MATT MCGHEE FOR TEXAS SENATE DISTRICT 30
CAN I DO THIS?
Yes.
I may not be who you're used to seeing in politics, but isn't that the problem?
I'm a country boy, but I do look good in a jacket and tie. My wife is very much appreciating the dressing up that comes with campaigning.
Resume highlights:
Electrical Engineering Technologist - Process Automation, Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology (graduated 2010)
Note: Canadian post-secondary education is structured differently, but this is roughly equivalent to an associate degree in Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering Dept, storevertical.com 2010-2017
Design, programming, prototyping, on-site commissioning of industrial machinery
Choosing suppliers
Customer service and warranty work, phone and on-site.
Functional safety design - lots of boardroom debates
Handled UL, CSA, CE, explosion proof electrical and mechanical safety certification
Process Engineer, A. Raymond Tinnerman (tier 2 automotive supplier) 2017-2018
Creating documentation from tribal knowledge
Standardizing processes, in a way workers understood
Environmental controls paperwork, emissions and wastewater, keeping track of hazardous materials and Volatile Organic Compounds for RCRA, EPA, IDEM etc.
Maintenance (tier 1 automotive plant) 2018-present
Program, repair, and commission automated industrial machinery
This includes working on environmental protections like Wastewater Treatment and Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (which break down hazardous organics in exhaust fumes)
Night shift backup maintenance manager
Children's camp counselor, Galilean Bible Camp 2007-2008
Camp board member, Beaver Creek Bible Camp 2013?-2017
Fix My Ride volunteer mechanic - 2019-present
Texas Volunteer Organization Active in Disaster volunteer (plumbing, home repair) 2021
Progressive Rights Organization - Gainesville (2021-present)
Active at protests, writing letters to editor, creating editorial cartoons
Cooke County Democratic Club member (2023-present)
Also worth mentioning:
I'm married to an award-winning journalist
I have subscriptions to the New York Times, Washington Post, and Bloomberg
I grew up poor. This gives me a unique perspective on poverty, I've lived it.
I'm an immigrant. I've been through the process personally.
I'm Canadian. This gives me a unique first-hand perspective on poverty, racism, and healthcare.
Why me?
The world is run by the people that show up. I was really disappointed at the State Senator spot in North Texas being unopposed in 2022, so to make sure that doesn't happen, I'm running. Also, I'm, like, an average guy, which would be a lot better than Dan Patrick and cronies. Nobody young ever runs and that's a depressing trend I want to end.
I’m 34, I work night shift maintenance in manufacturing. I’m blue collar for a couple generations back, and then you find the farmers. I can do pretty much everything myself… and I play grandpa to a lot of folks that post they need help on Facebook or through volunteer organizations, whether they need a mechanic or roadside assistance or a plumber.
Yup, I didn’t grow up in Texas, I wanted to come all my life though. I’m from Canada, by way of Indiana. I know rural! I lived over an hour from the nearest Walmart in Manitoba (north of North Dakota), and half an hour from the nearest auto parts store… convenient. I miss the easy access to public land in Canada though.
I grew up poor, in Canada though, single mom, lots of kids. Pretty sure I’d be straight up dead if I grew up in Texas, it was dicey enough as it was. And we lived somewhere there’s basically Universal Basic Income for kids! That was with grandparents in town, and being friends with the local food bank guy (I still can’t eat raisin bread because we got so much of that, and did you know you can eat the noodles out of long-expired Kraft Dinner even after the cheese powder turns a weird poisonous color?)
Even with that help, two broken collarbones and a femur that required airlift would have just nuked a Texan family, even one with two good jobs and savings… in Canada, that was $0. Texas has a higher GDP than all of Canada by the way, we can do better here than the randomly priced, but always too expensive, disaster that Texas healthcare is now.
Yup, I have a great little family, rather not get them shot by crazies though, so not going to go into great detail there. I did become an American citizen out of love though, not just because America has actual property rights and freedom of speech.
