Gordon Heslop

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Gordon Heslop completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Heslop's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-389730-2026-01-23\" id=\"heading-bio-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-389730-2026-01-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-389730-2026-01-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI am a retired accounting educator, having been on the faculty at Texas A&amp;M University-Commerce, now renamed East Texas A&amp;M University, for most of the last 20 years. I am a lifelong conservative and have been a Republican for the last 44 years. The theme of my campaign is \"Make America Normal Again\", following the very disruptive last 10 years. I am laser focused on strengthening the middle class while reducing the national debt and maintaining America's role as leader of the free world. Improving the viability of the middle class while balancing the budget and reducing the national debt are huge undertakings which will demand significant changes be made but my plans for doing this will not put more stress on the middle class. My plan increases home ownership, decreases the cost of higher education while improving the quality of grades 1-12 education and significantly increasing the number of skilled trades professionals. While it is likely impossible to get absolute perfection in an area as complex and varied as health care, I have some proposals which would improve health services to the general public.\n In the area of foreign policy, I believe in a strong and modern military, which in conjunction with our many allies around the world, protects our freedom and the values of our wonderful western civilization. Isolationism is not the answer and would result in a severely weakened United States.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-389730-2026-01-23\" id=\"heading-key-message-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-389730-2026-01-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-389730-2026-01-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>We must get rid of the constant vitriol of today's politics. Issues should be vigorously debated, after which we vote, and then accept the election results. We must restore decorum to the political system and get rid of all the name calling and trash talking. There is no place in our system for all the threats and abuse we currently witness. This is also important as an example to our children so that they respect the system and want to participate in it. The Democrats are not the Taliban, and while I disagree with many of their policies, and very strongly oppose the growing radical wing of their party, I believe, as has happened in the past, that much of the most significant legislation is enacted when the parties work together.</li><li>Taxation is a heavy burden for the middle class. You can pay enough tax in one year for the government to buy a car, but if you buy the same car for yourself it takes you 5 or 6 years to pay it off. The major theme of my taxation policy is that the middle class will not pay a higher rate of tax than those with much higher incomes.</li><li>The focus of government policy needs to be centered on the ordinary citizen, not the lobbyists, the billionaires, the big corporations, the influencers, the stars, and the other people/groups who hog the limelight. A strong economy requires a healthy and robust middle class and government policy should be focused in this area. For example, if you want to lower food costs, don't put a tariff on food. Or if you want to increase home ownership, don't put a tariff on building materials.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-389730-2026-01-23\" id=\"heading1-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-389730-2026-01-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-389730-2026-01-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-389730-2026-01-23\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tEconomic policy, crime control, education and foreign policy.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nGordon Heslop completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Heslop's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. I am a retired accounting educator, having been on the faculty at Texas A&M University-Commerce, now renamed East Texas A&M University, for most of the last 20 years. I am a lifelong conservative and have been a Republican for the last 44 years. The theme of my campaign is \"Make America Normal Again\", following the very disruptive last 10 years. I am laser focused on strengthening the middle class while reducing the national debt and maintaining America's role as leader of the free world. Improving the viability of the middle class while balancing the budget and reducing the national debt are huge undertakings which will demand significant changes be made but my plans for doing this will not put more stress on the middle class. My plan increases home ownership, decreases the cost of higher education while improving the quality of grades 1-12 education and significantly increasing the number of skilled trades professionals. While it is likely impossible to get absolute perfection in an area as complex and varied as health care, I have some proposals which would improve health services to the general public.\n In the area of foreign policy, I believe in a strong and modern military, which in conjunction with our many allies around the world, protects our freedom and the values of our wonderful western civilization. Isolationism is not the answer and would result in a severely weakened United States. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? We must get rid of the constant vitriol of today's politics. Issues should be vigorously debated, after which we vote, and then accept the election results. We must restore decorum to the political system and get rid of all the name calling and trash talking. There is no place in our system for all the threats and abuse we currently witness. This is also important as an example to our children so that they respect the system and want to participate in it. The Democrats are not the Taliban, and while I disagree with many of their policies, and very strongly oppose the growing radical wing of their party, I believe, as has happened in the past, that much of the most significant legislation is enacted when the parties work together. Taxation is a heavy burden for the middle class. You can pay enough tax in one year for the government to buy a car, but if you buy the same car for yourself it takes you 5 or 6 years to pay it off. The major theme of my taxation policy is that the middle class will not pay a higher rate of tax than those with much higher incomes. The focus of government policy needs to be centered on the ordinary citizen, not the lobbyists, the billionaires, the big corporations, the influencers, the stars, and the other people/groups who hog the limelight. A strong economy requires a healthy and robust middle class and government policy should be focused in this area. For example, if you want to lower food costs, don't put a tariff on food. Or if you want to increase home ownership, don't put a tariff on building materials. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Economic policy, crime control, education and foreign policy.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}]