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Scott earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and political science from Rutgers University, a master's degree in international relations from American Public University System, and a doctoral degree in international politics from the University of South Africa. He lives in Austin with his wife Taylor and their 5 children. 

Scott is the owner of Scott Sky Advisors, an aviation consultancy in Austin, Texas. He was previously an adjunct professor at The Citadel and a director of an international school in South Africa. 

Scott Firsing's campaign for state representative is his first run for public office.

Candidate website

Supports continuing tax cuts and fiscal measures to increase take-home pay for families and businesses.

Supports further tax cuts and fiscal measures to increase take-home pay for families and businesses.

Opposes redistributing Texas tax dollars.

Opposes redistributing Texas tax dollars from wealthier districts to poorer ones. 

Believes aviation is a "critical part of our national infrastructure" and urges Congress to prioritize aviation-related issues.

Advocates for Congress to prioritize aviation-related issues.

Believes addressing the pilot shortage and improving flight training are crucial for the aviation industry's future. Supports finalizing the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act to achieve these goals.

Supports passing the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act to address the national pilot shortage.

- Supports further tax cuts and fiscal measures to increase take-home pay for families and businesses.
- Opposes redistributing Texas tax dollars from wealthier districts to poorer ones. 
- Advocates for Congress to prioritize aviation-related issues.
- Supports lowering property taxes.
- Supports passing the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act to address the national pilot shortage.

Economy

Supports ending free government services for undocumented immigrants.

- Supports ending free government services for undocumented immigrants.

Public Safety

Supports expanding Texas' medical marijuana program to increase patient numbers and provide more medical benefits, especially for older Americans.

Believes presidential candidates should undergo psychological evaluations.

Advocates for cognitive assessments for presidential candidates.

- Supports expanding Texas' medical marijuana program to increase patient numbers and provide more medical benefits, especially for older Americans.
- Advocates for cognitive assessments for presidential candidates.

Healthcare

Supports raises for teachers and opposes fund mismanagement.

Supports improving Texas education, noting it ranks in the bottom half nationally, with only 23% of students meeting proficient levels in 2022.

Supports improving Texas education, noting it ranks in the bottom half nationally

- Supports raises for teachers.
- Supports improving Texas education, noting it ranks in the bottom half nationally

Education

Believes Texas must address an $18 billion shortfall to maintain water infrastructure, not including costs for supporting a growing population and climate change.

Advocates for investment in water infrastructure due to future demographic and climate trends. 

- Advocates for investment in water infrastructure due to future demographic and climate trends. 

Energy & the Environment

As of September 7, 2024, Scott Firsing’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Voting & Elections

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Scott Firsing

Scott earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and political science from Rutgers University, a master's degree in international relations from American Public University System, and a doctoral degree in international politics from the University of South Africa. He lives in Austin with his wife Taylor and their five children. 

Scott Firsing is running for office for the first time. 

Opposes Texas’ education recapture law, “Robin Hood,” which redistributes tax revenue from wealthier districts to poorer ones.

Believes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should extend pilots’ retirement age from 65 to 67.

Believes Texas has a strong economy and energy sector but suffers from high property taxes, low educational standards, and issues in healthcare and crime.

Believes the state’s expenditure on homelessness, which exceeds half a billion dollars, has failed to resolve the issue.

Believes small businesses are "the backbone of our state and America as a whole."

Supports the FAA extension bills passed by both the US Senate and House of Representatives, ensuring the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can operate until March 8, 2024.

Believes Congress needs to be reminded that "most U.S. pilot regulations have not been genuinely modernized in decades."

Believes the FAA should create a new committee of leaders in the pilot certification process to improve flight training and support the aviation economy.

Believes FAA regulations hinder innovation in aircraft simulation and educational techniques, and that the process to update FAA regulations is "overly cumbersome and lengthy."

Believes flight schools, which own hundreds of airplanes and train thousands of pilots a year, provide the best insight into America’s flight training industry.

Believes Austinites are experiencing increased crime, saying, "Last night my cars were stolen out my driveway…I was right near a shooting the other day."

Believes Texas needs "safer communities and a more secure Texas."

Believes in changing the narrative on public safety and supporting the U.S. and its protectors, saying, "Peace by strength!"

Believes in the need for "truth" and to "limit corruption" to enhance public safety.

Supports changing Texas law to reduce the penalties for marijuana possession.

Supports measures to reduce drunk driving, highlighting Texas's increasing drunk driving deaths and significant economic impact of alcohol-impaired crashes.

