Terry Virts - From Space Commander to Texas Senate Candidate

Retired NASA astronaut and Air Force Colonel Terry Virts joins The Neil Haley Show to discuss his unprecedented journey from commanding the International Space Station to launching a Democratic campaign for U.S. Senate in Texas. Virts shares compelling stories from his time in space, including the surreal experience of watching Russian forces attack Ukraine from orbit while serving as commander alongside Russian cosmonauts, demonstrating the ultimate test of bipartisanship. The former F-16 combat pilot explains how his teenage experience as an exchange student in Finland near the Soviet border shaped his commitment to defending democracy, and why he believes recent political developments have pushed America toward flirting with the same authoritarianism he once opposed. In this candid conversation, Virts outlines his vision for representing all Texans regardless of political affiliation, focusing on middle-class issues with healthcare reform as his top priority. He discusses the need to increase the supply of doctors by expanding residency programs, provide free preventative care including vaccines and cancer screenings, and address the impending loss of Affordable Care Act subsidies affecting millions of working-class Texans. Virts also reveals why he fired his Washington D.C. consultants who advised him never to mention Donald Trump by name, explains his strategy of traveling the state for in-person town halls and appearing on both Fox News and Newsmax, and shares his belief that Texas isn't as Republican as people think—it's mostly non-voting, making voter turnout the key to Democratic success in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat statewide in over 30 years.