{"id":163642,"date":"2026-02-13T20:21:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T20:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/163642\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T20:21:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T20:21:17","slug":"roofer-fat-matt-smith-running-for-congress-with-deep-conviction-viewing-everything-through-lens-of-scripture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/163642\/","title":{"rendered":"Roofer \u2018Fat Matt\u2019 Smith running for Congress with deep conviction \u2013 viewing everything through lens of Scripture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Matt Smith \u2013 better known \u2013 as \u201cFat Matt\u201d said he heard the \u201cstill small voice of the Lord\u201d calling him to run for Congress in Texas House District 19 in the 2026 March Republican Primary.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s a second reason the Abilene businessman is running.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that it\u2019s time that we treat government more like a business than daddy\u2019s credit card,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

Ongoing coverage:\u00a0Learn what\u2019s coming as Lubbock Lights kicks off Texas Primary \u201826 coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

Smith grew up north of Abilene.<\/p>\n

\u201cI homeschooled \u2013 6th grade, 7th and 8th grade \u2013 went to private school and then did a few different schools in Abilene,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

He studied at some junior colleges and ended up with an associate degree from Howard College in Big Spring.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough Kingdom Advanced School of Ministry, I have an associate\u2019s of \u2018practical ministry,\u2019\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a deep-felt conviction. The way that I need to look at everything in life is through the lens of Scripture,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m an entrepreneur, husband of 22 years, five kids. We are going through the adoption process for our sixth,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

The business he owns is Abilene-based Fat Matt Roofing \u2013 which expanded into Lubbock in 2018.<\/p>\n

Years ago, at a previous job, Smith had trouble getting people to call him back.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I started saying, \u2018Call Fat Matt,\u2019\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like, wow, it broke the proverbial ice, and things were a lot smoother,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

Folks were expecting a big guy. Instead, they got \u201ca skinny white guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Political\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tPolitical consultant Newton \u2018never expected to run for office,\u2019 but he seeks county\u2019s Precinct 2 seat with focus on budgeting<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Pounds\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tPounds now running for Precinct 2 commissioner to fund volunteer fire departments, fix roads, buildings<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Martin\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tMartin supports budget cuts, wants county government to be \u2018boring\u2019 again as he runs for Precinct 2 commissioner<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Rackler\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tRackler proud about stand on taxes, Expo Center \u2013 wants to continue representing people in county\u2019s Precinct 4<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Seay\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tSeay wants his old seat back as Precinct 4 commissioner \u2013 wants to make sure public safety is supported<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Former\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tFormer constable Peterson wants to return to county as Precinct 4 commissioner after navigating life\u2019s ups and downs<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Learn\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn what\u2019s coming as Lubbock Lights kicks off Texas Primary \u201826 coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Parrish\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tParrish seeking third term as county judge, lists accomplishments but adds \u2018We\u2019ve got some more work to go\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Houck\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tHouck moved family back to Texas for way of life, now seeking office as county judge, saying leadership needed<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

The priorities<\/p>\n

If elected, Smith said the priority is getting federal spending under control.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to stop the fraud. It\u2019s running rampant. We don\u2019t want another \u2018learing\u2019 center,\u201d Smith said \u2013 making reference to claims of widespread abuse of government programs in Minnesota funding daycare programs \u2013 one of which was misspelled from learning center to \u201clearing center.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to stop that fraud, waste, and abuse before we can get our country back. \u2026 Frankly, sometimes it\u2019s on both sides of the aisle,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a responsibility \u2026 to quit spending our kids\u2019 future,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

His hope is if he wins, he can have conversations with members of Congress including Democrats.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo have those conversations one-on-one, being able to bridge some of that partisan divide is what it\u2019s going to take,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s time for terms limits, he said, to stop \u201call of these career politicians that are part of the cesspool.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to have representatives that stand for the people, not special interests,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

But terms limits can\u2019t be too strict, he said, citing current Congressman Jodey Arrington as needing enough time to get established and build a track record of accomplishments.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike Arrington, he\u2019ll be 10 years. If he would have limited himself to six years, then he wouldn\u2019t have been able to be there for this last season and getting a lot of stuff done \u2013 like the Big Beautiful Bill,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

His campaign already signed a term limits pledge, he said, but says it\u2019s up to the voters to choose better leaders.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should not promote people into leadership that don\u2019t know how to run a business,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d also like Congress to convert some of President Trump\u2019s executive orders into legislation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a lot of executive orders President Trump has passed that the stroke of a pen with the next administration can undo,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

Other priorities, especially for West Texas, include agriculture.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to cut red tape that is causing our [agricultural] producers to be at a disadvantage from other people in the world. Our farmers are paying double what other countries may pay for seeds. The input cost of things is just through the roof,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to choose from among all the candidates in the race \u2013 not just the ones from Lubbock, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people I\u2019m running against are running and using that against me because they see that, \u2018Oh, because I\u2019m from Lubbock that I\u2019m better than you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s been involved in the Lubbock business community since 2018 \u2013 including a Lubbock branch of Fat Matt Roofing and participation in the Lubbock Area Roofing Contractor Association, Smith said.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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