Westcott Officially Launches His Bid For House District 108
Three months after he reported receiving more than $700,000 in political donations, Park Cities native Chart Westcott officially launched his campaign for the Legislature on Tuesday.
In a video called “Making Government Work,” Westcott says he’s seeking the Republican nomination for House District 108 because he doesn’t want what’s happening in Washington to happen in Austin.
“We have a dysfunctional Congress filled with liberal Democrats unwilling to work with Republicans on any level,” Westcott says as the video shows Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Harry Reid, and President Barack Obama. “We have a president who ignores the will of the people, dictates policy by executive order, while running up more debt than any president in history.”
The M Streets resident then transitions to a summary of his platform issues: lowering taxes, balancing budgets, reducing regulations, giving parents’ more options for their children’s education, and “standing up for our traditional Texas values of faith, family, and the sanctity of life.”
The video concludes with a plug for Westcott’s website, where there’s definitely a focus on federal issues, even though he is seeking a state office. “I will fight the Obama Administration at every level and on every issue I can,” the site says under the heading “Fighting Washington & Obamacare.”
Westcott, 28, is one of three Republicans who have expressed interest in the House seat that University Park’s Dan Branch is vacating to run for attorney general. The others are small-business owner Court Alley, 33, of Devonshire and attorney Morgan Meyer, 39, of University Park. Another University Park attorney — Leigh Bailey, 34 — is running as a Democrat.
Westcott is a graduate of Greenhill and Vanderbilt, and he has a law degree from SMU. His website says he is a partner and general counsel of Commodore Partners, a private equity company that focuses on investments in technology and real estate. The top result on a Google search for “Commodore Partners” is the website for Westcott LLC, the investment firm founded by the candidate’s father, Carl Westcott of Highland Park.
The extensive list of supporters on Chart’s website reads like a who’s who of the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Among those who have endorsed his candidacy are Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and legendary players Troy Aikman, Daryl Johnston, and Roger Staubach. Aikman is the honorary chairman of his campaign.
His supporters also include a number of elected officials, including former Dallas County Judge Lee Jackson, County Commissioner Mike Cantrell, and State Board of Education member Tincy Miller.
“I am supporting Chart because he has a passion for our great country and for Texas,” Miller said. “He believes in the exceptionalism of America and the strong work ethic that our country exemplifies — especially in Texas. Our state is a magnet for the entrepreneur embracing our free-market system. I see him as the next ‘Reagan Conservative’ generation.”
Mr. Westcott,
First, great video. A well done presentation. Help me out here with my thought. I grew up in a fairly poor neighborhood, and I’ve seen financial suffering growing up. One thing that stands out in my memory took place a few years ago witnessing an individual scream out to Pete Sessions (at a PC 4th of July parade) was to repeal Obamacare. He looked well to do. Honestly, I was embarrassed by his comment and to even stand in the same crowd. I wondered….does this guy even know what it’s like to be down and out?
There’s this argument by your party (and I vote for Republicans and Democrats) that it’s an entitlement program. I’ve been in the same shoes growing up as many in our country today who were/are uninsured and without healthcare. It was a pretty scary time for me at least. Why not help folks out who need help. Heck, many folks in the Park Cities have had help, they didn’t get there by themselves.
What do you propose that we do? This is open to all candidates and I look forward to you answers. Thanks and good luck with your campaigns.
God bless.
@Sam. If every member of Congress had no group plan and had to try to buy insurance on the open market, something like the ACA would have been passed almost unanimously many years ago. The first A stands for Affordable, but it could just as well stand for Available. Under the ACA it is still not cheap, but it is Available, even if you are over 50 and take a blood pressure pill.
Yes, Sam, why do Republicans in Congress object to everyone being able to buy health insurance? They defeated the Clinton plan, are still trying to defeat the Obama plan, but offer no plan of their own to make health insurance and health care available to all. They don’t know how bad it is, because we taxpayers have provided them with a group plan, a guaranteed plan, even if no health insurance is available to many of us.
The Republicans running for a State office lose me when they start ranting about Federal issues. Westcott and others, if elected, are just not going to be able to do a single thing about national issues. So stop running against President Obama and start focusing on State issues, starting with education and the Robin Hood school financing.
@1st anon: YES. Thank you. It really chafes me to hear state-level candidates – most of them nitwits – bellowing about impeachment, Obamacare and whatever else. Mind you, I will vote Republican, but the quality of our candidates is pathetic. So far, the current slate for District 108 calls to mind a gaggle of younger, slightly less repulsive Louie Gohmerts.
Kegger at Daddy’s if Chart wins!
It’s ridiculous to believe that Repubs object to everyone being able to buy health insurance. What they do object to is the generational theft that will occur under the current entitlement state. Young college students should be enraged under this plan, as it requires them to fund Medicare for the promises that past politicians have sold an uninformed public. Medical insurance was intended to fund CATASTROPHIC and significant illness, not every pill, shot and boo-boo that it covers now. The nanny insurance state that we’ve created is what drives cost up. Thanks to Obamacare, my premiums are up 35% for next year. Governement doesn’t do anything well, and healthcare.gov is just one example. Any other CEO would have been thrown out if they performed this badly. If we want people to serve those who elect them, term limits are the answer. Sorry, Chart, et al., but politics was never intended to be a career.