Since 2013, U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey has represented Texas’ 33rd Congressional District, encompassing parts of Dallas and Tarrant counties. But the district changed dramatically after an ugly, mid-decennial redistricting cycle last year, and it is now confined to Dallas County. Veasey is not seeking reelection for the seat.
There are four candidates in this GOP primary: Kurt Schwab, Patrick David Gillespie, John Sims and Monte “Doc” Mitchell. None of them are especially qualified, but Schwab is the best choice.
Schwab is an Air Force veteran, and during our candidate interview, we found him to be well-mannered and personable. He is the only one who attended, a courtesy we appreciate.
We have reservations about how Schwab, 59, would fare in Washington, however. The policy ideas he outlined in our interview and in our Voter Guide lack detail. Schwab focused heavily on the need to add jobs, but offered few ideas about how this might be accomplished.
Opinion
Gillespie’s occupation is listed as a customs broker on the Texas secretary of state’s website. He ran for this seat in 2022 and 2024 and was trounced by Veasey in both general elections. In the 2024 Republican primary, he defeated Schwab by a roughly 23-point margin.
Gillespie, 68, did not fill out our Voter Guide questionnaire and did not respond to interview requests. The policy positions outlined on his campaign website are vague.
In a previous Voter Guide submission, Gillespie said “the United States have been in the wrong direction for two hundred years” and blamed Democrats for many of the country’s biggest problems throughout its history.
Sims is in small business, according to his Voter Guide submission. He challenged District 3’s Zarin Gracey for a Dallas City Council seat in 2023 and 2025, losing both times.
Sims, 48, seems like a candidate with thoughtful ideas and a level of nuance unparalleled among the other candidates in this race. However, that’s barely raising the bar above the floor, and we weren’t able to reach him for an interview. We cannot confidently recommend him.
Mitchell, 70, is a licensed physician. He does not appear to be a serious candidate. Last month, he posted a link to Facebook leading to a 2016 campaign video. He did not fill out our Voter Guide questionnaire or respond to interview requests.
A Democratic candidate will very likely win in this district, so it’s unsurprising the Republican slate is so weak. The lack of genuine competition is one of the ways extreme gerrymandering hurts voters, and that’s on full display in this race.
This editorial is part of the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board’s slate of recommendations for the 2026 primary. Find the full project here.
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