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2026 PRIMARY ELECTION: MEET THE CANDIDATES
Five candidates are competing for the Texas House District 17 seat and opportunity to represent Bastrop County residents.
For the March 3 primary elections, incumbent Stan Gerdes will face off with Tom Glass for the Republican nomination, while Democrats Frank Gomez III, Mary Klenz and Robert Salter will compete for their party’s primary.
The Courier reached out to each candidate and invited them to respond to a set of questions about their campaign and priorities.
STAN GERDES
stangerdes.com
Why are you running?
In the Texas House, I have focused on ensuring that our laws reflect our conservative values and fighting radical agendas and ideologies that threaten our children, water resources and rural way of life.
In my short time, we’ve been able to help President Trump halt illegal crossings at our border and I enabled sheriffs to work directly with ICE to detain and deport dangerous illegal immigrants. We’ve passed a property tax relief package nearly as big as the annual budgets of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana combined, but there is more work to do to put us on the pathway to property tax elimination.
Why should voters choose you?
I have banned Communist China from owning our land and water and put an end to all Islam-only settlements like EPIC City that were breeding grounds for Sharia Law. I banned all gender modification surgeries on minors and protected our kids in the classroom from woke ideologies.
I’m proud of my record getting real conservative results for hardworking Texans.
If elected, what would be your top priority?
Unlike my opponent, who is running yet again for a third time, I’ve shown I’ll fight for what matters: strong schools with better funding, raises for teachers, an unflinching defense of the Second Amendment, and a relentless stand against threats to our way of life.
Central Texans know I fight for what matters most, and so do President Trump, Governor Abbott, Senator Cruz and the National Rifle Association — all of whom endorsed me in this race.
What challenge facing this community do you believe requires the most urgent attention, and why?
My top priority next session will be fighting alongside Governor Abbott to eliminate property taxes and ensuring our rural communities are secure — particularly from the threat of Austin, which is always trying to siphon or abuse our water resources.
Our neighbors need effective leadership that puts their security and freedom first, and I will continue doing just that as your Republican state representative.
TOM GLASS
tomglass.org
Why are you running?
I want my granddaughter and her generation to grow up in a free country. I want her to have the opportunities and freedom our founders bequeathed us.
Why should voters choose you?
I will better represent the Republican primary voters than the incumbent. I am more conservative and better qualified for the job.
I had a career in business. He is a career politician. I have more experience at the Texas Legislature, six sessions (on my own dime) versus his two sessions. Using my law degree, I know how to and have crafted legislation.
I believe in representing the people of the district to Austin, not the Austin power structure to us. The large number of mailers Republican primary voters are receiving from my opponent are paid for by special interests outside the district. I work on Republican priorities. My opponent teamed with Democrats for power last session.
If elected, what would be your top priority?
Protecting our groundwater. Lower cost of living by cutting spending (including taxpayer services for illegals) which will allow large property tax cuts. Stop nuisances to others created by existing industry like the stink of DarPro and shift the costs of growth away from existing taxpayers to the newcomers causing those costs.
What challenge facing this community do you believe requires the most urgent attention, and why?
Stopping the draining of the aquifers beneath us, ensuring that existing and new businesses operate in a way that do not violate the enjoyment of their neighbors’ property, and installing impact fees so that newcomers pay their own way without burdening existing taxpayers.
FRANK GOMEZ III
frankgomezfortexashd17.com
Why are you running?
I am concerned about my community and the direction Texas is heading. I have firsthand experiences with a broken education system. It seems to me that the government is too greatly influenced by big money.
Why should voters choose you?
I have sacrificed greatly for the benefit of my fellow Texans, from standing up for personal autonomy over one’s body to challenging big business in the mistreatment of workers and accountability. I have a vested interest in leaving behind a better Texas for my little ones.
If elected, what would be your top priority?
Education. Education is everything. It can be a way out of generational poverty; it can lift a person to heights they never dreamed of. I was barred from college for practicing what I was taught by the very institution. It happened to me and people I know. I believe it will happen again if protections are not put in place.
I support public school revitalization; I had good teachers in public school.
What challenge facing this community do you believe requires the most urgent attention, and why?
Jobs. It is my firm belief that if people have good sustainable jobs, they participate in their community, they vote, they go to PTA meetings. Constituents have expressed concerns about AI and data centers.
I share concerns, will data centers keep our water and air clean? How many full-time jobs will it provide? A few thousand? Then in a few years 500 with most contracting jobs? I witnessed a mass layoff and it left an impression on me.
ROBERT SALTER
abetterustx.com
Why are you running?
Texas has been under single- party rule for more than 30 years — a widening wealth gap, infrastructure that needs modernizing, a stressed electrical grid, and aquifers dropping dangerously fast.
When the Legislature redrew district lines mid-decade to protect incumbents rather than serve constituents, I’d had enough. District 17 deserves a representative who puts constituents first, Texas second, and not party interests.
Why should voters choose you?
I bring 35 years of experience — from union pipefitter at Alcoa Sandow to Worldwide Efficiency Manager for a global Fortune 500 company. I’ve spent my career evaluating complex systems, finding what’s broken, and fixing it without breaking everything else.
As a 7th-generation Texan living on my family’s farm since the 1880s, nobody running has this depth of experience or connection to this community.
If elected, what would be your top priority?
Revitalizing District 17’s working class and small businesses — through fully funded public schools, affordable healthcare, real property tax relief and seriously addressing our water and electricity challenges.
When families have stability, local businesses thrive and the next generation can afford to stay.
What challenge facing this community do you believe requires the most urgent attention, and why?
The widening wealth gap driven by Republican policy is hitting rural Texas hardest. Investing in schools, healthcare, property tax relief, water and electricity gives our children a reason to build their futures here.
MARY KLENZ
drklenzfortexas.com
As of press time, Mary Klenz did not respond to the Courier’s questionnaire.
According to information on her website, some of Klenz’s priorities include water and resource management, health care and restoring local control to communities. Residents deserve a border and immigration system that is smart, constitutional and focused on real security, and public schools are the backbone of every strong Texas community.
ELECTION DAY VOTING
Election day voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3 at polling locations throughout the county. More details are available at bastropvotes.
