Keith Self, who has served as Collin County Judge since 2007, announced today via Facebook that he is forming an exploratory committee “to consider a possible campaign for Texas’ 3rd Congressional District in the 2018 primary election.”
In the weeks following Congressman Sam Johnson’s announcement that he would not seek reelection, Tracy and I have spent many hours considering whether or not to take this step. And, after further discussion over the weekend, we have decided now is a good time to start testing the waters. . . .
It was government overreach that spurred me to run for county judge more than a decade ago. And today, many of the troubles facing Americans stem from the growth of the federal government and its extended reach into our everyday lives.
State Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano) is widely expected to run for the Congressional seat as well. While the Dallas Morning News reported that Taylor “will run for Congress,” Taylor himself has not officially said whether or not he will seek the position. He issued the following statement shortly after Johnson announced his retirement in January:
“Anne and I are incredibly humbled by the overwhelming support from across Collin County urging me to run for Congress. With the legislative session beginning tomorrow, I have an important job to do providing conservative solutions in the Texas Senate. While I am grateful for the strong base of support and encouraged by the possibilities that lay ahead, my immediate focus is on the important work ahead of us in the upcoming session.”
Taylor has a strong legislative record in both the Texas House and Senate, earning a career rating of “A” on Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s Fiscal Index and an “A+” rating on the most recent 2015 index.
The full statement issued by Judge Self can be viewed on his Facebook page.
