right to decide what is right for their own bodies. I believe medical decisions should be made between a patient and their health provider.

I am a firm believer in the benefits of medical marijuana for the treatment of PTSD, chronic pain, as well as other illnesses. I think it's long past time to legalize marijuana for 21+ recreational use and take advantage of the fiscal benefits of a regulated marijuana industry as other states have done for years.

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