Tom Sell: Republican candidate for District 19 congressional seat

What are your top three priorities?

1. Standing for our farmers and ranchers, families, communities, and small businesses by driving down costs and fighting for the conservative values of the 19th District, including a more efficient government that lives within its means. We must rein in the size of the federal government, including support for a balanced federal budget, working to eliminate the national debt, and chucking costly regulations that stifle economic growth.

2. Supporting infrastructure investments and cutting red tape to promote a robust West Texas economy that creates good paying jobs so our kids can live, work, and raise a family right here on the High Plains, including by promoting our agriculture, energy, military, health care, transportation, housing, and other important sectors of our economy.

3. Bringing integrity, character, and a steady hand so that Washington might work better by focusing on constructive issues that build for the future. We must preserve and rebuild the Traditional, Conservative Values that made – and makes – America Great, including protecting First Amendment rights, promoting policies that help young couples to marry and raise a family, and ensuring our schools are instilling strong values that will see our kids through a lifetime.

Standing for our farmers and ranchers, families, communities, and small businesses by driving down costs and fighting for the conservative values of the 19th District, including a more efficient government that lives within its means.

Tom Sell

What can Congress do to lower the cost of living for Texans?

I am committed to delivering real solutions for the 19th District. As a fifth-generation West Texan, father, rancher, and businessman, I know firsthand the challenges Texas families are facing. We must continue the fight, led by President Trump and Congressional Republicans, who have fought to lower taxes, cut red tape, and promote investment into our strong and growing economy – and I am eager to continue these efforts as a member of the 120^th Congress. The Biden Administration and Democrats sought to decimate our economy, undermine our farmers and ranchers, and shutter our energy infrastructure. This in turn drove up inflation and made America less safe. As we work to correct these wrongs, we expect that commodity prices like gasoline and beef will normalize – but we’ll also continue work to address affordability across key sectors like healthcare and housing, putting America First, always. 

A version of the Protect College Sports Act passed the U.S. Senate with more work to be done in the House. What’s your opinion of the bill?

I’ve been inspired by the work of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and backers like West Texas entrepreneur and community leader, Cody Campbell, who have worked to piece together critical components in a bipartisan package that passed the Senate and will improve the playing field for student athletes. While I’m hopeful this package can proceed toward enactment yet this year, I know there will be more work to do in this rapidly changing environment. I look forward to playing an active part in these discussions in the 120^th Congress.

What should Congress do for West Texas ag producers? In policy and in practice, what should federal farm policy look like?

Food security is national security, and West Texas farm and ranch families are the backbone of our nation. We must strengthen U.S. farm policy by strengthening the Farm Bill and key tools such as crop insurance. We must also work to tackle the rising costs of production that threaten the viability of West Texas farm and ranch families and halt the burdensome red tape that Washington bureaucrats have inflicted upon our farmers and ranchers. We must set our farmers up for success on the global stage by opening new markets and holding trade partners accountable. West Texas farm and ranch families feed, fuel, and clothe this nation and much of the world like none other in history and they deserve a representative who knows their challenges, understands the solutions, and will fight for them every day.

What’s your vision for federal immigration policy?

Our immigration policy must start with a secure border, and we must have strong laws that are not subject to abuse or circumvention. President Trump has secured the border and stopped the flow of crime and illegal drugs into our communities. As a member of Congress, I will work to ensure that no future administration can reverse President Trump’s policies and once again unleash the kind of misery that the Biden Administration visited upon our nation by leaving our country’s borders totally unprotected. We are a nation of immigrants and I respect those who want to come to the U.S. to pursue the American dream – the right way. The rule of law must prevail.

Is there a role for the states in immigration policy? If so, should border states like Texas get more money or any kind of higher federal enforcement priority?

During the radical left Biden Administration, our southern border was totally exposed, and our home State of Texas was on the front lines of this deliberate, disastrous policy. While immigration is a federal issue, states play a role in ensuring our borders are secure and our laws are followed. I strongly oppose sanctuary cities and similar policies that seek to circumvent federal law. There is a logical flow of federal resources toward border states for border enforcement, and it was an egregious dereliction of duty during the Biden Administration to withhold resources from Texas. Shamefully, it was consistent with that administration’s deliberate failure to enforce our immigration laws as they invited undocumented individuals across while shaming police and law enforcement from doing their jobs. President Trump has secured the border and restored the rule of law, and we must continue to build on this incredible success.

Data centers: How should the country balance economic development, national security and local quality of life as these things relate to large-scale or hyperscale data centers?

