At the time of publication, Bill Flores, running for his fourth congressional term, was leading the district 17 primary election with 74 percent of the vote on Tuesday night. Ralph Patterson finished with 19 percent and Kaleb Sims with 8 percent. Flores will face the Democratic nominee, William Matta, in the general election on Nov. 8.
Flores was born on an Air Force base in Cheyenne, Wyo., and grew up in Stratford. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration in accounting from Texas A&M University and his master’s in business administration from Houston Baptist University. He serves on the Board of the Private Enterprise Research Center of Texas A&M University and as a member of the Board of Trustees of Houston Baptist University.
Before running for Congress, Flores served as the CFO for Marine Drilling Companies, Inc. and Western Atlas Inc. From 2002 to 2005, Flores was the Senior Vice President and CFO of Gryphon Exploration Company. In 2006, Flores joined a group of other executives to form Phoenix Exploration Company where he served as president and CEO.
Flores ran for Congress in 2009 against 10-term incumbent Chet Edwards and won with 62 percent of the vote, becoming District 17’s first republican representative ever. Since then, Flores has served on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and was elected to the Chairmanship of the House Republican Study Committee in 2014.
Flores believes in a free-market economy, increasing border security, repealing the Affordable Care Act, protecting the unborn and defining marriage as strictly between a man and a woman.
Flores serves on the House Budget Committee and has adopted a “Path to Prosperity” budget that plans to balance the federal budget in 10 years.
“It is clear that we cannot continue on the misguided and irresponsible path endorsed by the other side of the aisle of higher taxes, reckless spending, bigger government, explosive debt and deficits and out of control regulatory bureaucracies,” Flores states on his website.
Regarding the issue of healthcare, Flores believes the Affordable Care Act has done more harm than good.
“I will actively work to stop the devastating effects of Obamacare and enact policies to increase the affordability and availability of care for all Texans,” Flores states on his website.
Flores says America needs education reform. He thinks education is more effective when operated locally and at the state level and thinks states should have the option to opt out of federal education programs.
“If I am given the honor of winning election to Congress, I will view supporting, working with and protecting Baylor as one of my top priorities,” Flores told the Waco Tribune-Herald in 2010.
