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Keith Self
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Van Taylor
Personal details
Born	(1953-03-20) March 20, 1953 (age 71) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	United States Military Academy (BS) University of Southern California (MA)
Website	House website
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1975–1999
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel

Keith Alan Self (born March 20, 1953) is an American politician and former county judge who is the United States representative for Texas's 3rd congressional district.

Early life and education

Self was born in 1953 at a military hospital in Philadelphia and graduated from Tascosa High School in Amarillo, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1975.

Career

Self served in the United States Army from 1975 to 1999. He was a member of the Army Special Forces and Army Rangers. He was deployed to Qatar, Egypt, Germany, Afghanistan, and Belgium. He was recalled to active duty from 2002 to 2003, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. Self was then elected as the county judge for Collin County, Texas, serving three terms from 2007 to 2018. He was a candidate for Texas's 3rd congressional district in the March 2022 Republican primary, finishing second to incumbent Van Taylor and advancing to a May runoff. After the primary, Taylor announced that he would end his congressional campaign amid accusations of infidelity, giving Self the nomination. Self won the November general election.

Tenure

On January 3, 2023, at the beginning of the 118th Congress, Self voted for Jim Jordan and later for Byron Donalds to be the U.S. House Speaker, in rebuke of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. "I love the new rules. I’m looking for somebody that will enforce them", Self said. In the 12th round of voting, Self changed his vote to McCarthy, saying "we are making progress... This will change this House, let’s be very clear". Self was one of 15 Republicans to change their votes. McCarthy finally won the speakership on the 15th vote, held early in the morning on Saturday, January 7, with Self voting in favor.

As a consequence of the delay in selecting a new speaker, Self was formally sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives in the early morning of January 7, 2023, despite the 118th Congress convening on January 3.

Political positions

Fiscal policy

Self has said that he considers the growth of U.S. national debt "the existential threat that our nation faces today".

Gun Control

Self, a lifetime member of the NRA, stated following the mass shooting in his district at the Allen Premium Outlets on May 6th, 2023, that killed 9, including a 5yr old child, and injured 7 others, that the reason prayers are not working as a solution to gun violence is because “Well, those are people that don't believe in an almighty god who has, who is absolutely in control of our lives.”

Separation of Church & State

When asked about how to prevent mass shootings, he provided the only solution was to pray to the god that he believes in and to believe in his god.

Electoral history

2022

Notes

1. A county judge in Texas is equivalent to a county executive in most U.S. states and is so titled because he or she oversees a commissioners' court, although in the less populated counties he or she also presides over the county court that decides matters of law. The judge does not have to be a lawyer.

References

1. "Bio - Keith Self for Congress". Keith Self for Congress. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
2. ^ Sayles, Damon. "Keith Self: Ultra-conservative, military mindset describes county judge". Star Local. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
3. "Keith Self for Congress". Keith Self for Congress. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
4. "Keith Self". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
5. Caldwell, Emily (March 11, 2022). "Keith Self, ex-Collin County judge, now GOP nominee for Rep. Van Taylor's seat after incumbent exits". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
6. Wigglesworth, Valerie (May 8, 2017). "Collin County Judge Keith Self says he won't seek fourth term". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
7. "Texas Third Congressional District Primary Election Results". The New York Times. March 1, 2022. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
8. Mooney, Michael (March 2, 2022). "Rep. Van Taylor apologizes for affair with ex-ISIS widow, drops out of runoff". Axios. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
9. "Texas Republican drops re-election bid after affair with woman once married to IS leader". the Guardian. March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
10. Svitek, Patrick (March 2, 2022). "U.S. Rep. Van Taylor ends reelection campaign after he admits to affair". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
11. ^ Caldwell, Emily (January 4, 2023). "North Texan Keith Self among Republicans opposing McCarthy in fight for House speaker". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved January 6, 2023. "I love the new rules. I'm looking for somebody that will enforce them," Self said Tuesday after the House adjourned. "That's what I'm working on."
12. Fung, Katherine (January 3, 2022). "Full List of House Republicans Who Voted Against Kevin McCarthy for Speaker". Newsweek. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
13. ^ McCartney, Allison; Parlapiano, Alicia; Wu, Ashley; Cochrane, Emily (January 6, 2022). "Live Vote Count: Tracking the House Speaker Votes". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
14. ^ Morton, Joseph; Gillman, Todd J.; Alvey, Rebekah; Caldwell, Emily (January 4, 2023). "House adjourned, McCarthy closes in on Speaker of the House after 15 holdouts flip". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved January 6, 2023. "We are making progress," Self said... "This will change this House, let's be very clear," Self said after voting for McCarthy.
15. Karni, Annie (January 7, 2022). "McCarthy Wins Speakership on 15th Vote After Concessions to Hard Right". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
16. Morton, Joseph; Gillman, Todd J.; Alvey, Rebekah (January 7, 2023). "McCarthy elected Speaker of the House on 15th ballot, ending stalemate". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
17. "118th Congress Begins" (Press release). United States House of Representatives. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
18. Zak, Dan; Terris, Ben (January 4, 2023). "Does the House even exist right now?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023. ... the 434 members-elect could not decide on a speaker of the House Rep.-elect Troy E. Nehls (R-Tex.), a Freedom Caucus guy who is nevertheless voting for Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) The 118th Congress has indeed begun … But the House technically has no members and cannot proceed with the business of the American people.
19. Fink, Jack (January 5, 2023). "North Texas Congressman-elect Keith Self on why he isn't voting for Kevin McCarthy". CBS News DFW. Retrieved January 11, 2023. During an interview with CBS11 before Thursday's five votes he said, "I want someone to lead this Republican conference to address the existential threat that our nation faces today."… That threat he said is the growing national debt, which has jumped to more than $31 trillion.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
20. Hassan, Jennifer (May 7, 2023). "Texas congressman criticized for prayers comment after mall shooting". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 7, 2023. Reid: Many people argue that prayers aren't cutting it.
    Self: Well, those are people that don't believe in an almighty god who has, who is absolutely in control of our lives.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
21. lee, Lloyd (May 6, 2023). "Texas congressman says people who think 'prayers aren't cutting it' as a solution to gun violence 'don't believe in an almighty God who is absolutely in control of our lives.' 9 people died in a mass shooting in his district today". msn. Retrieved May 7, 2023. Reid: Many people argue that prayers aren't cutting it.
    Self: Well, those are people that don't believe in an almighty god who has, who is absolutely in control of our lives.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links

• Congressman Keith Self official U.S. House website
• Keith Self for Congress campaign website
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Appearances on C-SPAN

• 1953 births
• County judges in Texas
• Living people
• Members of the United States Army Special Forces
• People from Amarillo, Texas
• Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas
• Texas Republicans
• United States Army officers
• United States Military Academy alumni
• University of Southern California alumni