Jace Yarbrough recently announced his candidacy for Texas State Senate District 30. Yarbrough is seeking to replace Senator Drew Springer, who decided to forgo seeking re-election.
Yarbrough spoke with The Dallas Express in an exclusive interview to outline his reasons for running for office and the policies he is most focused on.
The candidate told DX that he is running because Senate District 30 voters do not have a viable alternative to the establishment Republicans who have controlled Austin for years.
“I’m running this race to provide a genuine conservative alternative for the nearly 1,000,000 voters in the district. I have the scar tissue to prove that I can stand up for genuine conservative principles.”
Yarbrough cited his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine while serving in the Air Force Reserve as evidence of the lengths he is willing to go to while fighting for his values.
“My decision to refuse to COVID-19 shot when I was ordered to by my reserve command. I had 12 years of service at the time and risked losing that time towards my pension. I refused because it was against the principles of my faith and of conservatism. That’s one example of what I mean by scar tissue.”
Yarbrough outlined school choice, the ongoing border crisis, and relieving Texans’ property tax burden as his top three policy issues. He said that solving these issues was a key part of a broader plan to make Texas a family-friendly state.
“My top priorities are empowering parents, stopping the invasion at the border, and lowering property taxes. All of this is centered around growing families who can put roots down in Texas.”
Yarbrough expanded on his views of the unlawful migration crisis by explaining that his opposition to open borders is rooted in his conception of patriotism, stating that Texans are losing their place in history and sense of tradition.
“One of the things any parent wants to pass on to their kids is a rich tradition from their past. We, as Texans, have a great state and patriotic citizens who love our state. One of the things that concerns me is that the love of our history and the love of the place we live has somehow become a bad thing. I think love of home is an essential ingredient of citizenship.”
The Texas Legislature’s political culture is also a point of concern for Yarbrough. He described the environment as one in which elected officials and staff are deferential to entrenched power.
“The biggest problem [in Austin] is a mentality of power. People think they are powerful if they are close to power. That means they don’t want to do anything to upset power. I think that’s a dangerous perspective because it causes people to forfeit their own principles.”
While remaining strategic and forgoing the belligerent disposition sometimes associated with outsiders, Yarbrough wants his candidacy to serve as a rallying point for grassroots voters on the political right who are frustrated with their representation in Austin.
“Until leaders in government stand up, not belligerently, but firmly stand up for their principles and plant their flag, it will be impossible for the grassroots to rally. Only in those circumstances can you be a rallying point for others.”
Yarbrough said he sees former President Donald Trump as an effective model and will seek to emulate his approach when combating left-wing cultural institutions and legislators.
“President Trump’s election in 2016 was a turning point in my own political understanding. The reaction against it was so severe and uncalled for. Those on the radical left are motivated by acquiring political power so they can wield it over people like me. President Trump’s approach to the media and establishment is the correct approach because we are in a cultural crisis.”
Yarbrough will face fellow Republicans Cody Clark and Brent Hagenbuch in the upcoming Texas GOP Primary slated for March 5, 2024.