North Texas Sun sent questions to all candidates listed on the ballot in the Republican and Democratic primaries, which are being held on March 3. Early voting runs Feb. 17 through Feb. 27, including Sunday.

Check the Denton County Elections Administration website see who is on your ballot and where to vote on Election Day.

Republican primary

Jared Patterson (incumbent) did not return the questionnaire.

Name: Rick Abraham

Age: 57

Occupation: Retired Systems Engineer | U.S. Navy Veteran

Website: www.RickForTexas.com

What made you want to run for office?

I’m running because I live here, drive these roads every day, and see firsthand how rapid growth has outpaced infrastructure. Families in HD-106 are dealing with congested roads, rising property taxes, and concerns about school quality and public safety. I believe we need serious, solutions-focused leadership — not political drama. After decades solving complex technical problems, I felt called to serve again and bring steady, accountable leadership to Austin.

What experience do you bring to the office?

I served in the U.S. Navy and spent over 30 years as a systems engineer managing complex projects, budgets, and teams. My career required solving high-stakes problems, protecting sensitive systems, and delivering results under pressure. I’ve also served in local party leadership and worked closely with community groups. I understand how policy decisions affect families because I’ve lived it — as a veteran, homeowner, and taxpayer in Denton County.

If elected, what legislation would you pursue that would directly impact your constituents?

My priorities are practical and local:

• Infrastructure funding reform so fast-growing areas like ours aren’t left behind.

• Property tax relief that is sustainable and transparent.

• Stronger oversight of special districts and MUDs to protect taxpayers.

• Support for law enforcement and first responders.

• Career and technical education pathways that prepare students for high-demand jobs.

HD-106 deserves legislation that directly improves daily life — roads that work, taxes that are fair, and schools that prepare students for success.

Is Gov. Abbott’s plan to eliminate school property taxes something you support? How do you think it will work?

I support meaningful property tax relief. Texans are overburdened. However, eliminating school property taxes must be done responsibly. Schools still need stable funding. Any plan must replace lost revenue with a reliable, growth-based funding source that does not shift the burden elsewhere or create future deficits. Relief must be real, sustainable, and fiscally responsible.

What do you think is the biggest issue the state is facing?

The biggest issue is managing growth responsibly. Texas is booming, and that’s a good thing — but infrastructure, water, power, and transportation must keep pace. If we fail to plan properly, families pay the price through congestion, higher taxes, and declining quality of life. We need forward-thinking leadership that balances economic growth with smart planning and fiscal discipline.

Name:  Lieutenant Colonel Larry Brock, USAF Retired

Age: 58 

Occupation: Airline Pilot, Owner of a Residential Inspection Company 

Website: www.larrybrockfortexas.com

What made you want to run for office?

A desire to provide the citizens of HD-106 with a representative that will actually listen to them. My entire life I have served this nation and our people and want to continue that by serving in the Texas House of Representatives.

What experience do you bring to the office?

A 29 year Air Force career leading men in peace and war. 

If elected, what legislation would you pursue that would directly impact your constituents?

I will file a bill to eliminate all property taxes for senior citizens, to prohibit any tax increases without voter approval in a November election, and to eliminate appraisal increases above sell price. 

Is Gov. Abbott’s plan to eliminate school property taxes something you support? How do you think it will work?

I absolutely support any reduction in property taxes but I want to ensure we provide for a good education to all Texas children. I assume the governor has a plan to provide for the cost of education, but the math isn't working right now. I need to see how we can execute his plan and maintain a balanced budget.  

What do you think is the biggest issue the state is facing?

Property taxes are killing economic growth and threatening the homesteads of many Texans. we must provide real relief this session of at least 25%. Islam must be stopped in its tracks. Not one more mosque should be built in this state. 

Democratic primary

Name: Joseph “Joe” Mayes

Age: 64

Occupation: Business Owner (Patchouli Joe’s Books & Indulgences in Denton)

Website: JoeMayesForTexas.com

What made you want to run for office?

The passion for service was instilled in me at a young age and removing my military uniform for the last time did not mean my service was done.

While there are specific issues that drove my decision to run for Texas House of Representatives District 106—fully funding Texas public schools, ensuring that living and doing business in Texas are affordable for all Texans, protecting the freedom of Texans to read, assemble, and speak as they choose, and to support the military Veterans who defended those freedoms—the underlying driver was to begin to repair the division that exists in Texas today.

