Opinion by R. J. Morales | TX3DNews
On a weeknight at The Guitar Sanctuary in McKinney, voters gathered for a town hall expecting a conversation about the future of Texas’ 3rd Congressional District.
Questions submitted by attendees covered healthcare costs, immigration policy, voting laws, public school funding, and the role Congress should play in matters of war. Others asked about religious freedom and the tone of national politics.
The event had been discussed beforehand as a possible debate in the race for Texas’ 3rd Congressional District, but Republican incumbent Keith Self did not attend.
Instead, for about 90 minutes Democratic congressional candidate Evan Hunt answered questions submitted by attendees during a town hall moderated by the McKinney Podcast.
Voters Asking Real Questions
If anyone still believes voters are disengaged from politics, Wednesday night offered a different picture.
The questions asked during the town hall were substantive and specific. One voter asked about congressional war powers and the possibility of a military draft. Another raised concerns about public school funding and the debate over school vouchers in Texas. Others pressed Hunt on immigration enforcement and the proposed SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote.
These were not the kinds of questions that dominate partisan messaging online. They reflected the practical concerns people across the district are discussing in their communities and around their kitchen tables.
And they came from voters who took the time to show up and ask them directly.
A Moment That Spoke Volumes
One of the most revealing moments of the evening did not come from the candidate at all. It came from moderator James Jenkins.
During one exchange, Jenkins spoke candidly from the perspective of a voter.
“I’m a perfect example of an undecided voter who voted for Keith Self last time,” he said, adding that he was unhappy with the congressman’s performance over the past two years.
That moment captured something often overlooked when people talk about “safe” districts.
Texas’ 3rd Congressional District has been represented by Republicans in Congress for decades. But the numbers beneath the surface tell a more complicated story.
In Collin County alone, more than 200,000 voters participated in the March primary election — about 26 percent of the county’s 760,000 registered voters.
In other words, a significant number of voters in the district are still making up their minds.
Jenkins’ comment simply said out loud what many voters may already be thinking.
When Issues Get Personal
Another revealing moment came during a discussion about the proposed SAVE Act and voter identification requirements.
Hunt said voter ID laws themselves are widely supported, but he questioned the timing and implementation of new documentation requirements close to an election. Many voters, he noted, may not have immediate access to documents such as passports or birth certificates.
He suggested that if the government requires proof of citizenship, it should also ensure citizens can easily obtain the necessary identification rather than risk turning eligible voters away at the polls.
At that point Jenkins shared a personal example. While renewing his driver’s license, he discovered his passport had expired shortly before his appointment and had to navigate additional steps to complete the process.
The moment shifted the discussion from a policy debate to a practical question voters could immediately understand: what happens when the rules designed to protect elections also make it harder for eligible voters to participate?
The Religious Freedom Question
Another exchange addressed an issue that has become a recurring theme in Rep. Keith Self’s messaging: warnings about Sharia law and Muslim communities.
An audience member asked Hunt about Self’s support for federal anti-Sharia legislation. Hunt said the Constitution already governs American law but raised concerns about how such a policy would actually be enforced.
He pointed to the proposed legislation Self has supported, which could allow the government to take action against individuals accused of practicing or promoting Sharia law, including possible immigration consequences. Hunt argued the law leaves a critical question unanswered: who decides what counts as practicing Sharia.
Because the term is not clearly defined, he warned the policy could leave broad discretion to government officials and raise serious questions about religious freedom.
The Question Facing TX-03
The McKinney town hall ultimately raises a simple issue for voters in Texas’ 3rd Congressional District: access.
Keith Self did not attend the event, and neither his team or campaign offered any explanation. During the primary campaign, he also declined to participate in open debates or public town halls with his challengers.
At the same time, 54,279 voters in Collin County cast ballots for Evan Hunt and Republican challenger Mark Newgent in the congressional primary — voters who are still constituents and who may still have questions heading into the general election.
Town halls exist for a simple reason: they allow voters to ask questions directly and hear unscripted answers from the people seeking to represent them.
On Wednesday night in McKinney, voters showed up ready for that conversation.
The question now is whether their congressman is willing to have it.