Vote Like A Texan

Boerne ISD has saved taxpayers $85 million through smart debt refinancing and early bond payoffs — while also eliminating over $120 million in Robin Hood recapture payments that drained local schools for nearly two decades. Rich Sena, 10-year Boerne ISD board trustee and re-election candidate, breaks down how the district grew from 7,200 to 11,200 students while maintaining an "A" rating — a distinction held by only 31 of Texas's 1,200+ school districts. He also explains how the P-TECH program lets Boerne ISD students graduate with both a high school diploma AND an associate's degree, saving families thousands in college costs. Early Voting:4/20/2026 Election Day: 05/02/2026 📌 About Vote Like A Texan Vote Like A Texan is a series from The Building Texas Show, giving voters a direct look at the candidates and decisions shaping local communities across the Lone Star State. 🔔 Subscribe for more Texas stories: / @votelikeatexan

In this episode of Vote Like a Texan, Justin McKenzie sits down with Zeke Enriquez, Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in Texas Congressional District 21 (TX-21), to discuss his campaign, priorities, and vision for the Texas Hill Country. This conversation covers: • The 2026 Republican primary for TX-21 • Growth, infrastructure, and water resources in the Texas Hill Country • Federal spending and deregulation • Healthcare and Obamacare reform • Education policy and dismantling the U.S. Department of Education • Early voting and primary election turnout in Texas • Rural representation vs. establishment politics Zeke Enriquez is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, firefighter, rancher, and seventh-generation Texan running to represent Texas 21, which includes portions of the Hill Country, Hays County, Kendall County, Bandera County, Kerr County, Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, and parts of the Austin area. This interview explores how federal representation intersects with rapid Hill Country growth, housing affordability, wildfire risk, energy development, and rural values. If you live in Texas Congressional District 21, early voting and primary participation are critical in determining who advances to a potential runoff and ultimately the general election. Learn more about Zeke Enriquez’s campaign at: https://ZekeForTexas.com Watch more episodes of Vote Like a Texan and The Building Texas Show: https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

House District 47 candidate Dr. Jennifer Mushtaler explains why expertise matters in the Texas Legislature. In this episode of @VoteLikeATexan host Justin McKenzie sits down with Jennifer Mushtaler, Republican candidate for Texas House District 47. Dr. Mushtaler shares her journey from engineering to medicine to public service—and why Texas needs more real-world expertise in the Legislature. As an OB-GYN, small business owner, and former Austin Planning Commission member, she brings a systems-based approach to the state’s biggest challenges. The conversation dives into: • Rising property taxes and insurance costs • Public education funding across seven school districts • Healthcare affordability and access in urban and rural Texas • Infrastructure, transportation, and rapid population growth • What a Texas House Representative can—and can’t—do With no primary challenger, this race heads straight to the general election, making this a critical conversation for voters in Central Texas. 📍 House District 47 | Austin • Bee Cave • Lakeway 🗳️ Texas State Legislature | Healthcare • Education • Infrastructure ⏱️ Smart Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Vote Like A Texan 01:15 – Why Dr. Jennifer Mushtaler decided to run for Texas House 03:20 – Why expertise matters in the Texas Legislature 04:45 – Engineering, medicine, and systems thinking in public policy 05:15 – What voters in House District 47 care about most 06:50 – Why healthcare consumes 40% of the Texas budget 08:15 – Healthcare access, affordability, and rural Texas challenges 09:40 – Small business ownership and understanding real tax pressure 10:45 – What Texas can control in healthcare policy at the state level 12:25 – Infrastructure, transportation, and growth in HD 47 14:55 – Advocacy: the real role of a Texas House Representative 16:20 – Why local elections shape state and national outcomes 17:55 – Where voters can learn more and get involved

Vote Like a Texan sits down with Joseph Kopser, a familiar guest from past Building Texas Show episodes—this time not as a tech or space leader, but as a potential candidate for Texas House District 47. Kopser breaks down how he’s deciding between two races, what residency rules actually mean, and why Texas maps and gerrymandering make these decisions more complex than most voters realize.

In this episode of Vote Like a Texan, Justin McKenzie sits down with Congressional District 21 candidate Mike Wheeler for a detailed, issue-focused conversation on the challenges and opportunities facing Central Texas. Wheeler shares how his background in the bond market and his recent work with the Small Business Administration shaped his views on fiscal policy, reshoring American manufacturing, national debt, and supply-chain vulnerabilities. He also discusses district-specific concerns raised by residents across Bexar, Kendall, Kerr, Comal, and the Hill Country—including water, energy infrastructure, and changes affecting Fort Sam Houston.

In this episode of Vote Like a Texan, host Justin McKenzie sits down with Daniel Betts, Republican candidate for Texas Congressional District 21 (TX-21)—a seat previously held by Chip Roy. Betts discusses why he entered the race, what he’s hearing across the nine-county district, and the issues shaping Central Texas heading into 2026. From election integrity and battery energy storage system (BESS) concerns to water security, Hill Country economic development, and his perspective on faith and leadership, Betts lays out why he believes he is the strongest conservative to represent TX-21. If you’re a voter in TX-21—including Bexar, Travis, Hays, Comal, Kendall, Kerr, Blanco, Bandera, and Real Counties—this conversation gives a clear look into Betts’ priorities and what he believes is at stake for the district. Topics Covered: • Why Daniel Betts believes he’s called to run for Congress • What voters across the Hill Country say is their #1 concern • Election integrity, BESS sites, water scarcity, and regional growth • What economic development should look like in rural and suburban Texas • Why he believes the March 3rd and May 26th elections will be decisive • His fundraising strategy and critique of “carpetbagger campaigns” • His pledge on term limits and how faith shapes his leadership Learn more about Daniel Betts: Website & social: BettsForTexas.com VoteLikeATexan.com If you enjoy Texas political conversations that go deeper than soundbites, subscribe to the channel and follow the entire Vote Like a Texan series.