Ballotpedia, Melissa McDonough

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Melissa is originally from Marietta, Ohio. She is a kids ministry leader at Salem Lutheran Church. She lives with her husband, Tim, in Houston and they have 2 children.

Melissa currently works as a realtor and small business owner. 

Melissa McDonough's campaign for US Representative in Congressional District 38 in Texas is her first run for public office. 

Candidate website

Believes inflation is driven by supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and corporate greed.

Believes supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and corporate greed contributed to inflation in the past years. 

Supports investing in affordable housing.

Believes bad foreign trade can negatively affect relationships with trading partners and cause financial damage.

- Believes supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and corporate greed contributed to inflation in the past years. 
- Want to invest in affordable housing.
- Believes bad foreign trade can negatively affect relationships with trading partners and cause financial damage.

Economy

Wants to address gun violence and hold gun owners responsible for their firearms.

Believes Texas is "more dangerous than it has been in decades" due to Governor Abbott enabling "Constitutional Carry."

Believes Texas is "more dangerous than it has been in decades" due to constitutional carry, which allows carrying a gun without a permit.

- Wants to address gun violence and hold gun owners responsible for their firearms.
- Believes Texas is "more dangerous than it has been in decades" due to constitutional carry, which allows carrying a gun without a permit.

Public Safety

Wants to expand Medicaid as a cost-effective way for people to get access to healthcare. 

Supports abortion access, stating Texas has "become a danger place for women."

- Wants to expand Medicaid as a cost-effective way for people to get access to healthcare. 
- Supports abortion access, stating Texas has "become a danger place for women."

Healthcare

Believes inadequate public education funding contributes to the "school to prison pipeline" and that education can perpetuate "systemic oppression against targeted groups" if misused.

Believes inadequate public education funding contributes to the school to prison pipeline, with education perpetuating "systemic oppression against targeted groups" if misused.

Advocates for college tuition and college accessibility for everyone.

Believes in not banning books and classes that teach about culture.

Said, "Instead of banning books and classes that teach about culture, we should be focusing on the future while learning from the past."

- Believes inadequate public education funding contributes to the school to prison pipeline, with education perpetuating "systemic oppression against targeted groups" if misused.
- Advocates for college tuition and college accessibility for everyone.
- Said, "Instead of banning books and classes that teach about culture, we should be focusing on the future while learning from the past."

Education

Supports the development of renewable energy.

Supports the use of both fossil fuels and renewable energy sources.

Believes the petroleum industry is important, but using renewable energy sources will help mitigate environmental disasters on power sources.

Wants to make responsible decisions on land development and water retention to reduce the risks of flood damage.

- Supports the development of renewable energy.
- Believes the petroleum industry is important, but using renewable energy sources will help mitigate environmental disasters on power sources.
- Wants to make responsible decisions on land development and water retention to reduce the risks of flood damage.

Energy & the Environment

Supports making mail-in voting easier, allowing county-wide voting, and having more accessible polling locations.

Believes democracy is "under attack" and criticizes Texas for low voter turnout and Republicans for "baseless claims about election fraud."

Said, "Republicans have made baseless claims about election fraud but have been unable to prove it."

- Supports making mail-in voting easier, allowing county-wide voting, and having more accessible polling locations.
- Said, "Republicans have made baseless claims about election fraud but have been unable to prove it."

Voting & Elections

Supports continuing to provide military aid to Ukraine, but wants to avoid sending troops.

Believes the U.S. should streamline the immigration process to reduce illegal immigration.

Advocates for streamlining the immigration process to reduce illegal immigration.

Believes addressing immigration issues requires fixing root causes of instability due to decades of foreign intervention.

Believes addressing immigration issues requires fixing root causes of instability in Latin America due to foreign intervention.

Supports Israel's right to defend itself but calls for a "proportionate" response and accountability for war crimes.

Supports the Two State Solution, which would create one Jewish and one Arab state from the territory of Palestine. 

- Supports continuing to provide military aid to Ukraine, but wants to avoid sending troops.
- Advocates for streamlining the immigration process to reduce illegal immigration.
- Believes addressing immigration issues requires fixing root causes of instability in Latin America due to foreign intervention.
- Supports the Two State Solution, which would create one Jewish and one Arab state from the territory of Palestine. 
- Wants to end veteran homelessness.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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Melissa McDonough

Believes Donald Trump’s trade war with China cost Americans $80 billion in new taxes and that "Governor Abbott cost Texas billions in lost revenue because of his border stunts."

Believes that the continued development and growth of Harris County will increase the risk of flood damage.

Believes in advocating for fair housing practices and supporting homeownership as a means of economic stability.

Supports small business growth, helping owners transition from home-based to commercial properties, enabling them to leave legacies for their families.

Supports the use of Texas WCR technology.

Opposes laws prohibiting giving water to migrants in extreme heat.

Supports economic development initiatives that create jobs and boost local businesses.

Supports economic policies that promote tolerance and inclusivity, believing that a nation founded on "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" should accept all backgrounds and lifestyles as long as they aren't "hurting anyone."

Believes the Energy Corridor, a seven-mile stretch of I-10 between Beltway 8 and Grand Parkway, is vital to the economy.

Believes the US has successfully reduced inflation compared to the "rest of the world still struggles with high inflation."

Believes in understanding local economic factors, noting that the area comprises 18% of the county’s land.

