I’m Alan Garza: a native Houstonian, an attorney, an engineer, and someone who wants to help revitalize our democracy. We live in a time where political division and extremism have become the norm, distrust in our leaders is growing, and the problems we face are being left unresolved. I want to run to help build a movement that restores faith in our founding principles, our institutions, and each other, while offering solutions to the new challenges the 21st century brings. 

I don’t have a traditional background—I was raised in a single-parent household with an immigrant mother. Although I lost my dad as a kid, the principles he instilled in me carried on. One of those principles is the idea that we should always strive to have the courage to act, especially when others won’t or when doing so is unpopular. With the current state of divisive politics, extremist ideologies, and mounting issues, I feel called to act.

I believe conservative ideas—such as limited government, the protection of individual freedoms, and the promotion of free markets—are essential principles we must adhere to. However, conservative policies need to be refreshed if they’re going to work in the 21st century. More importantly, we need to return to carefully applying these principles to each individual issue, instead of blindly following ideology as a means to solve our problems. 

Working in the tech field as an engineer and lawyer, I’ve been at the intersection of technology and law. This has given me insight into the impacts emerging technology is having on individual privacy, free speech, the economy, our interactions with government, and with each other. Technology is advancing rapidly; we need leaders who can keep up. 

It seems to me that our current leaders aren’t doing enough to address the issues emerging technology brings. Instead of creating policy meant to solve problems, current leaders focus on radical rhetoric that feeds a culture of extremism and does nothing to help working people. It’s time our generation takes on the responsibility of addressing the issues of our time. That’s why I want to represent Texas’s 29th Congressional District.