THE WOODLANDS, Texas—As he mounts a campaign to return to the Texas House, after four years out of office, Steve Toth highlights his pro-taxpayer record he earned while in office.
Elected to the Texas House in 2013 after dispatching liberal incumbent Rob Eissler, Toth was rated as a “Taxpayer Champion” in his very first session. But rather than seek re-election to the Texas House, Toth unsuccessfully sought higher office the next two election cycles.
First was a campaign for the Texas Senate seat vacated by State Sen. Tommy Williams (R—The Woodlands) in which he fell short in a runoff to then-State Rep. Brandon Creighton (R—Conroe). The following election cycle, Toth challenged US Rep. Kevin Brady (R—TX) and fell short of forcing a runoff.
While many would view the lack of electoral success as a sign not to seek elected office again, Toth did carry The Woodlands by a healthy margin in each of his previous campaigns. And now that the lawmaker who replaced him—State Rep. Mark Keough—is stepping aside to run for Montgomery County Judge, Toth is well-positioned to retake his seat in the Texas House.
Speaking with Texas Scorecard, Toth said he was encouraged by the positive responses his campaign has gotten across the district and was looking forward to finishing strong on March 6th.
“In the Texas Legislature, my voting record reflected my values. It doesn’t stand as a contradiction to what I and the people of Texas value,” said Toth. “I’m excited about returning to the Texas House and rejoining the fight.”
The only thing standing in the way of Toth’s return is his opponent, local activist Jackie Waters, who doesn’t appear to be doing much in the way of active campaigning in grassroots-heavy Montgomery County.
Toth, meanwhile, is prioritizing voter contact and building a coalition with grassroots leaders.
“I’m out knocking doors every day and working with activists and allies across Montgomery County to be sure that we turn out conservative voters,” said Toth. “Montgomery County is conservative and we must have elected officials who represent our values.”
A safe Republican district in ruby-red Montgomery County, should Toth win the Republican Party primary election in March he will have effectively retaken his seat in the Texas House.
This article is part of Texas Scorecard’s “On the Trail Tour” series. To view more field reports on campaigns across the state of Texas, visit our website here.
Zach Maxwell contributed to this report.
