Liberty County and East Harris County residents are now part of Texas’ newly drawn Congressional District 9, and Republican candidate Dan Mims says the redistricting offers an opportunity to “reset the conversation” about representation in Washington.
Mims joined Bluebonnet News for its “Headlines and Heartlines” podcast to discuss why he entered the race and what he would prioritize if elected to Congress.
Mims said one of the biggest surprises on the campaign trail has been what voters are — and are not — talking about.
“I think voters really… seem to be interested, I think, in ethics in the way that Congress operates,” Mims said.
While affordability, border security, prescription drug costs and health insurance are concerns, he said many voters want to know they can trust their representative to act in their best interest.
Asked whether voters have raised questions about the so-called Epstein files, Mims responded, “No. They don’t care. They just want ethics.”
Mims said his decision to run came late in the process after watching redistricting unfold and seeing who had entered the race.
“I’ve got two granddaughters, and I worry a lot about what the future holds for them,” he said, citing concerns about national debt and preserving freedoms, including the ability to worship freely.
A longtime business owner, Mims managed Mim’s Meat Company, founded by his father in 1945, from 1985 until its sale in 2010. He later launched Mim’s Warehouse Solutions, a third-party storage company, which he ran for 11 years before selling in March 2024.
“If you don’t have a balanced budget in business, you’re not in business very long,” Mims said, adding that his experience managing up to 175 employees shaped his views on fiscal responsibility.
In addition to his business background, Mims pointed to decades of community service. He has served 27 years with the Northshore Rotary Club, including as past president, 22 years with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in various leadership roles, and 22 years with San Jacinto College, where he currently serves as chair of the board.
Mims said those roles required working with people of differing political views to reach consensus.
On campaign financing, Mims described himself as “mostly self-funded,” with additional support from friends.
“I have no political debts,” he said. “I don’t owe anyone but the voters.”
District 9 now includes parts of East Harris County and all of Liberty County, areas Mims said share both similarities and differences. The Harris County portion includes heavy industry, petrochemical facilities and the Port of Houston, where Mims said he has experience through his businesses. Liberty County, he noted, has a stronger agricultural presence.
He said he supports policies that allow families who want to remain in agriculture to do so without excessive regulations or taxes, and he favors domestic food production.
“We do not need to be buying our food from overseas,” he said, while acknowledging that agricultural trade is often “a two-way street.”
Mims also emphasized local governance, particularly in areas such as job creation, flood control and education. He said federal representatives should listen to local leaders — including county judges, mayors, sheriffs and school officials — and support their priorities rather than dictate them.
“You cannot live in Washington, D.C., and represent a district here,” he said. “When you’re not in session… you need to be here, at home, listening to voters.”
If elected, Mims said his top legislative priorities would include establishing term limits for members of Congress, prohibiting congressional stock trading and restoring what he called “regular order” in passing the federal budget.
He proposes term limits of 10 to 12 years for members of Congress.
“I’m going to serve 10 years and come home,” Mims said. “You don’t need to be in Washington, D.C., for 30 years.”
On stock trading, he said lawmakers should not be allowed to profit from information gained through their positions, calling it “insider trading at the highest level.”
Mims also said Congress should pass its annual appropriations bills on time and that lawmakers should lose their pay during a government shutdown.
“It’s very arrogant of our members of Congress to continue to accept a paycheck while asking our service members, our flight controllers, our federal law enforcement to lose theirs,” he said.
As the race for District 9 takes shape, Mims said his focus will remain on ethics, fiscal responsibility and what he described as putting voters first, not political interests.
To hear more of his interview, click on the YouTube link below: