Four individuals are hoping to become the Republican nominee for the newly formed Texas House District 19 representative. Late last year, Kyle Biedermann, the current District 73 state representative before redistricting altered the state’s political map, decided he was not going to seek another term in the legislature. Biedermann could have filed as an incumbent in the moved District 73 or the new District 19.
The four hopefuls are Justin Berry, Nubia Devine, Perla Hopkins and Ellen Troxclair. Pam Baggett is running opposed for the Democratic primary nomination for the District 19 seat and will square off against the GOP winner in November.
Last fall, the Texas House of Representatives approved House Bill 1 which changed the House districting landscape of the state and moved Kendall County out of District 73 and into District 19. The current state House districts have Biedermann’s current 73rd District housing Comal, Kendall and Gillespie counties, but rapid growth across the Hill County was one of many driving forces that led to an overhaul of the districting maps.
The new lines group Kendall, Gillespie, Blanco and Burnet counties and the far western part of Travis County into the newly defined District 19.
When Biedermann decided he was not going to seek re-election, the four hopefuls filed their intent and will appear on the March 1 GOP primary ballot.
The Star attempted to reach all four candidates to gain insight on their priorities and what they would hope to accomplish if elected to serve the District 19 public. The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching all of them, and in fairness therefore is providing information gathered from each candidate’s website.
The primary election is Tuesday, March 1. Early voting starts Monday and runs through Feb. 25.
Justin Berry
Berry’s website states he is “a police officer, not a politician.”
A 13-year senior police officer, he said he works to protect families and build safer communities, adding he understands the impact safe neighborhoods have on the economy, schools and quality of life.
“When we can lower crime, small businesses prosper, creating more jobs, our schools improve and less demands are made on government services,” he said.
Born in Austin, when he was a young boy, Berry’s single mother worked three jobs to provide for their family and instilled in him the importance of a strong work ethic, faith in God and community service by her own example, his information states. With a strong desire to serve others, Berry said he became a police officer and has been active with local charities, recently receiving the Civic Leadership Award for his efforts to improve lives.
Also a successful small business owner, Berry said he knows firsthand the difficulties of excessive taxes and regulations that stifle entrepreneurs from achieving their dreams. He said if elected, he will bring his extensive background in law enforcement to protect neighborhoods, schools and private property.
Berry lists his priorities as safe neighborhoods, strong public and higher education, free market economy and defending constitutional rights.
Nubia Devine
Devine, from Travis County, lists her priorities as securing the Texas border, improving election integrity, supporting parental rights, improving education, protecting children, passing property tax reform, protecting property rights, improving the Hill Country economy and promoting medical freedom. Her home page states she is about “faith, family and the Hill Country.”
Devine is a mother of seven, grandmother and pilot with information stating she has served the state of Texas and her community for more than 33 years.
Devine’s decades of community service began in women’s ministry with pregnancy resource centers, and she more recently founded Esther Council and serves as the director of operations for the Austin Area Pastor Council.
In 2015, Devine began to focus on serving in the political arena, her information states. She worked for Don Zimmerman, an Austin City Council member, and two “conservative champions” in the House of Representatives: Biedermann and Briscoe Cain.
In addition to serving as Republican Party precinct chair and Travis County Republican Party Outreach & Engagement chair, Devine said she volunteered for numerous political campaigns, including her husband’s election to district judge and to the Texas Supreme Court.
Perla Hopkins
Hopkins’ website states she is a mother of three, a veteran, a military spouse, an educator, small business owner and a community leader who has been a “fearless champion for parents’ rights, education policy and laws affecting military families.”
Information states the Leander resident teaches youth religious education classes and has dedicated her life to helping other people and “serving this great nation with integrity.”
After high school Hopkins enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where she served as an air traffic control apprentice and then a weather technician. She also served on the Columbus Air Force Base Honor Guard.
Hopkins has earned three master’s degrees in education and Spanish literature. Her information states servant leadership is her calling card and adds she now serves as a religious education leader at St. Margaret Mary and has been an educator at the undergraduate college level as well as in K-12 schools.
She said she will fight to preserve constitutional rights and for policies that protect individuals, families and individual liberties while adhering to conservative values.
As far as key issues, Hopkins listed a guarantee to a quality public education, defending parental and child rights, honoring first responders and the military, securing election procedures, increasing safety and border security and lowering taxes.
She said she will “advocate for the policies and governance that all Texans deserve, including protecting the constitutional republic, natural medical rights, the right to life, family values and safety.”
Ellen Troxclair
Troxclair said she is a proven conservative who while serving on the Austin City Council “followed through” on campaign promises to lower property taxes by passing homestead exemption, fight against “radical leftist efforts” to use taxpayer dollars to fund Planned Parenthood and benefits for illegal immigrants and expose “frivolous government spending” and advocated for increased accountability for taxpayers.
If elected to the Texas House, Troxclair’s information states she will fight to secure the border, ensure the integrity of elections, champion the Second Amendment, protect unborn life, prohibit vaccine mandates, preserve the Hill Country’s natural resources and values and stop leftist indoctrination and critical race theory in schools.
Information on her website states Troxclair is a small business owner, nonprofit leader, devoted mom and proven conservative who was the youngest woman ever to serve on the Austin City Council.
Following her tenure in elected office, her information states she served as a Senior Fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and further advocated for reducing taxes, improving education and protecting “the life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Further, she said as the director for Strategic Partnerships for Army Futures Command, she helped to advise military leaders tasked with modernizing battle methods while helping to grow the central Texas economy.
Currently, she manages a real estate business and is married with three children. Information states she is a “strong Christian.”
Troxclair said she is “committed to maintaining Texas as a beacon of liberty and freedom for many generations to come.”
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