You want to empower people who think like you do.
— Pete Gallego
One of the things that ties people together, whether they live in a rural or urban area, is the really big number of people who have served in the military. Veterans issues are very important in the district.
Turnout is good for the system.
I don't have the luxury of just hanging out in my primary and, once I win the primary, I'm fine. I have to talk to Democrats and Republicans.
As the polarization in D.C. spreads, the people willing to come to the middle find less and less acceptance.
It takes a certain personality to thrive as a member of the House.
I think the post-Rick-Perry Texas is a Texas that is more competitive between the Democrats and Republicans. I think the Republicans still have a huge advantage, but I think if we're arguing that competition is good for the system, then I think a stronger two-party system in Texas is inevitable, and I think that it will happen.
I think 'immigration' is a bad word for many Republicans.
I have never been in favor of gay marriage, and I am not in favor of gay marriage.
We must work for a solution to address the senseless cuts that hurt our border, our economy, and our country.
When the law says you're entitled to an attorney, it doesn't mean you're entitled to an attorney who sleeps or an attorney who doesn't do his job.
The men and women at our borders, given adequate resources, are doing an excellent job of keeping us safe.
Here's the thing about Texas - and the thing about the border. We all know undocumented immigrants. They sit in our churches, are friends with our children, and work all around us. They are just like us.
Our challenge is to stop people from driving drunk. Punishing them afterwards doesn't bring back the victim or make the family feel better. The idea is to stop the DWI before it happens.
There's this fight for the heart and soul of the Republican Party, and until that fight gets settled - because they're the majority - there's a lot of things that are pretty much on hold.
How do you defend inaction in the face of crisis? How is that defensible for anybody?
HB 2 leaves 90% of the children behind. The disconnect between this bill and the basic needs of Texas schoolchildren is appalling.
One of the things in my experience about changing parties: There are very few exceptions to the general rule. And the general rule has been, people are going to invite you into the church, but they are not going to make you a deacon.
For me, the issue is if I'm your advocate, if I'm your representative, my job is to stand up for you and talk about you and defend you.
It's tremendously undemocratic in a democratic society when you deliberately disenfranchise thousands of people.
In the district I represent, I have to talk to everybody.
In the old way of doing business, it was fine to disagree and then go to dinner. Now it's personal and more partisan, and a disagreement on one issue leads to a disagreement on another issue.
We all want our border to be secure. However, certain individuals use this argument to stop us from ever enacting immigration reform.
It's just so unfortunate that, as we get adjusted to this global economy, that the U.S. is even thinking about building walls.
A robust democracy requires active participation.
No one will steal my son's American Dream.
A lawmaker cannot be pro-sequester while also purporting to be pro-national security or supportive of a strong economy.
Around here, manana seems to be the busiest day of the week. We never seem to get there.
The policy of the future cannot forever be determined by the politics of the past - or even the present.
When Congress puts party labels aside, like we did on VA reform, we can accomplish some great things for the American people. But those occasions were far too rare.
California - with more cars, more drivers and more people - still has less DWI-related deaths than Texas does.
If immigration reform doesn't happen, that doesn't say good things about our democracy, that everybody wants it, but Congress couldn't pass it.
Obama's very unpopular. I don't need a poll to tell me that.
The irony is that kids are treated equally when it comes to tests and standards and expectations but not treated equally when providing funds to meet those standards and expectations.
It's a lack of respect for the community when you're not willing to debate because it's the 'wrong' network.
I'm confident in my strengths. I'm prepared to jump any hurdle.
My family never took vacations; we never traveled together. We never did anything. My spring breaks were going home to help my dad at the restaurant.
I like having a battleground district because I think that's real-life America.
People don't have the opportunity to be larger than life anymore - they're afraid of seeing it on the Internet.
As an incumbent, if you are winning, your commercials are about motherhood and apple pie and the flag.
We have a two-party system that I think can work well if people make an effort.
Congress is more broken than ever. Congressman Will Hurd has quickly become part of the problem.
Sequestration will make it extremely challenging - and in many cases impossible - for employees to meet their mortgage payments, pay their healthcare expenses, plan for retirement, or help their children attend college. To be blunt, these families are at risk.
It's important we understand our system seeks justice and not revenge.
I was impressed by the capability and talent and intellect of our troops on the ground. These kids are really impressive.
My grandmother was not a U.S. citizen. Growing up along the border, you see the real human side of immigration - not the picture often drawn by politicians far removed from the border.
This is pool. This is setting up your next shot, and I always want to make sure when we're setting up San Antonio's next shot we have a good shot at making sure that we continue to build our infrastructure in such a way that San Antonio will be a player for years to come in national defense issues.
It's always bothersome when California does something better than Texas.
We've made our living for a long time on commerce and trade at the border.
I told the president 'no' to special treatment for Congress when he tried to exempt them from Obamacare.
