Republican Candidates for TX-33 Meet for Congressional Debate
- ALM Staff
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Republican candidates for Texas’s 33rd Congressional District met for a debate at Southern Methodist University in Dallas on Wednesday, February 17. The event marked the first and only time the four Republican candidates have appeared together at the same forum since announcing their campaigns.
The debate was moderated by Dr. Ben Voth, Professor of Rhetoric and Director of the SMU Debate Program. The event was live-streamed by American Liberty Media and is now available in full on the ALM YouTube channel.
From left to right, Dr. Monte Mitchell, Kurt Schwab, John Sims, and Patrick Gillespie.
John Sims emphasized his local roots, saying he was the only candidate who lives within the newly redrawn district. “I grew up here. I’ve spent my whole life in this district,” Sims said.
He drew sharp contrasts with his opponents, noting that “the other candidates have lost this race a combined total of nine times.”
Sims also accused fellow candidate Kurt Schwab of attempting to bribe him to withdraw from the race, an allegation Schwab denied. Sims responded by challenging Schwab directly, asking, “Would you like me to show the text messages? I have receipts.”
Read more here.
At other points during the debate, Sims highlighted his personal stability as evidence of his character, pointing to his 26-year marriage and 23 years at the same company as proof of his dedication and perseverance.
Schwab focused heavily on his campaign support, repeatedly citing the number of endorsements he has received. “I have over 80 endorsements,” Schwab said, adding, “I am the only one who has this amount of support.” He also claimed to be the only candidate endorsed by local media, stating, “I also have the endorsement of the Dallas Morning News. Nobody else does.”
Schwab focused much of his time on his service in the military, highlighting his combat experience as a C-130 loadmaster. He also pointed out that he has been running for this position for over two years.
Read more here.
On immigration, Schwab voiced support for the H-1B visa program, saying, “We need to continue the H1B. I fully support that.” At the same time, he took a hardline stance on illegal immigration, declaring, “We need to get the illegals out, whether they’ve been here one year or ten years.”
Schwab also sought to establish his conservative credentials by stating, “I have never voted for a single Democrat.”
Patrick Gillespie highlighted his previous success in the race, noting that he won the Republican nomination in both the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. He emphasized the low cost of those campaigns, saying, “The total amount that I spent in those two campaigns was less than $10,000.”
Gillespie reiterated his refusal to accept campaign donations, presenting it as a point of principle. “I don’t take people’s money,” he said. “I don’t play that game.”
He also challenged his opponents over what he described as a lack of outreach to Hispanic voters in the district, asking why they were “ignoring the Hispanic community in TX-33” and when they planned to begin placing campaign signs in predominantly Hispanic areas of Dallas.
Dr. Monte Mitchell presented himself as the only candidate with a detailed policy platform, telling viewers, “I’m the only candidate who actually has a plan,” and directing them to his campaign website for further information.
Dr. Mitchell declined to criticize his opponents and adopted a conciliatory tone. “You have four fine Christian men up here,” he said. “I actually like all of these people.”
He highlighted proposals aimed at reducing illegal immigration and maintaining the U.S. dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency. Drawing on his medical background, Mitchell argued that he was uniquely positioned to address healthcare policy, stating, “As a doctor, I have the prescription to fix the healthcare system.”
All four candidates stated during the debate that they are pro-life.
A straw poll conducted after the forum showed that a majority of attendees believed Schwab won the debate, with 52 percent selecting him as the top performer. Another 43 percent said Dr. Mitchell won the debate, while the remaining 5 percent indicated that Sims performed best.
The Republican primary for Texas’s 33rd Congressional District is scheduled for March 3rd. If no candidate reaches a majority of the votes, the ripe two candidates will advance to a runoff in May.
Comments