Terry Virts

Terry Virts served in the U.S. Air Force from 1985 to 2017. He earned a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989, a graduate degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in 1997, and additional education from Harvard Business School in 2011.[1]

U.S. House District 9

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Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased November 6, 2025

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Terry is a decorated retired Air Force Pilot, spending 30 years in the Air Force, flying in 45 combat missions. He then served as a NASA Astronaut, commanding the International Space Station, where he spent 7 months in space. He has since served on the board of multiple energy and technology companies, and has given speeches all around the world on Space Exploration, National Security and risk management. Today, he is running for the 9th Congressional District of Texas. He is running to fight for working Texans, defeat the Republican gerrymander, and to bring real leadership to Washington.

In his personal life, Terry has two children. He is a Christian, having previously served as a Bible study leader and as a deacon in his church. He is, predictably, a huge space nerd, as well as an avid fan of the Astros, Rockets and Texans.

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: from healthcare, to groceries, to housing, life has become too expensive for all but the wealthiest Americans. Terry will fight to help bring down costs. He will do this by opposing Trump's excessive tariffs, supporting fair wages and good working conditions, promoting an all-of-the-above energy policy, and reducing overregulation. Terry also supports healthcare reforms, such as subsidizing preventative cancer screenings and expanding ACA subsidies.Common Sense Immigration: Terry supports a strong border policy that maintains control over who comes in the country. At the same time, he also supports treating immigrants with dignity and respect. He supports limiting ICE to focusing its efforts on gang/criminal activity. For undocumented immigrants who have held a job, paid taxes and followed the law, Terry supports a guest worker program that can fill in labor shortages.Restoring Democracy: Terry is a strong supporter of democracy, and believes a number of reforms can strengthen our country. This includes introducing term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, getting money out of politics, bringing the President's powers back under control, outlawing gerrymandering, and banning insider stock trading. Terry also supports releasing the Epstein files and holding those who committed crimes accountable.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Beyond what has already been mentioned, Terry is passionate about national security. He believes America should be a leader on the world stage, and must reassert its voice as an advocate for human rights and freedom. He wants to restore and strengthen our alliances with nations like Canada and Ukraine, while opposing the authoritarians of Russia and China. He is opposed to the cuts to USAID, as well as NASA, both of whom are important for maintaining America's soft power.

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

One of the most impactful events in Terry's life was the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. The event was chronicled in the book "The Normalization of Deviance," which detailed how the disaster was made possible: normalizing bad decisions because nothing bad has happened yet. Sadly, this same pattern led to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, and is currently happening within our government.

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

Terry's first job was as a farm laborer, while he was in 10th grade. His takeaway was that it was hard, often thankless, but completely necessary work.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Members of the House, Senate, and Supreme Court should be subject to term limits.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

This has been the most lawless presidency in American history. From the DOGE cuts, to violating court orders, to sending the military to American cities, to the unauthorized bombings in Venezuela, to the refusal to release the Epstein files, the House must act to hold the members of this administration accountable.

Campaign websiteVirts' campaign website stated the following:Make healthcare, groceries and housing more affordableEnd gerrymanderingSupport organized laborOppose Trump’s unconstitutional tariffsPromote strong democratic reforms, including supporting term limits, limiting money in politics, and bringing the executive branch back under controlPromote a strong border while treating immigrants with dignity and respect. Limit ICE to focusing on criminal activitySupport small businesses by reducing overregulationPromote an “all of the above” energy policyHelp farmers and ranchers by expanding their markets while decreasing input costsSupport a strong public education system— Terry Virts' campaign website (February 20, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

U.S. Senate

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