Montgomery County Young Republicans spent more than an hour at the Alan B. Sadler Commissioners Court Building Thursday night questioning the four candidates each wanting to take over the District 4 State Senate seat vacated by Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, in October.

State House District 16 Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, former District 4 State Senator Michael Galloway, R-Magnolia, Director of the Woodlands Township Position 1 Gordy Bunch, and State House District 15 Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, each answered questions pre-fielded to the forum’s three moderators, written by audience members, with responses limited to a minute apiece.

When asked if they had each read the Texas Republican Party platform and whether they agreed or disagreed with the planks in it, three of the four candidates said they either weren’t very familiar with it or hadn’t read the document at all. The fourth candidate, Creighton, said he was very familiar with the platform.

Galloway said the state needs to either eliminate or reduce property taxes, and that immigration is the most important issue for Texas Republicans.

Bunch said he hadn’t read the party platform, but wanted to repeal the franchise tax that was “taxing my business, and taxing me and my income.”

Toth said he wasn’t as familiar with all of it, but rejects the guest worker program in the state until Texas’ borders are sealed.

Creighton said he supports and worked hard to build the state party platform and mentioned advancing efforts to limit late-term abortions and strengthen the U.S. border through Operation Wrangler that put Apache helicopters along the border.

In response to supporting legislation that requires homeowners to be allowed to vote as to whether or not they want to be annexed, each of the candidates expressed some type of support.

Bunch said that when Kingwood was annexed by Houston and the quality of services went down for residents.

Toth said Houston is a broken, corrupt institution trying to annex its way out of debt.

Creighton cited the Municipal Annexation of 1963 where cities have expanded powers to annex unincorporated communities. He warned, “We’re next” and touted local leadership, local government and local control.

Galloway said he is the only candidate that has passed legislation out of the State Senate that offered protections or buffers against annexation.

Early voting in the State Senate District 4 race begins April 28. The special election called for by Gov. Perry is scheduled for May 10.

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/candidates-face-questions-from-county-s-young-republicans/article_0b93a395-c19b-5854-9231-fa051cd8fe70.html