Download and print my picks to take into the booth. Texas bans phones within 100 feet of voting stations.

Part 1 is the cheat sheet. Part 2 explains why, with sources.

Why We Moved

If you followed my California guides, you know my family now lives in McKinney, Texas. This guide covers California and Yorba Linda for those still there, including my own family, and Texas and McKinney for my new neighbors.

California's costs kept rising while the quality of life kept falling. With no state income tax, we project saving $8,000 to $15,000 a year, and our monthly cost of living is projected to drop about 40%.

But the real reason is our twins. They're four. We wanted schools that teach the basics before they walk in the door, and a place where, 15 to 20 years from now, they can build their own lives without being priced out.

Most of all, we wanted control. Decisions about our family should be made by our family, not handed to the state or taken by it. In California, a two-thirds Democratic supermajority can raise taxes and rewrite the rules without a single Republican vote. We chose a state that leaves more of those decisions with us.

How I Choose

Policies shape the future. Every candidate is flawed, just as every voter is. I prioritize policy, constitutional fidelity, and practical results over personality or demands for perfection. Verified conduct egregiously outside my acceptable bounds can disqualify a candidate; when that happens, I abstain rather than vote for policies that work against my principles.

Every vote is a binary choice that moves the Overton window one way or the other. Voting against your own principles to protest the details can set them back further than a nose-hold vote. Where I endorse the "best available" candidate, it's about moving the window, not full support.

Where I know a candidate personally or professionally, I say so. Those relationships don't decide my vote.

My Top Issues

Immigration: legal, orderly, and for the benefit of the country. Attract the best and brightest through a merit-based system like the RAISE Act, with H-1B used sparingly for real talent, not as a substitute for American workers.

Election integrity: only verified U.S. citizens should vote. I support the SAVE Act's proof-of-citizenship requirement, clean voter rolls, an investigation of ActBlue, and the Postal Service's new ballot mail rule, which sets trackable ballot envelopes and delivers ballots only to voters on a state's mail-ballot list.

Data centers: build them, but make them pay their own way. They power American productivity, technology, and national security, and China won't stop building because an American town says no. But developers should fund the power and infrastructure they need, protect local water, and meet enforceable noise and pollution standards. Residents shouldn't "subsidize AI infrastructure through higher electricity bills with no upside." I oppose both reflexive bans and preferential treatment.

Iran: finish it. Since 1979 the regime has targeted Americans, and it remains the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. It props up China and Russia, selling most of its oil to China and arming Russia. End the regime and restore order as fast as possible, with overwhelming force and every protection for American service members. Short-term pain, then a freer global economy. Peace through strength: the Abraham Accords will follow.

Taxes and spending: we don't have a money problem, we have a spending problem. California's K-12 funding rose 75% in a decade while math proficiency sits at 37%; high-speed rail went from $33 billion to $126 billion with no trains running.

States' rights. Power belongs with the states and the people unless the Constitution specifically hands it to Washington. That cuts both ways.

Parents, not the state, raise children. Parents should be told what's happening with their kids at school. Protect girls' sports, restrooms, and locker rooms, and give families school choice, not an assigned building.

Energy that's reliable and affordable. California has the highest gas tax in the country. Texas should keep power reliable, respect landowners, and regulate in proportion to real risk.

Judges who apply the law as written. The Constitution means what it says.

Faith shapes the culture by persuasion, not force. I'm a Christian first. The church shapes the culture by persuasion and example, never by state force. That's why I wrote that McKinney had no legal room to deny a mosque site plan that met existing zoning, and why I'll hold elected Christians to the same line.

Life begins at conception. In all cases. My morals here are biblical. Bringing the country back in line will take a bigger cultural push.

Property taxes: you should be able to own your home. Property taxes are a lien on ownership. Protect Prop 13 in California; end school property taxes in Texas with spending limits, not a tax shift.

Bonds and local debt. Every bond is a bill our kids pay. Come back with specific projects, total repayment, and a reason you can't pay as you go.

Public safety, with honest numbers. Law and order, and crime data you can trust. When Los Angeles stops reporting to the FBI, "crime is down" deserves skepticism.

Breaking one-party control. Every Republican legislative seat in California counts toward ending the supermajority, so I endorse in every district.

Accountability. Audit the money, publish the payments, and respect voters' decisions.

Insurance and homelessness. Fix California's private insurance market instead of putting taxpayers on the hook. Fund homelessness programs for results, with someone accountable for the money.

