It is becoming a rarity to find young voices in the Republican Party who will engage in thoughtful conversations with voters and political opponents.
Attorney Michael Hewitt brings such a dose of fresh air to the Republican primary for Texas House District 70. He is a conservative candidate focused on how policy can improve the lives of the people who would be his constituents. He is inexperienced in politics and lacks the insights more seasoned politicians do, but he gets the basics right.
We recommend Hewitt, 41, over opponents George Flint and Jack Ryan Gallagher. The winner of this race will face the Democratic incumbent, state Rep. Mihaela Plesa.
Fall 2020 Election
This district in southern Collin County includes parts of Allen, Plano and Richardson, as well as parts of northern Dallas. It’s neither solid red nor blue. Plesa won the last election by roughly four percentage points, and Republicans might have a chance to flip it with the right candidate.
Opinion
Hewitt told us there is a need for property tax relief, but he had concerns about quickly eliminating property taxes, as some in his party have advocated. He prefers an incremental approach to relief such as increasing the homestead exemption, lowering the appraisal cap down from a 10% increase, requiring two-thirds voter approval for local property tax increases and empowering residents to sign a petition and have roll-back elections on property taxes.
Flint, 75, supports the elimination of property taxes for homeowners, even as he recognized such a decision will be a test for the state. Flint, a former district judge and former chairman for the Collin County Republican Party, floated some ideas about how to replace tax revenue, including raising sales taxes or the extra funding that could result from Plano leaving DART. We are unconvinced about the feasibility of those ideas.
On housing affordability, Hewitt told us he favors a low-regulation and business-friendly environment as a way to encourage more housing construction. He told us he would not have voted for Senate Bill 840, legislation that allows building multifamily housing in commercially zoned districts in large cities, including Plano.
We supported SB 840 as an imperfect yet necessary tool to incentivize more housing stock. Hewitt said he favors local control and a free-market approach as the best tool for creating affordability.
Gallagher, 27, also an attorney, declined an interview. He offered some nuanced positions on property taxes and affordability in our Voter Guide, but most of his answers were convoluted and made it hard to ascertain his policy positions.
Hewitt’s answers reflect a candidate focused on the prosperity of voters rather than culture wars or empty slogans. We need more of that.