There are many areas where we disagree with U.S. Rep. Jake Ellzey, but he has been a consistent conservative voice in a solidly red district. And, at times when it has mattered most, he has stood his ground against the most extreme voices of the Republican Party.
On foreign policy in particular, Ellzey has shown a clear understanding of what America’s role should be on the global stage. We recommend him for reelection to Texas’ 6th Congressional District.
Ellzey, 54, did not answer our Voter Guide questionnaire and attempts to contact him through phone and email were unsuccessful.
However, his interviews and social media presence reveal a congressman who is aware of the needs of his constituents in a gerrymandered district encompassing a majority of mostly rural counties, including Anderson, Hill and Navarro, and some urban and suburban areas in Tarrant and even Dallas County. Nonetheless, his record is mixed.
Ellzey helped pass the Water Resources and Development Act and added language to expand the capacity of Aquilla Lake in Hill County, showing concern for population growth in the region he represents. But he voted against the CHIPS and Science Act, which would bring jobs to the state and badly needed competitiveness for the U.S. in semiconductor manufacturing.
A staunch conservative, Ellzey has the potential to bring more bipartisanship to Congress. He rightly opposes government shutdowns and supports funding the Ukraine military to confront the Russian invasion. In an interview with WFAA-TV (Channel 8), earlier this year, he compared this conflict to the Nazi’s annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938, an event that triggered World War II. His military experience as a Navy pilot in Afghanistan and Iraq is an asset.
In 2021, we noted that on immigration, election security and other issues he is to the right of this newspaper’s position, but we found common ground on tax relief, the national debt, government spending and personal liberty. We stand by this assessment.
Ellzey has been highly critical of President Joe Biden’s policy at the border, and most recently, in a social media post, he talked about the possible threat of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, but he stuck to the facts and avoided false rhetoric.
Last year, he joined U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales and Kay Granger as one of three Texas Republicans to vote against Jim Jordan, a MAGA loyalist who tried and failed to become Speaker of the House.
Running against Ellzey is Democrat John Love III.
Love, 56, has experience as a council member in Midland from 2013 to 2020 and has been part of statewide committees like the Border Trade Advisory Committee and president of the Texas Municipal League. While he failed to make a strong case as a better option than the incumbent, we encourage him to consider the Texas Legislature as a better fit for his expertise.
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