PART 1: MY PICKS

Download and print this list

California Statewide

Yorba Linda

Orange County and LA (from my primary guide)

Texas Statewide

McKinney / Collin County

PART 2: THE DETAILS

CALIFORNIA

Governor

VOTE: Steve Hilton (R)

Xavier Becerra (D), former HHS Secretary and CA Attorney General, vs Steve Hilton (R), former Fox News host.

The job: Proposes the budget, signs or vetoes bills (with a line-item veto), and appoints judges and agency heads. Can't change taxes alone.

Hilton's plan:

• No state income tax on the first $150,000, then a flat 8%
• $3 gas: more in-state oil, repeal the Low Carbon Fuel Standard
• Cap government fees on a new home at $50,000; end the $800 minimum business tax
• Paid for by ending high-speed rail funding and cutting bureaucracy

MY THOUGHTS: California is the world's 4th largest economy but ranks 37th of 50 among states and last in opportunity. It has the highest gas tax, the 2nd highest poverty rate, and unemployment tied for worst. Hilton is the first Republican nominee in years who is running to win, with a real plan and a willingness to confront Becerra's record.

As HHS Secretary, Becerra's department didn't document sponsor safety checks in 16% of migrant-child cases reviewed and missed required follow-up calls in more than 1 in 5 (22%). His chief of staff pleaded guilty to siphoning $225,000 from Becerra's campaign account; Becerra himself has not been accused. On AI and data centers, Hilton starts from yes; Becerra starts from conditions.

Reality check: The tax cut, gas plan, and fee cap need the Legislature, and Hilton's savings (~$25B) don't yet cover his tax cut (up to $65B).

Endorsements FOR (Hilton): Trump, Vance, HJTA. AGAINST (Becerra): SEIU, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club.

Lt. Governor

VOTE: Gloria Romero (R)

Fiona Ma (D), State Treasurer, vs Gloria Romero (R), former Democratic Senate Majority Leader and Hilton's running mate.

The job: Presides over the Senate, acts as governor when the governor is out of state, and votes on the UC Regents and CSU Trustees.

MY THOUGHTS: Romero wrote California's 2010 "parent trigger" law, letting parents restructure a failing school. She left the Democrats in 2024, saying they put the teachers union ahead of students. She and Hilton propose freezing in-state UC and CSU tuition and 3-year degree options.

The state paid $350,000 to settle a former employee's sexual harassment claims against Ma; she denied them and admitted nothing. She also took over $30,000 from the founder of a Chinese boarding school at the center of a California diploma-fraud audit, which did not accuse Ma.

Reality check: The Regents and Trustees set tuition. Romero would be one vote on each.

Endorsements FOR (Romero): CA Republican Party, Reform California. AGAINST (Ma): CA Labor Federation, Building Trades, AFSCME.

Attorney General

VOTE: Michael Gates (R)

Rob Bonta (D, inc.) vs Michael Gates (R), former Huntington Beach City Attorney and Trump Justice Department official.

The job: The state's chief law officer. Decides whom California sues, supervises every district attorney and sheriff, and writes the title of every ballot measure. Can't change the laws.

MY THOUGHTS: This one isn't close. Bonta has filed or joined 50+ lawsuits against the Trump administration and sued cities, including Huntington Beach, over housing mandates and voter ID. Gates spent a decade on the other side of those fights and created Huntington Beach's first local criminal prosecutor program.

Bonta isn't personally to blame for every bad crime number. But Democrats have held this office since 1999 and a two-thirds supermajority for most of the past decade, and even the data can't be trusted: Los Angeles didn't report crime data to the FBI in 2021 or 2023, and the LAPD spent a decade downgrading violent crimes. One party has run law enforcement here for a generation. The results don't earn it another term.

As a legislator, Bonta solicited more than $500,000, largely from companies lobbying him, for nonprofits run by his wife.

Endorsements FOR (Gates): CA GOP, CA Rifle & Pistol Assn, HJTA. AGAINST (Bonta): CA Democratic Party, CTA.

Secretary of State

VOTE: Don Wagner (R)

Shirley Weber (D, inc.) vs Don Wagner (R), Orange County Supervisor (Yorba Linda's own).

The job: Chief elections officer. Certifies results, runs the voter database, and oversees county registrars.

MY THOUGHTS: California asks you to swear you're a citizen but never requires proof, and most voters never show ID. Wagner wants ID, cleaner rolls, and an election decided on election night.

Reality check: Mail ballots, the 7-day window, and ballot collection are state law. Wagner can clean the rolls, enforce the rules, and carry out Prop 39 if it passes.

