Political reform

• Rank Choice Voting
• Nonpartisan redistricting
• Fair election access for voters
• Campaign finance reform
• Secure election process

Immigration

• Clear delineation between federal and state control and responsibilities
• Secure border cities
• Demand comprehensive immigration reform at a federal level
• Development of a long term plan, looking at migration trends caused by political unrest, climate change

Education

• Providing K-12 education that prepares students for a productive employable future, whether through technical training or college education
• Career training for workers who are displaced due to changing economic trends, climate change, and technology development
• Developmental appropriate early childhood programs

Natural Resources 

• Water scarcity
• Renewable and nonrenewable energy production in Texas
• Secure the grid from failure in extreme weather events

Public Safety

• Gun safety programs and legislation based upon historical and sociological data trends for gun crime and violence, inside and outside Texas
• Improved support and training for police and first responders
• First responder personnel shortages
• Protection of public schools

Health

• Affordable health care
• Medicare/Medicaid
• Shortages in the health care fields
• Reduction of the high infant and postnatal mother mortality rates

Rural Priorities

• Education opportunities, especially in the areas of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and other specialty programs, and the impact of a statewide vouchers program
• Career training for oil field and agricultural workers who are displaced due to changes in climate and economy
• Rural Texas access to police protection and other public safety programs
• Health care access

Forward is defined by its values. We don’t impose rigid policies or platforms but we do insist on a shared commitment to our values because we believe that a commitment to these values will always result in effective government that is responsive to the will of the people.  

1. Common Sense Solutions Based on Balance.  Too often the major parties adopt policy solutions that diverge from the broad consensus of the public and fail to acknowledge the legitimate concerns of opposing positions.  Forward wants to change that.  It wants to listen more and preach less.  It is committed to finding common sense solutions that are broadly supported by the public which attempts to balance the concerns and interests of everyone in the community, not just the loudest amongst us or those with the most resources.
2. Unwavering Support of Pro-Democracy Reforms.  Let’s be frank: Our electoral system is rigged. Texas has some of the most gerrymandered electoral districts in the country.  Texas has no campaign contribution limits, enabling a form of legal bribery. Texas does little to prevent conflicts of interests between regulators and industry. The parties in power have designed the system to keep incumbents in power and allow special interests and the wealthy to have excessive influence. Our system ensures extreme views and narrow, well financed views drive the legislative agenda.  Forward is committed to making democracy work again by supporting democratic reforms that will make government more responsive to the public, give Texans more choices, and ensure the extremes and special interests don’t have outsized influence on policy.  Some reforms Forward supports are ranked choice voting, reasonable term limits, campaign finance limits, and stronger ethics regulations.
3. Strong Families, Faith Communities, and Civic Organizations.  Forward believes strong families, strong faith communities, and robust civic organizations are essential to fostering community, which all of us crave and need.  Forward believes government should, consistent with the Constitution, adopt policies that seek to strengthen the community bonds of Texans through these and other organizations.
4. Unity, Not Division.  The major parties are focused on dividing the public into an us v. them mentality.  Forward rejects that.  We love America and we love Texas.  We believe all Texans do as well.  All of us deserve respect and dignity.  We all want to be happy and to have good jobs and real opportunity to achieve our dreams.  We all want to be safe and healthy.  Forward seeks to find common ground by focusing on what unites us, rather than what divides us and by seeking to understand the concerns of all Texans, not just a tiny slice of them that vote in an election primary or can write a six-figure donation. 
5. Commitment to Rural Community Revitalization.  Technological advances and offshoring have hollowed out rural communities.  Forward is committed to supporting policies that seek to reverse this trend and bring new opportunities to rural Texans by incentivizing rural development and job training.
6. Equal Opportunity That Rewards Hard Work.  Government policy should strive to give every Texan a legitimate opportunity to maximize their potential and achieve the American dream if they are willing to work for it.  In doing so, Forward recognizes that some communities may need more support to create real opportunity than others, which includes both disadvantaged minority urban communities and also poor rural communities.  But whatever the community, government policy should only seek to provide real opportunity that Texans can seize for themselves.
7. Education is Everything.  A strong education is critical for success.  For decades, Texas has had an educational system that is below average compared to other states and far behind other western countries. This must end. Texas should lead in education, not lag behind.  Forward strongly supports new educational and job training investment and reforms that challenge the status quo to ensure Texas becomes an innovator and leader in education
8. Responsible Gun Ownership.  Texans love their guns but we all recognize Texas has a gun violence problem.  Ignoring it won’t make it go away.  Seeking to balance these views, Forward supports broadly supported gun ownership reforms such as universal background checks, red flag laws with appropriate due process protections, raising the age to purchase semi-automatic rifles, and state support for mental health initiatives.  But Forward will always BALANCE government regulation with Texans’ constitutional right to bear arms.
9. Strong Character and a Commitment to Truth.  Forward is committed to truth at every turn and thinks that elected leaders should have a strong character.  They are leaders and leaders should not lie and should not engage in behavior that would get them fired from a private business.  Forward will seek out candidates who only have the strongest character and that are committed to truth, and it will withdraw its support for any candidate who falls below these standards, no matter the consequences.
10. Texas Should Lead.  Texas is uniquely positioned to lead America in the 21^st century but too often our legislators focus on cultural issues that are minor in comparison to the real issues facing Texans and ignore the opportunities for Texas to lead America in prosperity and strong communities.  Forward candidates will prioritize tackling the most pressing problems Texas faces, not cultural issues, and will help Texas lead by example.
11. Freedom for Everyone.  If there is one preeminent principle on which Texas is founded, it is freedom.  Texans should be free to make their own way in the world, to raise their families as they wish, to control their businesses as they wish.  It is not government’s role to impose a particular cultural viewpoint on private individuals and businesses.  So although Forward recognizes that government should regulate private activity that has a harmful effect on society, it also strongly believes government should always seek to minimize government impingement on Texans’ freedom.

We're rebooting our committee structure for 2025 and '26 and we need your help! Interested in serving on any of the below?  

• Policy Committee - Determine policy priorities and develop potential policy positions and information for Forward candidates. 
  
  • Energy 
  • Healthcare 
  • Affordability 
  • Education 
  • Local Government Affairs 
• Communications Committee - Develop and execute our communications and outreach strategy.
• Statewide Ballot Access Committee - 2026 might feel far away, but planning to get our candidates on the ballot statewide starts now!
• Candidate Recruitment Committee - identify, recruit, and qualify Forward and Forward-aligned candidates for nomination and/or endorsement in the '25 and '26 elections.

If you would like to serve on any of the above committees, please click the appropriate boxes on the right, enter your contact information, and click the "Save volunteer info" button. 

And - THANK YOU!