On The Record: Eric Roberson

For this episode of On The Record, we speak with Eric Roberson, Democratic candidate for United States Congress in District 32.

What prompted you to run for public office?

I have always been interested in public policy and worked hard within the Democratic Party to insure that the state-wide races had qualified candidates. I didn’t think I’d run this cycle, but was contacted to run about this race. I researched it and am excited to run.

I have a great chance to win in the fall, and I am excited to be the candidate to do it.

What would you say are the primary issues concerning your area?

The primary issues are the economy, immigration, the war and the return to constitutional checks and balances.

The way the economy is going, we need to steer the ship through the state it’s in and navigate it with fiscal responsibility. It is important to correct all the mistakes from the Republicans’ leadership and return fiscal responsibility and basic competence to our government programs.

What are your qualifications for the position for which you are running?

I have the combination of experience and effectiveness to be an excellent representative, having seen America from the shop room floor, to the boardroom to the courtroom.

I grew up in the district and know the area well. I was raised by a single mom and worked through school on a combination of scholarships and manual labor jobs. I worked manual labor, construction, manufacturing and other jobs to get through college.

I am a veteran of Operation Desert Shield. I flew as an A-6 Bombardier/Navigator from the carrier USS Independence.

A graduate of Baylor Law cum laude, I am a 13-year Dallas trial attorney and spent my first 6 years helping companies develop sound employment policy to insure legal compliance for workers. For the last 7 years, I represented people hurt by defective products made by Fortune 500 companies.

I believe this combination of academics, real life experience and effectiveness can help me succeed in representing District 32 and in serving its constituents.

Who are the important political figures that inspired you to become active in politics?

As a student of history I have read many of the biographies and memoirs on or by American political figures.

The most important are (1) “Tip” O’Neill and the spirit of service that inspired his career; (2) Chet Edwards and the late Lloyd Bentsen are influential political figures in Southern Democratic politics in that they are both great Texas Democrats, who were fiscally sound and pragmatic; and (3) Harry Truman, whose blunt and down-to-earth communications I envy. Each of these great Democrats knows or knew how America works and how to male and keep her great.

What is your biggest hope for Texas?

As we move to the future, Texas has great challenges in front of it for the next 20 years. We need to take the sound climate we have in business and growth to maintain momentum.

We must prioritize our education. Texas must continue to move forward in educating the youth and reeducating the older population. Education is a combined state and federal concern.

On the federal side, we must make sure we’re doing everything we can to help people to pay for college and advance education. We must adequately fund state institutions and keep tuition low for people to attend school.

If America and Texas are to remain in the forefront of the world, we have to be known as the place where hard work is rewarded and the best and the brightest are taught, and they have the ability to reach new heights.