Endorsements FOR (Wagner): CA GOP, Reform California, HJTA. AGAINST (Weber): CA Democratic Party, SEIU.

Controller

VOTE: Herb Morgan (R)

Malia Cohen (D, inc.) vs Herb Morgan (R), investment firm founder with about 40 years in finance.

The job: Writes every state check, audits state spending, and sits on the CalPERS and CalSTRS boards.

MY THOUGHTS: Morgan wants every state payment on a daily public ledger, AI that flags suspicious payments before they go out, and audits of homelessness and Medi-Cal spending. Cohen promised homelessness audits in 2022 that haven't happened. This month the State Auditor found her office overpaid two employees $33,000 and collected nothing for over a year, in violation of state law, while two managers secretly worked from other states. The state's annual financial report has been late five years running.

Endorsements FOR (Morgan): CA GOP, HJTA. AGAINST (Cohen): CA Democratic Party, CA Labor Federation.

Treasurer

VOTE: Jennifer Hawks (R)

Eleni Kounalakis (D), Lt. Governor, vs Jennifer Hawks (R), retired businesswoman.

The job: The state's banker. Sells every state bond and invests the state's cash. Can't decide how much the state borrows.

MY THOUGHTS: This ballot adds $19.65 billion in new bond debt (Props 1 and 38). Hawks promises a forensic audit of every division, a review of the state's investment account in her first six months, and public reporting on where the money goes. Kounalakis owns a stake in a Sacramento building whose tenants are mostly lobbying firms and state agencies.

Endorsements FOR (Hawks): CA GOP, Reform California. AGAINST (Kounalakis): CA Labor Federation, Teamsters.

Insurance Commissioner

VOTE: Ben Allen (D)

Jane Kim (D) vs Ben Allen (D). My primary pick, Stacy Korsgaden (R), finished third, so there's no Republican on this ballot.

The job: Approves or rejects insurers' rate requests and oversees the FAIR Plan, the insurer of last resort.

MY THOUGHTS: This is a vote to move the window, not an endorsement of Allen's worldview. Kim wants a state-run disaster insurer for the biggest wildfire risks, with no clear plan for who covers the losses. When a government insurer runs short, taxpayers are the backstop. Allen wants to fix the private market so insurers come back. One of them will win, and a blank ballot doesn't move anything.

Endorsements FOR (Allen): CA Democratic Party, CA Professional Firefighters. AGAINST (Kim): SEIU, CTA.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

VOTE: SONJA SHAW

Sonja Shaw, Chino Valley Unified board president, vs Richard Barrera, San Diego Unified board president and former union organizer.

Disclosure: I've met Sonja, and we share close friends. In May I predicted she'd advance. She finished first.

The job: In July the Legislature used the budget bill to move control of the Department of Education to a governor-appointed commissioner starting in 2027. The Superintendent keeps board seats and a statewide platform.

MY THOUGHTS: I could not be more excited about this one. Shaw led Chino Valley to notify parents when a child's gender identity changes at school, puts reading, writing, and math ahead of ideology, wants the SAT back, and will fight to protect girls' sports, restrooms, and locker rooms. A Los Angeles teachers union official called her "a real threat," and the CTA has spent over $5 million backing Barrera.

The results she's up against:

• Only 37% of students meet state math standards and 49% in English.
• K-12 funding rose from $76.6 billion to $133.8 billion in a decade, up 75%.
• 4th grade math: California 233, Texas 241, Florida 243, Mississippi 239, while California spends $20,434 per student to Texas's $12,897.
• Layoffs go by seniority, not effectiveness, and the CTA defended those rules in court.

Reality check: Newsom proposed the restructuring in January; the Legislature passed it in July, a month after Shaw finished first in the primary, skipping normal hearings. Shaw plans to sue.

Endorsements FOR (Shaw): CA GOP, Moms for Liberty, HJTA. AGAINST (Barrera): CTA, United Teachers Los Angeles.

Board of Equalization, District 4

VOTE: Denis Bilodeau (R)

Denis Bilodeau (R), Orange Taxpayers Association president, vs Tom Umberg (D), State Senator. The BOE oversees how county assessors apply Prop 13. My primary pick finished first. Bilodeau runs on protecting Prop 13 and no new taxes; HJTA backs him, while SEIU and the CTA back Umberg.

Supreme Court Retention

VOTE: Evans NO, Groban YES

Justices face a yes-or-no vote; if voters say no, the governor appoints a replacement.

