The race for Texas’ 3rd Congressional District, spanning most of Collin and Hunt counties, is a rematch of 2022. It once again pits Republican Keith Self, now a sitting congressman, against Democratic challenger Sandeep Srivastava.
We declined to recommend either in the 2022 election. Self, former county judge of Collin County, has predictably delivered on divisive and obstructionist politics, but Srivastava has grown as a candidate and shown a more constructive attitude than his opponent’s. We think voters should cast their ballots for Srivastava.
This is a district that leans conservative. As Srivastava, 56, sees it, that’s not a problem. He told us he was a Republican once. Srivastava said the problem is that voter turnout is low; he decided to run again to give voters a choice. He told us he is mainly knocking on the doors of Republican voters and those who are undecided.
“If we don’t fight, we don’t win,” Srivastava said. “I’m not running just for name recognition and vanish like most people after losing. I believe losing an election gives you good feedback.”
The southern border has been a key issue for Texas voters this election cycle. Srivastava said he supports technology to monitor the border and increased funding for federal workers at ports of entry to prevent smuggling and trafficking. As an immigrant from India, he is a forceful advocate for comprehensive immigration reform that will improve visa backlogs and respond to this country’s labor needs.
We noted an evolution regarding his stance on abortion. Two years ago, he said he wouldn’t support any ban on the procedure. This time, he said he would support a law that codifies Roe vs. Wade, permitting abortion before the point of viability and allowing for some exceptions after that, in cases of rape and incest or the health of the mother. He said it was important to be flexible on the topic.
Srivastava’s foreign policy stances are also worth noting. He supports continued U.S. assistance for Ukraine and our country’s alliance with Israel, as well as a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
But Srivastava said kitchen-table issues are his main interest, such as a public hospital for Collin County and better internet access for Hunt County. He told us he was willing to bargain with other politicians to advance the needs of his district.
Contrast that to Self, 71. He was among the Republican lawmakers who held up the confirmation of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023, throwing Congress into chaos. Earlier this year, he voted no on a continuing resolution to keep funding the federal government, citing the border. He said in a panel this year that there was no appetite to work on legal immigration until the country solves illegal immigration.
This is obstructionism at its worst. The 3rd Congressional District needs a representative who will show up to legislate, not grandstand. Voters should pick Srivastava.
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