Because Power Belongs to the People — Not the Officeholders

Public office in Texas is not an honor bestowed by party elites, donors, or incumbency.
It is a delegated trust from the People.

Before anyone asks for your vote, your time, or your silence, they should be willing to answer plain, constitutional questions — on the record.

That is why Accountability Matters has issued the Candidate Constitutional Questionnaire.

This is not a survey.
This is not a branding exercise.
This is not a loyalty test.

It is a public record of intent.

Why This Questionnaire Exists

Texas voters are flooded every cycle with mailers, slogans, and “values” language that is never followed by action.

But real governing requires answers, not marketing or branding.

This questionnaire asks candidates to state, clearly and publicly:

• What they believe government is allowed to do,

• What they believe government is forbidden from doing, and

• Whether they understand that the Constitution limits their power, even when it is politically inconvenient.

No hypotheticals.
No trick questions.
No consultant language.

Just “yes,” “no,” or “decline” — with explanations where clarity is owed.

Why Answers Matter

— And Silence Does Too

When a candidate answers these questions, voters gain clarity.

When a candidate refuses to answer, voters gain something else:
information.

Silence is not neutral.
Evasion is not principled.
Declining to answer is itself an answer.

The People are entitled to know whether a candidate is willing to be accountable before election day, not only after.

Why Sign the Accountability & Constitutional Fidelity Pledge?

Candidates are not required to sign this pledge.

But candidates who do send a clear signal: they are willing to place their constitutional understanding on the public record — before asking for the People’s trust.

What the Pledge Does

• It preserves a candidate’s own stated understanding of constitutional authority.

• It clarifies that public office is a delegated trust, not personal power.

• It allows voters to compare words with actions over time.

It is simply the People asking questions of those who want power over them.

What the Pledge Does Not Do

• It does not require agreement with any organization.

• It does not bind future votes or judicial rulings.

• It does not create legal obligations or enforcement mechanisms.

• It does not override ethics rules or the duty to follow the law.

Why Some Candidates Decline

Some candidates prefer to campaign on slogans rather than records.
Others are uncomfortable committing their constitutional philosophy to writing.

Voters are entitled to notice that distinction.

A Special Note Regarding Judicial Candidates:

Judicial candidates are not asked to promise outcomes.
They are asked only to affirm their understanding of:

• Constitutional limits,

• Judicial independence, and

• The role of courts in enforcing the rule of law.

This is consistent with judicial ethics and long-standing campaign practice.

For the People

Self-government requires memory.

This pledge helps preserve it.

What We Ask of the People

If you believe in limited government, constitutional restraint, and real accountability:

• Ask your candidates to answer

• Share this page

• Notice who responds — and who does not

• Remember the answers next cycle

Self-government does not survive on trust alone.
It survives on memory, records, and accountability.

Download & Share

• 📄 Candidate Constitutional Questionnaire (PDF) and Optional Accountability Pledge (PDF)

Completed forms may be submitted via email to Accountability2024@icloud.com

Questions may be directed to Accountability2024@icloud.com or text/call 903-305-0152

All responses received will be published without alteration.

A Final Word

In Texas, the People are sovereign.

Candidates are not rulers.
They are applicants.

And applicants should be willing to answer questions.