• Joshua Groban: YES. Not a consistent conservative, but better than most California judges. In In re Dezi C. he wrote that courts must find actual harm before overturning a ruling.
• Kelli Evans: NO. She wrote the Dezi C. majority adopting the broader automatic-reversal rule.

Court-watchers group the justices in three blocs: Corrigan and Guerrero most restrained, Groban and Kruger in the middle, Evans and Liu at the expansive end.

Propositions: How I Vote

NO is the baseline. We don't have a money problem, we have a spending problem. If the language is vague, if it borrows or taxes, or if it gives Sacramento more room to move money around, the answer is NO.

In 2008 voters approved a $9.95 billion bond for a $33 billion high-speed rail line. The rail authority now says $126 billion, and no trains are running. Bonds are paid by our kids, whether the project works or not.

Watch for the emotional pitch: "It's for the schools." Prop 30 was sold as temporary school funding, and Prop 3 now asks to make it permanent. K-12 funding rose 75% while only 37% of students meet math standards. Before handing over more money, ask what the last round bought.

YORBA LINDA

For family and friends still at home. Districts are for my old west-side address; check your sample ballot.

U.S. House, CA-38

VOTE: Pedro Casas (R)

Hilda Solis (D), LA County Supervisor, vs Pedro Casas (R), retired Army colonel. Prop 50 pulled part of Yorba Linda into this LA County district. Solis wants to move public safety "from punishment and incarceration to support and resources." Casas runs on lower taxes, border security, and school choice, and finished first in the Orange County portion with about 58%.

State Senate 32 and Assembly 59

VOTE: Kelly Seyarto (R) and Phillip Chen (R)

Both are HJTA-backed incumbents. Republicans need 14 Senate seats (they hold 10) and 27 Assembly seats (they hold 19) to break the supermajority. Chen's opponent, Victor Hernandez (Green), wants statewide rent control. Disclosure: Phillip is a friend.

City Council (2 seats)

VOTE: Carlos Rodriguez and Sean Phayakapong

Rodriguez has stood for local control against Sacramento's housing mandates. Phayakapong earns my vote on the strength of the people behind him: HJTA, the Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association, CRA, Councilmembers Huang, Campbell, and Singh, former Mayors Hernandez and Haney, and others.

PYLUSD Trustee, Area 5

VOTE: Justin Aguirre

My deciding issue is protecting girls' sports, privacy, and safety, and Aguirre has spoken up for exactly that. He faces Carrie Buck (inc.). Disclosure: Justin is a friend.

Area 4 (east side): Todd Frazier. Opponent Barb Buckley says "School boards do not get to determine who plays." I want trustees who advocate for changing those rules, not defer to them. Disclosure: Todd is a family friend and a CPA I refer clients to.

Water Boards

VOTE: YLWD: Brett Barbre and Wayne Scott (third vote blank). MWDOC Division 1: Al Nederhood.

Barbre helped set up a trust to pay down unfunded retiree benefits at the Metropolitan Water District. Scott, the board's Vice President, is a retired Air Force colonel who ran a $260 million Raytheon program on schedule and under budget. Both are backed by Rodriguez and Campbell; Scott by all five council members. Nederhood is acceptable and steady.

NOCCCD Trustee, Area 6

VOTE: Zonya Townsend or Jeffrey Brown

Townsend is endorsed by the California Republican Assembly. Brown, the incumbent, makes fiscal oversight his whole case and takes no endorsements. Avoid Paulette Chaffee, backed by the OC Labor Federation.

Elsewhere in Yorba Linda: CA-40

VOTE: Ken Calvert (R)

Prop 50 forced two Republican incumbents into one district. I prefer Calvert for his experience and leverage as a senior Appropriations member. Kim scores higher on Heritage Action (87% vs 81% this session), and Calvert's spending record deserves scrutiny. I'm choosing the candidate I believe can do more, not the one who clears every purity test.

ORANGE COUNTY AND LOS ANGELES

Carried over from my primary guide. Every Republican seat counts toward breaking the supermajority.

State Senate: SD-30 Araceli Martinez (R) over Sen. Bob Archuleta; I backed Archuleta in June when no Republican appeared to be running. SD-34 Rhonda Shader (R), open seat. SD-36 Tony Strickland (R), hold. SD-38 Laura Bassett (R), my top flip target; she held it to 45% to 55%.