Too much time, energy, money, and legislative effort has been spent on dividing Texans, for the benefit of a wealthy, privileged few. More and more the State Government has been reaching into day-to-day life of the average Texan, imposing greater and greater control over the choices available to them. Instead of focusing their efforts on solving the problems facing average Texans, their focus has been on further enriching the wealthy.

I am running to change that. I intend to represent the voice of all citizens in District 106 and to tackle the challenges facing them today. Giving public dollars to private schools. The runaway costs of shelter, food, health care, and other basic living expenses. The impediments to success facing small businesses. Governmental overreach telling Texans which books they can read, which religious practices are acceptable and which aren’t, and where and with whom people can assemble.

I am running for office because my call to service has not expired. And I intend to answer that call until I am no longer able.

What experience do you bring to the office?

Over 40 years as a leader in the US military, the technology industry, nonprofit management, and small business ownership

• 20 years US Air Force (including 9 years in Special Operations)

• Equipped me to collaborate with a wide range of parties to achieve objectives

• Former executive at a large, US-based tech company, rising to Director of Cybersecurity Strategy

• A focus on mitigating risk as the driving force, to ensure that proposed solutions are actually solving real problems

• North Texas small business owner

• I see first hand the challenges facing small businesses in north Texas

• Married to a retired Texas educator

• I have been able to see the challenges facing Texas educators in light of insufficient funding

If elected, what legislation would you pursue that would directly impact your constituents?

My number one legislative priority is to fully, permanently fund Texas public schools.

Currently, Texas ranks 37th among US states (and the District of Columbia) in K-12 per-student public school funding. Meanwhile, the professional educators are somehow outperforming the funding received from the state, educating some 5.5 million students and graduating 400,000 seniors every year.

Make no mistake: the professional educators, from Superintendents to administrators to teachers to support staff are all going well above and beyond to ensure the quality of public education remains high. Imagine what these professional educators can achieve if we fully fund our Texas schools.

The 89th Texas legislature exacerbated this problem by diverting $1 billion in public funds to private schools, a diversion that includes no accountability.

This is absurd and must be rectified.

Article 7, section 1 of the Texas constitution mandates that the Legislature support and maintain public free schools, as “essential” for the public good. The Texas government has failed our students and the professional educators are left to carry the load.

On day one of my term as the Representative for Texas HD 106, I intend to introduce legislation that will create a permanent endowment to supplement the current funding for Texas public education. This endowment will be funded by a one-time seeding from the Texas Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF or Rainy Day Fund).

This funding will move Texas into the top 50% of states in K-12 per student funding. While it won’t put us in the top 10%, just imagine the amazing feats our professional educators will be able to deliver with adequate funding.

After focusing on education, I’ll move onto making Texas affordable for Texans to live and do business, ensure the rights guaranteed by the US and Texas constitutions are not encroached by the Texas legislature, and that our military Veterans receive the care and support they deserve.

Is Gov. Abbott’s plan to eliminate school property taxes something you support? How do you think it will work?

I absolutely do not support the Governor’s plan to eliminate school property taxes.

This plan relies on the state surplus funds to backfill school budgets. This raises two questions:

1. What happens when the state is no longer operating at a surplus? There is, of course, no assurance that revenues will not ever decline. If we no longer function at a surplus, what happens to the Constitutional obligation to fund public schools?

2. If the Governor has some kind of secret inside knowledge that this surplus will continue, why are these “surplus” dollars not committed to Texas public education immediately?

This is just part of the reason why I believe this is a horrible plan. Spoiler alert: Proposition 13 was a terrible idea for California nearly 50 years ago; it’s a bad idea for Texas now.

What do you think is the biggest issue the state is facing?

The affordability of living in Texas is the largest—and most complex—issue facing Texas today. The rising costs of basic life essentials such as shelter, access to food, and affordable medical care will require a focused effort on the part of all Texans, particularly those holding public office, to solve.

Compounding this is the fact that we are a Texas divided. This makes solving problems faced by people across the state extremely challenging. The wealth gap continues to grow and the resources available to the wealthiest Texans are too often used to divide us even further, along religious, racial, gender, and other lines.

Because of the disproportionate financial contributions of a small number of billionaire donors with specific political and religious objectives, the Texas government too often bends to the will of these donors, rather than serving all Texans.

The key to solving the problems facing Texans across the state will be to disconnect the Texas government from these mega-donors and come together to collectively find solutions that work for all Texans.