Texas House Dist. 8 candidate profiles
Paul J. Gately
Texas House District 8 includes Anderson, Freestone, Hill and Navarro counties.
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are vying for the Texas House District 8 seat, which represents Anderson, Freestone, Hill and Navarro counties.

There is no incumbent in the contest because Harris defeated state Rep. Byron Cook in the GOP primary for his place on the ballot.

Ratcliff, today a rancher in Freestone County, says he believes "government exists to achieve together what we cannot achieve as individuals; and government must serve all people."

Ratcliff, who served as a captain in Vietnam, is a former NASA scientist, teacher and manager for a major corporation, his website says.

Planks in Ratcliff's platform include affordable housing, a safety net for family farms, preservation of Medicare, affordable health insurance, to reduce classroom size in Texas public schools and making college tuition tax deductible.

He has served as a school advisory board member and participant in adopt a school program, a Soil and Water Conservation District Member and Chairman for many years, his biography says.

Harris, on his campaign webpage, recalls his family leasing a small tract of land near Palestine where they grew their own produce after the family was devastated in the Savings and Loan crisis.

His platform focuses on securing the border, improving public education, protecting farmers and ranchers and private property owner rights, lowering property taxes, shrinking the size of government and fighting for pro-life and pro-family values.

Harris is a business owner who specializes in farm and ranch real estate.

Harris and his wife Taylor have four children and he is a member of the Texas Association of Realtors, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program (TALL), and lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.