America must lead the race on AI. This is a matter of national security, and I am pleased that West Texas is at the forefront of this race, which will only serve to generate more economic opportunity for this region which does so much good for our nation, and the world. Smart policy on this front must be crafted at the local level – with input and engagement from every corner of our communities – not by disconnected D.C. elites. I’ll continue to engage with those leading on this issue to ensure that key priorities and concerns are voiced. Data center companies seeking to invest in our region must ensure that they are presenting a real and tangible benefit to our communities, must only be built if they’ve garnered local support, and must be clear on the use of precious resources including electricity and water. We must lead the way, thoughtfully.

Artificial Intelligence: No guardrails? Some guardrails? Hit the kill switch?

It’s good that important and thoughtful discussions are being had on the use of AI and the way we must approach it. I am strongly in the camp of spurring investment and growth as we lead this frontier, while also recognizing that some key guardrails must be in place to ensure safety and efficacy. These discussions don’t occur in the echo-chamber of social media – which has an unhealthy dose of AI-based bots seeding fears emanating from foreign adversaries who do not want the U.S. to win this race – but rather in our communities as we grow and adapt.  Let’s have healthy, human, face-to-face discussions about how to channel this technology for the general welfare of the people of the United States.

Do Flock (and other brands of) traffic cameras along with license plate readers violate people’s privacy? If not, why do you feel that way? If so, can these cameras continue to be available to law enforcement in a way that safeguards Fourth Amendment protections?

There is real concern on the increased use of this new and evolving technology across the countryside. I understand and hear this concern and hesitation. This is a local issue, and I will continue to engage in discussions with local officials regarding the concerns of those in our community, as well as the use and implementation of this technology in a tactful way that increases our public trust and safety. These tools must be used with clear safeguards against government overreach and protections for the Constitutional rights of all law-abiding citizens, and I will continue to engage and encourage thoughtful discussion to this end.

What role can and should Texas Tech play in national defense? What if anything should the 19th District congressman do to bolster Tech’s relationship with defense contractors, cybersecurity and protection of the nation’s mission-critical infrastructure?

West Texas is the proud home of Texas Tech University – a beacon of innovation that is creating and building truly incredible technology that will aid in providing a safe and stable place to harness the nation’s intellectual and engineering talents for the good of all. I will support such efforts at Texas Tech and other colleges and universities that are bringing particular expertise to this forefront – whether that is from agriculture and geo-science areas of focus, to helping train technical workforces to lead into our future.  

Your thoughts concerning presidential power?  What’s the trade-off between Congressional oversight and getting White House support for the District’s priorities?

The Executive Branch has enormous power — some, per the Constitution, and some, granted by Congress for the purpose of good governance. If elected, my duty is to the people of the 19th District and to the U.S. Constitution. I will stand for good laws and the rule of law that protects the people and provides for a strong and resilient culture and economy.    

The Biden Administration and Democrats’ obsession with DEI only served to divide us as Americans. I’m grateful and supportive of the Trump Administration’s efforts to tear down this harmful ideology that has infected our education system, and as a member of Congress, I will work to ensure that this liberal, woke ideology will never rear its ugly head in West Texas.

Your thoughts about DEI and higher education?

The Biden Administration and Democrats’ obsession with DEI only served to divide us as Americans. I’m grateful and supportive of the Trump Administration’s efforts to tear down this harmful ideology that has infected our education system, and as a member of Congress, I will work to ensure that this liberal, woke ideology will never rear its ugly head in West Texas. It is out of touch with our West Texas values, and incongruent with our goals as a nation. As I travel around this great District, I am only heartened by the discussions I’ve had and the quality teaching I’ve witnessed with our very own Texas Tech University and the eight incredible higher education institutions that call West Texas home. 

Should the United States continue its current support of Israel, Ukraine?

Yes. I believe we are to be the light to the world, and we neglect foreign conflicts at our own peril. Diplomacy is important. Western values are important, and strength in our military capabilities is also very important as we continue to fight back in this war on terror. Continued support and engagement with our strategic allies only serves to advance that mission. Israel always has been a reliable ally in the Middle East, and Ukraine is a strategic bulwark against the ambitions of Russia. President Trump has led the way in calling upon our NATO allies to invest more in our global security, and I strongly support the principles of peace through strength. 

District 19 overlaps some of the Permian Basin which accounts for nearly half of U.S. oil production. What’s your legislative agenda for the U.S. energy policy?

The energy produced in West Texas fuels our region, our country, and much of the world. We play a key role in restoring America’s energy dominance, and I fully support the America First agenda that is working to build our resilience in this area. Gas and diesel prices are not where we would like them to be, but we must consider the treacherous alternative if Iran controlled the straits and if Republicans had not succeeded in making the U.S. more energy independent. The radical left sought to tear down this vital industry, undermining the U.S. economy, and costing American jobs. Our strong belief is that “From here, it is possible.” I am eager to advance smart solutions that build on our successes and further unleash our potential, ensuring that West Texas remains at the forefront of American energy production. 

Related article: Kyle Rable: Democratic candidate for District 19 congressional seat