Carrie Isaac Files for State Representative Race

On Monday, Woodcreek resident Carrie Isaac filed for the GOP primary for Texas House of Representatives District 45 (Hays and Blanco counties).  Isaac is married to former Texas House member Jason Isaac, who held the seat from 2011 to 2019.

Isaac will face opponents Bud Wymore and Austin Talley in the March 3rd Republican primary election; the winner of that race will likely face incumbent Democrat Erin Zwiener in the November 2020 general election. 

Isaac, who tends to be enthusiastic and upbeat in her campaign appearances, was serious and direct in a one-on-one interview with the Century News.  “Republicans should vote for me in the primary because I am the candidate best able to defeat Zwiener in the general election,” she said, ticking off reasons. “I have been politically active for ten years now – my opponents have not.  I have over 450 donors.  In the first filing period, I raised more money than both my primary opponents and Erin Zwiener combined.  I was the only Republican candidate to have donations from both counties.  I have endorsements from over two hundred elected and previously elected officials.  More than a thousand people have told me that they will host a meet and greet, or donate, have a yard sign, or volunteer.  I have better name recognition than Zwiener.” 

“I have been knocking on doors and campaigning since 2009,” she continued.  “When Jason first ran, nobody thought he would win, and we didn’t have many volunteers.  We would leave the house at 7 or 8 am and get home past midnight, and I was the one who managed all that.  I was campaign treasurer, handled logistics, who to meet, and so on.  And we did it.  We defeated [then-incumbent Democrat] Patrick Rose.  [Then-Hays County Republican Chairman] Bud Wymore did not help, at all.  I am the only candidate in this race who has experience defeating a Democrat.”

And later,” she continued, “we campaigned in every election, even when Jason didn’t have an opponent.  I’ve met so many people, I can’t tell you.  At the Wimberley Hunters Night Out, three different people came up to me and said, ‘I know you!  You knocked on my door.’”

Beyond being able to win against Zwiener, Isaac is convinced she would be a more effective legislator as well.  “I have knowledge of how the legislature works.  I wouldn’t be a typical freshman; I have relationships, I’d hit the ground running…The truth is [Zwiener]’s not effective.  She poked people in the eye and quickly found out that’s not how you do business.”  As a result, “Hays and Blanco counties' voices aren't being heard in the Texas Capitol,” Isaac said. 

“Erin Zwiener is a socialist,” she continued.  “She wants more government control.  She voted against the Taxpayer Transparency Act.  She abstained from voting on the Born Alive Act, which requires medical attention for infants that survive abortions – she would not vote to save a baby that was born alive.  She believes in open borders.  She repeatedly voted against our Second Amendment rights.  She offered three bills that would silence mental health providers from discouraging gender transitioning.  People should be able to follow their conscience.”

“I will fight for lower taxes, smaller government, and religious liberty,” Isaac said when asked about her legislative priorities.  “I supported Proposition 4,” the recently passed amendment to the Texas Constitution which prohibits an individual income tax. “Conscience protection, not only for people in ministry or medical fields but for everyone, is very important to me.”

When asked for details about her tax priorities, Isaac replied, "Texas’ property tax system is broken and needs an overhaul before more people lose their homes...Local property tax collections in Texas grew 89% faster than the yardstick of population and inflation. Homeowners see their property tax bills increase without regard to their ability to pay them…I’ll work to pass legislation to enact a strict spending cap at the state level of population growth plus inflation. Any excess dollars will be used to buy down your property taxes.  In 10 years, we could eliminate the school maintenance and operations tax, which is [the largest part of most Texans’ property tax bill].”   

Isaac is the Executive Director of the Digital Education and Work Initiative of Texas, a non-profit that helps connect un- and under- employed Texans to digital work opportunities, and is on the board of “It’s Time Texas”, a non-profit dedicated to encouraging fitness in communities.  Fitness is an avocation for Isaac; she earned graduate and undergraduate degrees in Health Education, and has competed extensively in athletic events, including an Ironman triathlon.  She was a founding member of the Hays County Republican Women, was on the board of Dripping Springs Helping Hands, and volunteers at her sons’ schools.