Building Texas Show Launches 'Vote Like A Texan' YouTube Series to Boost Civic Engagement

The Building Texas Show has launched Vote Like A Texan, a new YouTube series designed to help Texans better understand candidates and issues shaping the state's future. The inaugural episode features Republican congressional candidate Michael Wheeler discussing fiscal challenges, national security, reshoring American manufacturing, and voter turnout. Wheeler explains his decision to run stems from economic and national security concerns he believes will intensify over the next decade, stating his background in finance and public service positions him to address these problems.

Wheeler spent 25 years in bond markets before entering public service, eventually serving as Kendall County GOP Chair and on the State Republican Executive Committee. He also held a presidential appointment as Senior Advisor at the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he worked on reshoring manufacturing including critical PPE and semiconductor production. In the interview, Wheeler emphasizes that while Texas Congressional District 21 is a strong conservative region spanning Bexar, Kendall, Comal, Kerr, and parts of the Hill Country, local issues often receive insufficient attention at the federal level.

Among the local concerns Wheeler highlights are the potential relocation of Army North and Army South missions from Fort Sam Houston, Hill Country issues regarding water and energy infrastructure, and the effects of federally subsidized renewable energy projects. He stresses the need to defend local economies while boosting national supply-chain security, noting these issues directly impact daily life. Wheeler argues voters need representation in Washington that fights not just on immigration or national debt, but on community-shaping local matters.

Host Justin McKenzie emphasizes the series' core goal of increasing civic participation, particularly in primaries where candidate selection is effectively decided. McKenzie notes that in many local elections, turnout can be as low as seven percent, yet these decisions determine a district's direction for years. Wheeler shares that during his tenure as county chair, grassroots efforts including volunteer mobilization, outreach, and education significantly improved voter turnout. The premiere episode featuring Wheeler is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@VoteLikeATexan.

Vote Like A Texan represents an educational media initiative from The Building Texas Show designed to bring clarity to Texas elections through dialogue with candidates, community leaders, and policy experts. Each episode examines ideas, strategies, and real-world impacts voters should understand before heading to the polls. The series aims to cut through political noise and rhetoric while addressing issues that matter most to Texans including economic growth, rural development, civic participation, and the state's evolving identity.

The implications of this initiative are significant for Texas businesses and communities. By providing direct access to candidate perspectives on economic and infrastructure issues, the series could help voters make more informed decisions that affect local economies. For businesses, understanding candidate positions on reshoring manufacturing, supply-chain security, and energy infrastructure could influence long-term planning and investment decisions. The focus on boosting voter turnout, particularly in low-participation local elections, could lead to more representative governance that better addresses community-specific economic concerns.

For Texas industries, the discussion of reshoring manufacturing and supply-chain security highlights growing concerns about economic resilience. Wheeler's experience with PPE and semiconductor production reshoring at the Small Business Administration suggests these issues will remain priorities for policymakers. The attention to Hill Country water and energy infrastructure indicates ongoing challenges for rural development that affect both agricultural and emerging business sectors. By elevating these conversations, the series could help shape policy discussions that directly impact Texas' economic future.