Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, left, and Democratic challenger Cody Grace

State. Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, is aiming for his sixth term in the Texas House against Democrat Cody Grace.

Early voting continues through Nov. 4, and Election Day is Nov. 8.

Matt Schaefer

“I believe that my conservative values are a reflection of the community that we live in,” Schaefer said. “My experience is of great value in my service, and I have a track record of being able to get some things done.”

He said while campaigning, he has been attending many community events and meeting with people one-on-one.

During his time as a state representative, Schaefer said a recent bill he is proud of is legislation that allows plumbing programs to be offered in public high schools. Through these programs, high school students can earn their license.

“I’m a big believer that not everyone needs to go to college to be successful, and so we need to restore the career and skills training in our public schools,” Schaefer said. “I worked with Tyler ISD, and we got that law passed, and now those plumbing programs are starting this year in Tyler and in many other parts of the state.”

He added that legislation is being worked on for the upcoming legislative session that begins in January to include electrical trade and HVAC programs as part of high school offerings.

Schaefer said he also had success in 2021 with constitutional carry legislation.

“I think defending the Second Amendment will be something that remains part of my focus going forward,” he said. “We’ve gained a lot of ground, and we need to make sure that we hold that ground.”

Schaefer said Texas has made “great strides” in “protecting innocent life in the womb.” If re-elected, he said he will aim to make the state a place “where we have a pro-life culture.”

“We want to support mothers and people who are in crisis pregnancies with resources and support and health care and make sure that Texas is the most welcoming place that you can be born in all of the world,” he said.

He said a big issue of concern is property taxes, adding that the best way to address it is for the state to use surplus sales tax revenue and swap it for some of the property taxes collected by school districts.

For information about Schaefer’s platform, visit mattfortexas.org .

Cody Grace

“I am not a politician,” Grace said, adding that he has lived in the Tyler area his whole life.

Grace owns a small business, has served on local government boards and volunteered with nonprofit organizations.

“I believe in this community, and I believe in the growth trajectory of this community, but I don’t see any representation from my opponent that makes this community better,” he said.

About 10 years ago, he said he found himself drawn to politics, particularly after the Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut.

“I wanted to see some action occur, and I didn’t know at the time what that looked like or what that meant, but I just wanted to see something,” Grace said.

It’s approaching 10 years since that shooting, and Grace said little has still been done to prevent gun violence. In fact, other massacres have occurred such as in El Paso and Uvalde in Texas, he said.

Grace said one thing he would do if elected is focus on solutions for gun violence because he believes it is not being taken seriously enough by the current leadership.

“Matt (Schaefer) was the spearhead behind the permit-less carry bill, so not only has he not done anything to curb gun violence, or just kind of make it harder for people to get a handgun randomly, he’s made it easier for untrained individuals to just irresponsibly carry a firearm around town,” he said.

Grace said he would like to see more training for gun owners, along with other restrictions.

“I’m not the kind of person that wants to take somebody’s guns away … I know Beto (O’Rourke) has made his statement about taking your AR-15 away and all that, but I’m not in that camp,” he said. “I’m a responsible gun owner. I’ve been a gun owner for 15 years. I believe in responsible gun ownership, and responsible gun ownership means training, it means safety precautions; it means making sure you store your firearm properly.”

Grace also said he is for legalizing marijuana, which he believes makes economic sense.

He also wants to help increase educator pay and retirement benefits and cut administrative overhead and added that the recent politicization of teaching is leading to young people not wanting to enter the field.

“I know that I’m running as a Democrat; I know that’s very divisive here, but I’m not the kind of person that’s going to play the game party war,” Grace said. “I’m focused on Smith County first and the state of Texas after that. I’m not focused on Democrats or Republicans. I’m focused on we the people.”

For information about Grace, visit gracefortexas.com .