Assembly: Raul Ortiz Jr. (64), Paulo Morales (67, finished first), Tri Ta (70), Kate Sanchez (71), Gracey Van Der Mark (72), Urson Russell (73), Laurie Davies (74, won the primary only 52% to 48%). AD-68: my pick, Mayra Ruiz, finished third; no endorsement.

Congress: CA-46 David Pan (R) vs Rep. Lou Correa. CA-47 Jenny Rae Le Roux (R) vs Rep. Dave Min.

OC Supervisors: District 4 Tim Shaw; District 5 Diane Dixon, about 300 votes behind Katrina Foley in June. Win either and Republicans retake the board. My June picks for Clerk-Recorder, Auditor-Controller, Treasurer-Tax Collector, Assessor, and Superintendent of Schools all won outright.

Los Angeles

State Senate 20: VOTE Tony Rodriguez (R). He wants police and fire fully funded and lower taxes and fees. I backed Sen. Caroline Menjivar in June when no Republican appeared to be running.

Mayor: Abstain. My primary pick, Spencer Pratt, didn't advance. Asked who approves homelessness money, Mayor Karen Bass said, "I could not tell you who that person is today." She blamed former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley for the Palisades response; Crowley is suing. Nithya Raman's answers on the police chief keep shifting. Neither offers the policy break I'm looking for.

TEXAS

For my new neighbors. Districts are for central McKinney; check your sample ballot.

Voting in Texas: Early voting October 19 to 30; Election Day November 3; any Collin County vote center. Bring a Texas license or ID, U.S. passport, military ID, Texas handgun license, citizenship certificate, or Election ID Certificate. A California license doesn't count.

U.S. Senate

VOTE: Ken Paxton (R)

Ken Paxton (R), Texas Attorney General, who beat Sen. John Cornyn in the runoff, vs James Talarico (D), State Representative, and Ted Brown (L). Polls show a toss-up.

MY THOUGHTS: Talarico is a radical. In 2020 he called capitalism an "oppressive system"; now he's a "proud capitalist." In 2021 he said there were "six" biological sexes; this September, "there are two." He voted against Texas's 2023 limits on gender-transition treatments for minors. He wants a $15 federal minimum wage and higher taxes. These are recent statements, and he has never pointed to a moment that changed his mind, other than this race.

The pushback: Paxton's controversies. He settled a securities case without admitting wrongdoing; the Senate acquitted him on all 16 impeachment articles; the Justice Department declined to prosecute; and a court awarded former aides $6.67 million. Democrats supplied 61 of the 121 impeachment votes. None of it is a conviction. Under my standard, it doesn't cross the line.

Endorsements FOR (Paxton): Trump, Vance. AGAINST (Talarico): Kamala Harris, Colin Allred.

U.S. House, TX-3

VOTE: Keith Self (R)

Former Collin County Judge and chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, vs Evan Hunt (D). Self has held his ground on border security, election integrity, and the Second Amendment, and signed the petition to recall McKinney's mayor and three council members.

Governor

VOTE: Greg Abbott (R)

Greg Abbott (R, inc.) vs Gina Hinojosa (D) and Pat Dixon (L).

MY THOUGHTS: This one is about policy, not personality. Abbott built Texas's $1 billion school choice program; Hinojosa would end it. Families shouldn't be stuck with a school just because the government assigned it. Abbott wants spending limits, two-thirds voter approval for tax increases, and an end to school property taxes for homeowners. Hinojosa's centerpiece is a one-time $1,500 check, about $17 billion from the rainy day fund, which doesn't lower anyone's recurring bills.

Property taxes are a lien on ownership. Even with the house paid off, miss the bill and you can lose it. Ending school property taxes moves Texas toward real ownership.

Concerns: Abbott's replacement plan reportedly includes a higher sales tax. I won't call a tax shift smaller government. It costs about $8.6 billion a year; the state has to supply the answer with spending limits, not a one-time surplus. On data centers, pro-business doesn't mean taxpayers subsidize every business. Abbott's shift toward ending incentives earns scrutiny, not automatic credit. He has also declined to debate.

Abbott earns my vote on policy, not a blank check on performance.

Lt. Governor

VOTE: Dan Patrick (R)

Patrick controls which bills reach the Senate floor and has driven property tax relief, a bigger homestead exemption, and school choice. Opponent Vikki Goodwin (D) wants a data-center moratorium.

Attorney General

VOTE: Mayes Middleton (R)

Mayes Middleton (R), State Senator, vs Nathan Johnson (D). Middleton plans units for immigration, cartels, election integrity, and anti-corruption. The Texas AG can't prosecute most crimes without a local prosecutor's request.

