Keith Self

Keith Self was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1953.[1] He earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1975 and a graduate degree from the University of Southern California in 1981.[2][3] Self served in the U.S. Army from 1975 to 2003. He also worked as a defense contractor. He was a county judge for Collin County, Texas, from 2007 to 2018.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a Texan, graduate of West Point, 25-year Army veteran, 12-year County Judge. I served in Airborne Infantry, Special Forces, and Joint assignments on four continents. My wife and I have lived overseas for a decade in Europe and the Middle East. I was stationed in Germany twice, Belgium, and Egypt. I served in the Pentagon in waived Special Access Programs. In elected office, I presided over the Commissioners Court for 12 years, cutting the tax rate by almost thirty percent, reducing the cost of the pension plan to the taxpayer, putting the checkbook on line first among the 3100 counties across the nation. I am a fiscal, social, and national security conservative.

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?

There are two existential threats to our republic (not out nation, the republic): the open borders policy and the lack of election integrity.We must reestablish the conservative legacy of Texas Congressional District 3, missing for almost three years.CD3 must have a voice and a vote against the moral decline of our nation.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Securing our borders, establishing election integrity, and reestablishing our international standing as the protector of freedom.

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

Two British politicians. Winston Churchill because he led Great Britain through WWII, Maggie Thatcher because she and Ronald Reagan led the Western World through a tumultuous period. Thatcher was the Iron Lady.

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

Courage, followed closely by integrity. Integrity without courage cannot defend principles.

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

Integrity, experienced leadership

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

Protect citizens' liberty.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Protect liberty

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

The Korean War ended without a peace agreement when I was just four months old.

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

First real job was McDonalds in Amarillo, Texas. I held it most of a year.

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

The responsibility to draft revenue bills. Theoretically.

The robust debate that should happen in the people's house.

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

Some, but not a lifetime. We need citizen representatives, not career politicians.

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

1. Our huge and growing debt. it not only endangers our future budgets, but it endangers the reserve currency status of the dollar.

2. China. As true peer competitor, we must take the China threat seriously.

3. The growing acceptance of progressive socialism. Without a moral compass, our rule of law cannot hold.

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

Election integrity

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

Yes, although it makes fundraising constant.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I term-limited myself out of the County Judge position after 12 years. I believe in term limits, but in the case of the US Congress, the enormous committee staffs would then be the de facto lawmakers. Staffs should be returned to staff level, not agency level.

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?

A WWII veteran who apologized to me that his discharge paper listed him as a cook when he fought across Northern Europe as an infantryman. Reading his papers, it was true, but he certainly had nothing to apologize for. I have studied all my life what that man actually did.

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

Necessary.

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?

Cutting spending. As Ronald Reagan said, "The closest thing to eternal life on earth is a government program." Every spending line has a constituency, but hard choices must be made.

Campaign website

Self's campaign website stated the following:

BORDER SECURITY:

The Texas border with Mexico is open and in chaos, and the Biden administration’s open border policy is an intentional act of destabilization. Keith believes in going after cartel money in every banking institution where it is stashed, stopping non-governmental organizations from supporting the actual crossing operations, deploying sufficient Texas National Guard members to actually defend US sovereign territory, and if necessary, closing commercial traffic across the border in order to pressure Mexico to take stronger measures to stop the movement of illegal immigrants across their country.

BIG TECH:

Twitter allowed the Taliban to tweet, but banned an American president. Clearly, Big Tech poses a clear and present danger to freedom of speech and public debate in America. Selective censorship using shifting criteria must stop. Keith will fight to end the sweeping immunity given to the tech industry so that consumers have more legal tools to protect themselves.

COVID:

Too many politicians—along with their allies in the media—have used COVID as an excuse to abuse their power and impose their will on American citizens. Keith opposes mask and vaccine mandates and trusts individuals to make decisions for themselves and their families. Keith also believes that doctors should be allowed and encouraged to prescribe proven treatments that do not meet the narrative of the progressive establishment.

ELECTION INTEGRITY:

Despite numerous irregularities and outright fraud in the 2020 election in multiple states, Van Taylor voted to certify the election results. Keith will demand a full forensic audit is conducted in Texas. He believes that elections must remain under state control, he supports election integrity laws such as requiring a photo ID to vote, and he insists that all future voting machines include a paper trail.

HISTORY & HERITAGE:

Van Taylor voted to strip our nation’s history from the United States Capitol. Keith is not ashamed of our nation’s past, and he believes that our history and our heritage—both the good and the bad—deserve to be preserved and protected for future generations. We learn from history, we don’t bury it.

2ND AMENDMENT:

Keith hunted in the Texas panhandle as a boy, and he served with Airborne Infantry, Special Forces units and Joint units on four continents. He is a life-member of the National Rifle Association. Keith understands that gun ownership and self-defense are foundational to the American way of life, and he will fight all efforts by the left to curtail our Constitutional rights.

PRO-LIFE:

Keith believes in the sanctity and value of every human life. The sonogram is the greatest tool in our fight against the barbarism and child sacrifice of the abortion industry. In Congress, Keith will fight to protect the Hyde Amendment and finally defund Planned Parenthood.[7]

—Keith Self's campaign website (2022)[8]