A Libertarian candidate was the only person to file to run against Republican U.S. Rep. John Culberson in the 2010 elections. No one from the Democratic party filed to run for the office, which represents Bellaire and surrounding areas in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Drew Parks has run since 1998 as a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Representative District 7, and he said he campaigns with the understanding that he has little chance of winning in the highly Republican district. In past elections, Parks said he has garnered up to 11 percent of the vote.
“This district is so Republican that even the Democrats know when they run someone the chances of winning … There’s no chance in hell, basically,” Parks said. “I’m a realist about this, and I use it as an opportunity to spread the word that we need to do what’s in the Constitution.”
Parks works as an electrical engineering research designer at the University of Houston, designing large super conductor motors that can be used in ships or other large vehicles. He graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in electronics technology.
He said he plans to run his campaign by speaking at candidates’ forums and responding to interview requests from the news media. He said he wants to spread traditional Libertarian messages about limiting the size of the government, lowering taxes and making government fair for everyone. Parks said he plans to talk specifically about personal privacy.
“I used this as a platform for my favorite subject, which is our loss of privacy,” Parks said. “Our privacy is being stolen by the government.”
Incumbent Rep. John Culberson, a Republican, was first elected to represent District 7 in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000 and he has been reelected four times since then. Before joining the U.S. House, Culberson served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for seven terms.
Culberson was not available for comment, but his spokeswoman, Megan Mitchell, talked with him and forwarded this comment via email:
“It is an honor and a privilege to represent the Seventh District of Texas,” Culberson said in the statement. “I look forward to gaining back the Majority in the fall and restoring fiscal responsibility to the United States Congress.”
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