Concern: Middleton says "there is no such thing as 'separation of church and state' in our Constitution" and wants to "put God back in government." I'm a Christian first, and I believe the church shapes the culture by persuasion and example, never by state force. I'll hold him to that line.

Comptroller, Land, and Agriculture

VOTE: Don Huffines (R), Dawn Buckingham (R), Nate Sheets (R)

• Comptroller: The revenue estimate caps the state budget. Huffines will audit waste, run school choice transparently, and forgo his salary.
• Land Commissioner: Buckingham backs energy development on state lands and border security.
• Agriculture: Sheets, a beekeeper and business owner, beat Sid Miller in the primary. His opponent wants a data-center moratorium.

Railroad Commissioner

VOTE: Bo French (R)

It regulates oil and gas, not railroads. Opponent Jon Rosenthal (D) wants new flaring and well-plugging mandates.

The pushback: In September French shared a screenshot of a UT game crowd: "I heard UT graduation this year looked like this... The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined." Republicans including Rep. Jeff Leach called it racist; French says his point was foreign-student and visa policy. That debate is real: I support legal immigration and a controlled H-1B program, but H-1B is overused. French made that argument badly, pointing at how a crowd looked instead of at the policy. That was out of line, but his energy policy is better for Texas, so it doesn't disqualify him.

Texas Courts

VOTE: All Republican nominees

• Supreme Court: Blacklock (Chief), Sullivan, Kyle Hawkins, Busby
• Court of Criminal Appeals: Smith, Yeary, Messinger
• 15th Court of Appeals: Brister (Chief), Field, Farris
• 5th Court of Appeals: Kolodoski, Ben Smith, Wysocki

Chief Justice Blacklock describes his philosophy as text-centered and originalist, exactly what I want on a high court.

Texas House 61

VOTE: Keresa Richardson (R)

Small-business owner and incumbent, endorsed by Trump, Abbott, and Texas Right to Life.

McKINNEY / COLLIN COUNTY

County Judge: VOTE Chris Hill (R). On September 14 the county raised its tax rate for the first time since 1993, 4 to 1. Hill was the only no.

County Clerk: VOTE Stacey Kemp (R).

Appraisal District Board, Place 2: No endorsement.

McKinney Recall (not on this ballot)

VOTE: Support the recall

A petition to recall Mayor Bill Cox and three council members was filed with about 7,400 signatures; 5,805 valid ones are needed. City staff report November 17.

MY THOUGHTS: The recall started after the council approved a mosque site plan in August. As I wrote at the time, that vote was ministerial. I don't support the recall because of that vote. I support it because voters rejected airport bonds in 2015 and 2023 and the city built the airport anyway. Organizers allege an airline agreement was kept from the public until the Attorney General ordered it released. And former Mayor George Fuller posted that signers' "names and addresses" would be published; some residents told CBS they were afraid to sign. Fuller denies trying to intimidate anyone.

Bonds and the School Tax Rate

VOTE: NO on all

Nine of the ten measures on your ballot borrow money.

• Collin County: Courts and jail ($296.5M), roads ($475M), parks ($6M), and an elections building ($40M). The county just raised its tax rate for the first time in 30 years. Show me specific projects and total repayment first.
• McKinney ISD Prop A (tax rate): The total rate drops only because debt payments are falling. This approves $9.1M more in operating revenue, and only about $4.1M stays in McKinney after recapture.
• McKinney ISD Props B to E: The district closed three elementary schools this year and runs a $6M shortfall, while asking to borrow for two new ones.

Thank You

Vote, and bring someone with you.

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." (Wendell Phillips, 1852)

