COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — In 2022, Texas House District 70 in Collin County went to Democrat Mihaela Plesa. Now, this district is set for another high-stakes race between two candidates with contrasting visions for Texas.
State Rep. Plesa wants increased state funding for education. Her proposal aims to raise the basic allotment by $1,000 per student and tie it to inflation. Plesa is a Plano ISD graduate.
"If we were to increase that basic allotment to $1,000 and index it to inflation, we’d see just $32 million going to Plano ISD alone," Plesa said.
Republican challenger Steve Kinard supports school choice and eliminating standardized STAAR testing, instead proposing statewide bonuses for teachers. He believes in reducing government involvement in local education and believes it is possible to support school choice and improve public school at the same time. Kinard also says he understands the importance of public education because his wife was once a public educator.
“My focus here is to get the government out of local communities, allowing them to focus on raising the next generation,” Kinard said.
Plesa, however, stands against voucher programs, labeling her opponent’s stance as “the largest voucher scam in the nation.”
On border security, Kinard argues that Texas must step up where federal efforts have failed. “We cannot have mass illegal immigration and a criminal element, including Venezuelan gangs, active in Texas,” the Dallas native said.
Kinard proposes a dedicated Texas law enforcement unit to secure the border, which would be funded by the state.
“We’re ensuring long-term security by having a unit focused on this existential threat,” he said.
In contrast, Plesa calls for a tech-driven approach, envisioning a “21st-century smart border” using drones and other advanced tools. Plesa says the theory of adding a new state unit has already been addressed by the legislature and is too expensive a proposition.
“We need a smart border, not just a first-century wall. This is what our border patrol and national guardsmen want,” Plesa said.
To address divisive topics, we asked each candidate to pose a question to the other. Plesa asked if Kinard would support a ban on IVF, a topic of concern for some voters.
“I have never proposed restricting IVF and will never vote for that,” Kinard replied. “This issue is fabricated.”
Kinard, in turn, asked if Plesa would support strict penalties and automatic deportation for migrants who commit crimes.
“Automatic deportation isn’t on the table. Increasing penalties? We need to be careful when it comes to removing judicial discretion,” she said.
Kinard summarizes that Plesa is out of touch with the people of the district and is not in tune with the pro-family, pro-business, values that make up the region. Plesa says her opponent's base has routinely used "fear" to garner votes. She says she'll continue to legislate in a way that awarded her "Freshman of the Year" by the Texas Legislative Study Group.
As November approaches, all eyes are on District 70 to see if it holds any more surprises.