Opinion | TX3DNews
U.S. Rep. Keith Self thinks Republicans have a messaging problem heading into the November election.
“We’re not telling our story,” Self told NewsNation on Oct. 9, just 25 days before the election.
He pointed to what he considers Republican accomplishments: inflation falling from 9.1% to 3%, a closed border, $1.5 trillion in savings from the One Big Beautiful Bill and an average IRS refund in his district that he estimated at $1,550.
“We’re not telling it enough,” he said. “We have got to find a way to get that out to our people.”
That’s a fair complaint for a party. It’s a strange one coming from Keith Self.
But what story has Self been telling his own constituents?
He’s had the microphone
Since August, Self has repeatedly appeared on conservative radio programs, given interviews to friendly outlets, published opinion columns and used his congressional platform to discuss issues he considers important.
He’s also been active on social media and spoken before the McKinney City Council. His last publicly documented in-person town hall was Jan. 31 in Wylie. He also held a virtual town hall with a Department of Veterans Affairs representative a few weeks ago, although constituents’ questions were presented through a moderator rather than asked directly.
With all those opportunities to get his message out, you might expect him to be explaining the economic accomplishments he now says Republicans aren’t communicating.
Instead, much of his attention has been elsewhere.
The story he chose
In August, Self appeared before the McKinney City Council, urging members to reject a mosque site plan that city staff said complied with all applicable requirements. His remarks included warnings about child marriage, honor killings and grooming gangs in Britain.
During an appearance on The Mark Davis Show, Self discussed taqiyya, saying it “allows them to lie” to advance “political Islam.” When asked whether he could envision supporting a new mosque, he responded, “I cannot.”
Later that month, Self announced he had signed a petition seeking to recall McKinney’s mayor and three City Council members. He also posted on X: “The Islamization of Texas is real.”
Texas Scorecard published his opinion column, “We Are Losing the Lone Star State to Political Islam,” in which he described his own congressional district as “certainly the epicenter.”
In an interview with the Dallas Express, Self said Muslims are “commanded to take over whatever culture they’re in.” He also claimed Britain was becoming “an Islamic state” and compared former McKinney Mayor George Fuller to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In September, his office announced a House resolution denouncing Sharia.
The Daily Signal published another opinion column by Self warning that “crimes like rape, murder, and theft balloon” when Western countries fail to control migration.
During another Dallas Express podcast interview, Self again discussed McKinney’s recall effort.
“I’m applauding the McKinney citizens who started the recall effort,” he said.
He has made similar statements on X.
“Islam is on the march and seeks world domination,” he wrote in one post.
“Sharia has no home here,” he declared in another.
These weren’t isolated comments. Self repeated these views across different platforms over several weeks.
Where were the refunds?
It isn’t hard to find what Self thinks about Sharia, mosques or Islam. He has said it again and again.
It’s much harder to find him explaining the $1,550 refund, lower inflation or the $1.5 trillion in savings he now says Republicans aren’t talking about enough.
On NewsNation, Self acknowledged that explaining those savings is difficult.
“It’s hard to articulate,” he said.
But isn’t that exactly his complaint? Republicans aren’t explaining their accomplishments to voters.
Self has had plenty of opportunities to make that case. Instead, many of his interviews, columns and public statements have focused on political Islam, Sharia law, the McKinney recall and Flock cameras.
Gas and groceries
During the NewsNation interview, Self acknowledged that voters are concerned about gas prices, groceries and the war in Iran. Those are concerns families across TX-03 deal with every week.
Yet when asked directly about those concerns, Self had another opportunity to deliver the economic message he says Republicans aren’t getting across. Instead, he blamed Democrats, asked voters to give Republicans more time and criticized Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, without clearly explaining what he intends to do about those costs.
One more chance to talk
Self still has an opportunity to make his case before Nov. 3. Democrat Evan Hunt says he has sought a debate for more than a year, including a written request delivered to Self’s office in March.
On NewsNation, Self said no legitimate organization had proposed a debate. But what qualifies? Hunt says the McKinney Podcast offered to moderate one, while the League of Women Voters, McKinney PTA, EPIC Mosque and Collin County NAACP invited both candidates to forums.
Pressed on whether he would participate, Self wouldn’t commit.
“This is my seat,” he said. “I’m going to win it.”
His seat?
Self wouldn’t commit to a debate, even when asked directly on national television. But being an incumbent doesn’t put him above answering questions or defending his record against a challenger.
He can call it his seat. The voters of TX-03 are the ones who decide who gets to occupy it.