Sources and Disclosures

Sources

Top Issues

• American Immigration Council
• NPR, May 16, 2019
• White House (2017), RAISE Act
• Congressional Research Service, "USPS Ballot Mail Rule: Overview and Potential Impact" (IF13297)
• beSpacific summary
• SAVE Act, H.R. 22 (119th Congress)
• White House memorandum on straw-donor and foreign contributions (ActBlue), Apr 24, 2025
• Politico, David Sacks interview, May 1, 2026
• Sacks on ratepayer protection
• Chamath Palihapitiya, Feb 2026
• White House, Ratepayer Protection Pledge, Mar 2026
• U.S. State Department, Country Reports on Terrorism 2024
• ODNI assessment of Iran's regional and global terrorism (Nov 2024)
• U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, China-Iran fact sheet
• Newsweek, how Russia and China help Iran
• CA Department of Education, K-12 funding from all sources, 2014-15
• CA Department of Finance, 2024-25 Enacted Budget Summary, K-12 Education
• Public Policy Institute of California, "California's K-12 Test Scores," Mar 2026
• Newsweek, "California High-Speed Rail Price Tag Explodes," Apr 29, 2026 (citing the rail authority's 2026 Draft Business Plan)
• KPBS/CapRadio debate fact-check, Oct 2, 2026
• HHS Office of Inspector General, OEI-07-21-00250, Feb 2024
• Kody Fairfield, "Leadership Means Picking Winnable Fights, Not Flaming Out for a Headline," The Sovereignty Ledger, Aug 6, 2026
• Fox News, Apr 8, 2024 (citing the 2014 Los Angeles Times investigation of LAPD crime classification)
• LA Times
• NewsNation, cities not reporting 2021 crime data to the FBI
• ABC7, Karen Bass interview, Oct 2026

California Statewide

• CA Secretary of State, Statement of Vote, June 2026 Primary
• CalMatters
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, office descriptions for each statewide race
• Hilton campaign plan
• ABC7
• LA Times, Oct 6, 2026
• Office of the Governor, Apr 23, 2025
• KTVU on U.S. News 2025 Best States
• U.S. Attorney, E.D. Cal.
• CalMatters, May 2026
• CNN, Sept 30, 2026 debate takeaways (via KRDO)
• HJTA 2026 Voting Guide
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, Lieutenant Governor
• Gloria Romero, "Why I Wrote a Parent Trigger Law," Education Week, Nov 2013
• Sacramento Bee
• Los Angeles Times, Jan 12, 2026
• California Globe, Mar 20, 2026
• San Francisco Chronicle
• CBS Sacramento
• New York Post via AOL, Apr 2026
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, Attorney General
• California Constitution, Article V, Section 13 (Attorney General's supervision of district attorneys and sheriffs)
• KESQ 2026 Voter Guide, Michael Gates
• CalMatters, "For California lawmakers, charity can begin at home," Feb 2020
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, Secretary of State
• ACLU, "Federal Court Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Seeking California Voter Data"
• Democracy Docket case page
• CA Secretary of State, Voter ID and registration requirements
• SF Examiner, July 22, 2026
• Wagner campaign
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, Controller
• CalMatters, "A look at the top candidates vying to be California's controller," May 2026
• California State Auditor, Report I2026-1, Investigations of Improper Activities (Oct 2026)
• California State Auditor, Report 2025-602, State High-Risk: Late Financial Reporting (Jul 31, 2026)
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, Treasurer
• SF Examiner, June 23, 2026
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Props 1 and 38 (2026)
• https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=38&year=2026
• CalMatters, Apr 2025, Kounalakis's Sacramento properties
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, Insurance Commissioner
• CBS Sacramento, Jane Kim's state-run disaster insurance plan
• Mercury News, Sept 20, 2026
• United Policyholders
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, Superintendent of Public Instruction
• EdSource
• EdSource debate, Oct 8, 2026
• Voice of San Diego, Mar 11, 2011
• CapRadio, "California's budget deal would strip control over the Department of Education from California's superintendent," Jul 8, 2026
• EdSource
• Fox News, "California superintendent candidate calls out teachers union"
• Florida Department of Education, 2024 NAEP Grade 4 Mathematics state comparison
• NCES California snapshot
• NCES, FY2024 current expenditures per pupil (Table 5)
• CalSTRS contribution rates
• California Education Code 44955
• Vergara v. California, Court of Appeal (2016)
• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide, Board of Equalization
• BOE
• CA Secretary of State, Supreme Court justices on the ballot
• CalMatters
• In re Dezi C. (Cal. 2024), summary
• Horvitz & Levy
• SCOCAblog, "SCOCA Year in Review 2025"

California Propositions

• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 2 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 3 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 4 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 5 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 37 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 39 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 40 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 41 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 42 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 43 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 44 (2026)
• Legislative Analyst's Office, Proposition 45 (2026)

