Two committees of Green Party of the United States combined forces to award $2000 to assist Eddie Espinoza to secure a ballot spot in Texas as a candidate for the (misnamed*) position of State Railroad Commissioner.  

Eddie has been a phenomenal representative of Green Party values, and a mentor to other prospective candidates in a state where we hope to firmly secure ballot access for future years.

"I am not a politician; I am a problem solver.   I enlisted in the US Army at age 19. I taught in Texas Public Schools for 26 years, helping thousands of students develop basic reading and math skills."

Eddie Espinoza earned the support of two national Green Party committees -- can he earn your support, too?

Eddie's experiences inspired him to become an advocate for young people, working class families, and the environment.   Texans can trust Eddie to advocate for these policies:

Action Plan

Clean Up and Phase Out the Fossil Fuel Industry

• Cap and clean up abandoned gas wells, pipeline leaks, and other sources of fossil fuels pollution.
• No fracking, no new fossil fuel projects. 
• Phase out current fossil fuel energy plants.
• Keep Texas livable, and energy affordable, with a timely transition from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy.
• A just transition for fossil fuel workers. 

Protect Water

• Prioritize the protection of fresh water resources in all commission work and decisions.
• Ban fracking. Save fresh water for drinking, not drilling!
• Expand fresh water storage capacity by protecting low lying areas that may act as lakes and ponds.

Prioritize Lowering Energy Costs for Texans,  Not Oil and Gas Bailouts

• Broaden the commission’s work to deliver affordable, sustainable, 100% renewable energy to Texans.
• Empower the commission to help Texas regionalize the energy grid.
• No more subsidies,  handouts or bailouts to the oil and gas industry.

Monitoring and Enforcement 

• The Railroad Commission has only 65 inspectors who each cover an average of 7,300 miles of pipeline all over the state. Hire more inspectors!
• Improve oversight for orphaned and inactive wells, flaring, and oil and gas waste pits.
• Make sure Texas is in compliance with federal environmental regulations from the EPA. 

Ethics and Conflicts of Interest

• Eliminate the commission’s economic and political ties to the oil and gas industry with strict conflict of interest policies.
• Avoid rushing oil and gas development at the expense of safety, economic vitality, natural resources, and the environment.

Public Participation / Open Meetings / Transparency

• Encourage input from public interest groups like the Sierra Club and Commission Shift
• Public participation in decision making should be welcomed.
• All commission meetings should be livestreamed to the public, with no closed sessions.
• All info related to commission work should be easily accessible on the commission’s website.

Campaign Finance Reform

• Restrict who can donate to Railroad Commissioner candidates, and limit campaign contributions to $5,000, just like statewide judicial races.
• Limit campaign fundraising periods to an 18-month period surrounding the election, rather than allowing donations throughout the commissioners’ six-year terms.
• Define “personal or private” interest in Texas statutes, to clarify that elected officials must recuse themselves from decisions that involve a company listed on the Personal Financial Statement they submit to the Texas Ethics Commission.

Learn more about Eddie and consider making a financial contribution to him at his campaign's web site.

Eddie Espinoza's $2000 cash award came from two GPUS Committees:  from us at the Coordinated Campaign Committee and also from the Ballot Access Committee. The grants are possible because of grassroots donors like you.  None of these funds comes from corporate or establishment interests; they come from our annual budget allocation or from direct contributions from you.   More than $20,000 has been granted in the last 18 months to candidates at local, state, and congressional levels.

Your contribution to the general funds of the Green Party of the United States allows us to support more great candidates like Eddie, whose activism and direct challenge to the neoliberal capitalist war-mongering establishment are positive, radical steps to change US politics.

Thank you for your support!
GPUS Coordinated Campaign Committee

Green Party US CCC
https://www.gp.org/
https://gp.org/run

*(When elected, Eddie will change the name of the position to Texas Energy Commission to better reflect the authority it has to regular fossil fuels and address climate issues.)