Believes in understanding the economic landscape of the district, with CD38 comprising mostly of SD-7, SD-17 in the south, SD-15 in the southeast, and a small portion of SD-18 in the northwest.

Believes Texas is "dangerous for women" post-abortion ban, with 50% of counties lacking health providers and an 11% rise in infant mortality, saying "this is not 'pro-life,' this is 'pro-forced birth.'"

Said, "Women deserve the right to bodily autonomy, and their healthcare decisions should be made privately with a physician."

Believes the increase in births from April to December 2021 will impact the foster care system, education system, crime rate, and welfare budget.

Supports expanding healthcare access to reduce the uninsured rate and prevent medical debt-related bankruptcies.

Believes access to medical treatment should not be restricted by the patient's health condition.

The candidate's website provides information on the ethnic makeup of CD38.

Believes that "great fresh air and exercise" are important for maintaining good health.

Believes "thoughts and prayers" are insufficient in addressing healthcare issues.

Believes in focusing on common ground in healthcare discussions.

Supports embracing renewable energy innovation.

Supports the preservation of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Supports the presence of energy companies like BP, Shell, Citgo, ConocoPhillips, and Wood Group in the area.

Supports the establishment of marine protected areas.

Believes in "responsible and consistent approaches to land development and water retention."

Believes in fair representation and supports the integrity of newly established districts.

Believes in lobbying the US Congress and Texas State Legislatures.

Believes in restoring "integrity and accountability" to Congress.

Believes in protecting the rights of all individuals, regardless of political affiliation.

Believes it is the job of a representative to negotiate for the best result and mitigate harm for their district.

Believes his generation is responsible for current voting issues.

Believes a "true democracy" must not have a "two-tiered justice system where the rich and powerful are treated differently than the middle and lower classes."

Supports the National Women's Political Caucus.

Supports mail-in voting and has experience overseeing Harris County elections as presiding judge and committee member.

Believes in fair representation and supports voting rights.

Believes being a resident of Congressional District 38 (CD38) will allow him to provide "proper representation" for its people.

Supports the creation of new congressional districts in Texas.

Believes in the relevance of historical poetry to contemporary foreign policy.

Believes in speaking out against injustices regardless of personal affiliation, as demonstrated by the quote, "Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist."

Believes "extremism is tearing America apart" and supports a "return to normalcy in Washington DC."

Believes in speaking out against injustice regardless of personal affiliation, as demonstrated by the quote, "Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew."

Melissa McDonough has been a resident of Harris County for nearly three decades. She is married to Tim McDonough, and they have two sons. Melissa is a member of Salem Lutheran Church.

Melissa McDonough has almost 30 years of experience as a REALTOR© and 20 years of real estate brokerage owner/manager experience with over 45 agents. She has also been a keynote speaker at the National Association of REALTORS© annual conference and a national marketing director for 24 states.

As of September 13, 2024, Melissa McDonough’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes in addressing the "root causes of immigration" to improve public safety.

Believes Congress is "about representing the client and negotiating the best end result to get what the client wants."

Believes in strong cyber security measures to protect public safety.

Believes in strong prosecution to combat crime.

Believes in providing support to individuals regardless of their personal circumstances or history.

Believes "extremists don’t talk, they shout," suggesting a belief that public safety discussions are often dominated by loud, extreme voices rather than rational dialogue.

Believes individual freedoms end where they impact others' rights to health, safety, speech, and liberty.

Believes "what is right for one person is not necessarily right for another," and supports individual choice and free will.

Believes in the importance of speaking out against injustice and protecting individual rights.

Believes gun violence is the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 18 and supports measures to protect children.

Believes "there is nothing more 'pro-life' than common sense gun laws" and supports responsible gun ownership and safety measures at home.

Believes book bans and selectively rewriting history are suppressing public knowledge.

Supports adequately funding public education.

Believes the current state of Texas education is unfavorable.

Supports improving Texas' high school graduation rate, which is currently the second lowest in the nation at 84.4%.

Believes Texas Republicans want public education to fail, citing the HISD takeover, voucher advocacy, and property tax cuts for school funding.

Believes college should be accessible to all, regardless of wealth.

Believes students pursuing advanced degrees should not face "a lifetime of debt." Supports policies that alleviate student debt burdens for those seeking higher education.

Opposes policies that harm one community to benefit another.

Believes quality education should be more affordable and accessible, citing countries like Germany and Norway that offer tuition-free education.

Believes in ensuring safety for canvassers by implementing team-based canvassing practices.

The candidate's website does not provide any information on their stance on education.

Believes in supporting diverse career paths in education, as evidenced by their youngest son becoming an Aerospace Engineer and pilot.

Believes that "bad foreign policy can hurt our relationships with our trading partners, as well as hurt Americans financially."

Supports the U.S. taking a strong stance against China's actions in Hong Kong.

Believes in "more effective border management."

Opposes "xenophobic policies" in foreign policy.

- Your US Representative represents the interests of your district in the US House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. Texas currently has 36 US Representatives.
- US Representatives can author, sponsor, debate, and vote on bills that become national law.
- Representatives may serve on congressional committees. Committees focus on certain policy areas, such as transportation, education, or labor. They may also run for higher positions within their party, such as the Speaker of the House or Majority/Minority Leader.
- Representatives are elected to two-year terms. To hold this office, a candidate must be a legal resident of Texas for at least seven years before their election. US Representatives are paid a salary of $174,000/year.