Yorba Linda

• CA SOS Statement of Vote, June 2026
• OC Registrar primary results
• Hilda Solis campaign
• LAist
• Smarter.vote, Pedro Casas
• KPBS
• Ballotpedia, 2026 California legislative session
• Phillip Chen campaign
• Victor Hernandez campaign issues
• CRPA 2026 Orange County guide (candidate list)
• City of Yorba Linda
• Carlos Rodriguez campaign
• PYLUSD Board Minutes, May 12, 2026
• Orange Juice Blog, Aug 2026
• Barb Buckley campaign
• Brett Barbre campaign
• endorsements
• YLWD, Director Wayne R. Scott
• Wayne Scott campaign endorsements
• MWDOC leadership
• California Republican Assembly, Orange County endorsements
• Jeffrey Brown campaign
• https://www.jeff-brown-trustee.com/endorsements
• OC Labor Federation 2026 endorsements
• Ballotpedia: Calvert and Kim face off in CA-40
• Heritage Action scorecard: Calvert
• Heritage Action scorecard: Kim
• Kim

Orange County and Los Angeles

• The Ballot Brief, SD-30
• Wikipedia, 2026 California State Senate election
• OC Registrar final primary results
• The Ballot Brief, SD-38
• The Ballot Brief, Assembly Districts 64, 67, 68, 70 to 74
• Voice of OC, June 2026
• The Ballot Brief, SD-20
• New York Post, Oct 13, 2026
• New York Post, Oct 11, 2026

Texas

• Texas SOS election dates
• VoteTexas photo ID
• Collin County Elections
• Texas Tribune, May 26, 2026
• KERA, Sept 22, 2026
• Emerson College poll
• Texas Tribune, Sept 22, 2026
• Dallas Morning News
• Houston Chronicle/PolitiFact
• Just the News
• AP
• The Texan
• Texas Tribune impeachment series
• Texas Legislative Reference Library, Speaker elections
• Ballotpedia
• Ballotpedia, TX-3 2026
• Keith Self
• Community Impact
• Dallas Express
• TX3D News
• Texas Tribune, Sept 25, 2026
• Texas Public Radio, Oct 7, 2026
• Newsweek
• Community Impact
• Texas Tribune, Oct 7, 2026
• Texas Tribune, Sept 28, 2026
• Wikipedia, 2026 Texas AG election
• Texas Tribune, Aug 31, 2026
• Community Impact Q&A
• Texas Tribune, Dec 15, 2021 (State v. Stephens)
• Texas Tribune, Oct 9, 2026
• Click2Houston, Sept 29, 2026
• Texas Tribune, Sept 18, 2026
• Wikipedia, 2026 Texas Agriculture Commissioner election
• Texas Tribune, Sept 15, 2026
• Spectrum News, Sept 14, 2026
• Wikipedia, 2026 Texas Supreme Court election
• Click2Houston, Sept 29, 2026
• Texas Tribune, Feb 16, 2026
• TexasJudges.org
• Fifth Court of Appeals
• The Texan

McKinney and Collin County

• KERA, Sept 14, 2026
• Collin County official all-race sample ballot, Nov 3, 2026
• Community Impact, County Judge Q&A
• CAD Place 2 Q&A
• Texas Scorecard
• McKinney Recall Committee, "The Question Before McKinney"
• Dallas Morning News
• WFAA
• CBS Texas, Aug 2026
• Dallas Express
• Collin County bond election and order
• https://www.collincountytx.gov/docs/default-source/public-information-office/bond-elections/orderforelection.pdf?sfvrsn=49669f0e_4
• Community Impact
• Collin College bond election notice
• https://www.collin.edu/bond/index.html
• McKinney ISD bond election notice
• McKinney ISD VATRE notice
• Community Impact
• Community Impact, MISD 2026-27 budget

Disclosures and Disclaimers

• Personal views. This guide reflects my personal opinions as a private citizen. It is not affiliated with, paid for, or approved by any candidate, campaign, party, or committee, and I received no compensation for any endorsement.
• Not professional advice. Nothing here is legal, tax, or investment advice. Views are my own and do not represent any firm or organization I work with.
• Relationships. Where I know a candidate personally or professionally, I disclose it in that entry: Sonja Shaw, Phillip Chen, Justin Aguirre, and Todd Frazier.
• Accuracy and timing. Information is current as of October 13, 2026. Candidate positions, fiscal estimates, and court cases can change. Fiscal figures come from the Legislative Analyst's Office and official election notices and are estimates, not guarantees. Allegations are identified as allegations, not findings.
• Your ballot. District assignments are based on specific addresses in Yorba Linda and McKinney. Confirm your races on your official sample ballot from the Orange County Registrar of Voters or Collin County Elections.
• AI use. Research, fact-checking, and drafting support by AI under The Sovereignty Ledger's AI Use Policy. All positions, picks, and conclusions are mine, and I read and edited every line.
• Corrections. Spot an error? Contact me through the site and I will correct it.