Supports lowering penalties for marijuana possession.

Believes Texas should reduce marijuana possession arrests, saying "Texas led the nation in marijuana possession arrests in 2021 with more than 21,000 arrests or 12% of the entire country’s total."

Supports lowering marijuana penalties to reduce overcrowding in jails.

Believes that arresting people for marijuana use is damaging to individuals and youth and is a waste of time and money for the criminal justice system.

Believes police should focus on catching "real criminals."

Supports international collaboration to achieve nuclear capability.

Believes Iran's expanding influence and conflicts from the Red Sea to Ukraine necessitate strengthening ties with global powers.

Believes welfare programs are ineffective due to government overreach and corruption.

Supports ending free government services for undocumented individuals.

- Supports ending free government services for undocumented individuals.

Supports legalizing medical and recreational marijuana in Texas.

Believes in using "common sense" regarding healthcare policies, noting that all Texans over 21 can legally consume alcohol and some can legally access marijuana for medical benefits.

Believes the American healthcare system is puzzling and complex.

Believes in the importance of comprehensive medical evaluations, including mental health assessments, for seniors.

Believes Texas is experiencing a political realignment, with cities like Austin adopting more liberal stances, particularly on social issues like abortion.

Believes Texas’ conservative stances on certain issues could deter people from moving to the state or even push current residents away.

Supports legalizing recreational marijuana in Texas.

Believes Texas education has a spending problem, not a funding problem.

Believes addressing education, crime, and migration is challenging but important.

Believes education is crucial and supports diverse school types (public, charter, private) to foster a love of learning and prepare students for future economies.

Believes Texas education has "significant room for improvement" despite current achievements, and plans to use his background and perspective to enhance the state's educational landscape.

Supports educators and healthcare workers.

Believes that "the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," and hopes to inspire new leaders to serve their communities through his campaign.

Believes American youth need to feel part of something "more important than themselves" and wants to "change the narrative."

Believes education is crucial for creating positive change, saying, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela.

Believes in investing in children by enhancing educational quality.

Believes we need to stop fighting amongst ourselves while our children are depressed and anxious.

Believes in adhering to Chapter 49 of the Texas Education Code, which outlines regulations for school boards and their members.

Believes the education system is failing, with no improvement in test scores or dropout rates despite $5 billion investment.

Believes Texas students need to improve college entrance exam scores, citing 2022 average SAT score of 1001, which is 49 points less than the national average and 251 points below Wisconsin's top score of 1252.

Believes funds should be strategically channeled to strengthen the state's foundation for future growth and stability.

Believes the energy crisis is severe, citing Eskom's near-daily power cuts since 2022 lasting up to 10 hours to prevent grid collapse.

Believes South Africa's infrastructure, including water systems, railways, roads, and ports, is declining due to neglect and poor human resource use, creating a "critical situation."

Believes Texas is not a cheap place to live.

Supports improving Texas’s infrastructure, which received poor grades in dam safety (D+), drinking water quality (C-), and wastewater treatment (D).

Believes that having more Democrats than Republicans in his district will motivate him to work harder.

Believes the amount of funding necessary for a campaign is "daunting" and aims to avoid being "tethered to the more coercive elements of our political system."

Believes in balancing the retention of elder statespersons' experience with the need for cognitive and physical capability in officeholders, advocating for voluntary departures to infuse new talent into politics.

Believes the U.S. and South Africa share a "common narrative of uncertainty about the future and the integrity of democracy" as they approach critical elections.

Believes in the importance of learning and growing as a candidate, saying, "I’m on a steep learning curve, and I’m running unopposed in the Republican primary this March."

Believes the success of a campaign is not solely based on winning an election, but also on inspiring others to advocate for their beliefs.

Scott Firsing lives in Texas and has five school-aged children. He attended the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Scott Firsing is the owner of Scott Sky Advisors, an aviation consultancy in Austin, Texas. He previously taught at institutions like the University of North Carolina and The Citadel, and served on the Board of the University Aviation Association (UAA) and the National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA).

As of September 12, 2024, Scott Firsing’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Texas House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Texas State Legislature
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws. 
- There are 150 members of the Texas House of Representatives, each representing a single district. Representatives must be at least 21 years old and reside in the state for at least two years before their election. 
- State representatives are elected to two-year terms during even-numbered years. There are no term limits. 
- State representatives make $7,200 annually in addition to a $221 payment per day during legislative sessions and mileage reimbursements.

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Texas House of Representatives.