U.S. House candidate Flores focuses on energy issues
By Michael W. Shapiro Tribune-Herald staff writer
More District 17 profiles
The third in a series of stories focused on the five candidates vying for the Republican Party’s nomination for the 17th Congressional District.
T. Boone Pickens isn’t the only oilman interested in renewables lately.
Bill Flores is a retired oil and gas company executive and a competitor in a five-way Republican primary for the U.S. House seat held by Waco Democrat Chet Edwards.
This month, Flores started getting juice from solar panels he recently installed on his Bryan home.
“We produced more electricity Monday than we used,” Flores said Friday.
Flores said he built his house with solar panels in mind. His homeowners association initially blocked him from putting up the panels because of aesthetic concerns, but the board eventually came around, Flores said.
Like his competitors, Flores also focuses on a vision of smaller government and more restrained federal spending.
Now Flores — who’s one of a handful of residential customers of his Bryan-based utility with solar panels — is producing around a third of the utility’s solar energy.
“I thought that, to the extent that I can take a little bit less from the environment, that it made some sense to do it,” Flores said.
The cost of solar power
But even as Flores and his wife are producing power at their house, the candidate and retired accountant said he’s skeptical that panels are a good financial move.
“Economically. it doesn’t really work, even though there’s a federal tax credit, a government subsidy and a rebate from his utility,” Flores said. “But emotionally, I felt better about it.”
Of the candidates in the field, Flores is among the most likely to talk about energy issues on the stump. His platform advocates laws that facilitate more energy development in the U.S. and eliminate barriers to creating more nuclear plants, which he said are a relatively clean source of power.
Like his competitors, Flores also focuses on a vision of smaller government and more restrained federal spending.
The businessman said if elected, he also could draw heavily from his business experience to come up with solutions to some of the nation’s thorniest problems.
Small-town upbringing
Flores, who grew up the son of a cattle farmer in the Panhandle town of Stratford (with a population of 1,913, according to a 2008 U.S. Census estimate), said he also draws on lessons learned during his childhood.
“We grew up dirt-poor,” said Flores, who is in a position now to have loaned his campaign a quarter-million dollars and to be a generous benefactor to Texas A&M University, his alma mater.
“We had a chicken house, and my job was to go collect the eggs,” he said. “One day the rooster scared me, and I tripped and stumbled and dropped the bucket with all the eggs in it.”
That meant the Flores family couldn’t do its normal swap of eggs for groceries at the local trading post.
“For a few days after that, all we had was corn bread and milk,” he said.
Flores said he often repeats a saying his father, a cattleman, used to utter when he was growing up.
“Go make a hand. That was his cowboy way of saying make the world a better place.”
mshapiro@wacotrib.com
757-5707
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Rich, you say Curnock is creepy. Did you see the first candidate forum in Waco? Flores kept touching Curnock on the shoulder, back or arm when he spoke. It clearly made Curnock uncomfortable, but he did not know what to do to stop it. They are both creepy. And to top it off, neither can win against Chet. One is a tax cheat, the other is a deadbeat who does not pay his employees. Timothy is a nice guy, he really is, but he is way outclassed in this group of candidates. That leaves it up to Wilson and McIntyre to carry the torch of the Republicans. One of them is my guy, and I can see myself getting behind the other if I have to, but if Flores takes this primary, I swear to Judge Baylor, I will put my money and time behind Chet Edwards. I do not want to see a Republican crook win congressional the seat and become intrenched as the incumbent. I would rather re-elect a weak liberal dem who would be easier to oust in the next election.
Flores is an embarassment. He's mired in lawsuits and allegations of illegal business dealings. Even if these accusations aren't true, do we really want to send a guy against Chet who is so vulnerable? A lot of people find it easy to believe the stereotype of a rich oil guy doing illegal things to a make $$. Again, I don't know what's true and I'm not saying Flores has done illegal things. But Chet will use that stereotype and scare people away from Flores in the general. My point: Let's vote in the primary for the guy that can win against Chet! All the candidates seem fine to me (except Curnock, he's creepy) and every debate they all have the same kind of answers to the questions. We need to pick the guy who can beat Chet, and that guy isn't Flores. Vote McIntyre or Wilson, both good guys who can beat chets where he's strong: Veteran issues. If Flores wins in March, he'll spend the next several months on the defense against Chet's multiple attacks and you just can't win a campaign on the defense!
Flores is an embarassment. He's mired in lawsuits and allegations of illegal business dealings. Even if these accusations aren't true, do we really want to send a guy against Chet who is so vulnerable? A lot of people find it easy to believe the stereotype of a rich oil guy doing illegal things to a make $$. Again, I don't know what's true and I'm not saying Flores has done illegal things. But Chet will use that stereotype and scare people away from Flores in the general. My point: Let's vote in the primary for the guy that can win against Chet! All the candidates seem fine to me (except Curnock, he's creepy) and every debate they all have the same kind of answers to the questions. We need to pick the guy who can beat Chet, and that guy isn't Flores. Vote McIntyre or Wilson, both good guys who can beat chets where he's strong: Veteran issues. If Flores wins in March, he'll spend the next several months on the defense against Chet's multiple attacks and you just can't win a campaign on the defense!
Right, Colton. I'm sure the average voter cares about campaign staffers. Get a grip.
Flores just needs to exit the primary as quickly as he got in. He can also take his Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson supporting campaign manager, Mackowack with him. We don't need Washington meddling in our affairs!
Sir, I am not offended by your partisan diatribe. In fact, we conservatives use over-the-top statements such as yours as proof that Chet Pelosi is in deep doo-doo.
As long as the dims hold a majority in the House that odious witch Pelosi will be the Speaker. A vote for Chet is a vote for Pelosi. Flores gets this and seems to realize that a successful campaign will be as much about opposing Pelosi and everything she stands for as about Chet himself. Because of this and the fact that he's the best financed of any of the candidates, I think he has the best shot to beat Chet, and for that reason he gets my vote.
Not, I'm sorry my comment has offended you. I'm clearly stating my opinion and if your argument is simply to insult me then you should keep your comments to yourself.
John, your check is ready, contact Nancy P. @ chetpelosi.com
Bill Flores makes two of Chet and Nancy. Don't argue with me on this.
To the buyer beware..
A politician who doesn't just preach, but lives it. Nice.
I ask all Aggies and Bears to not support Chet Pelosi.
The risk of placeing a freshman Republican in office would severly hurt Baylor & A&Ms endowments, the 'pork' we need to fix our roads and infrastructure, keep supporting out vets and so many more issues. I agree Chet has made some bone-headed mistakes but I rather have a man in power with some political muscle than have a man with no push, no influence and nothing more than 1 'no' vote out of 435 members especially when that vote is overridden by a democrat-controlled house. Chet has some bargaining power, he's an independent mind and he doesn't listen to Pelosi when his constituents tell him to not vote for health care and other issues. Democrat by name but by no means disconnected with his constituency. Chet hears us and when he demand something he sure as hell has always given it to us
NC, when has Flores spoken about green jobs or access to health care besides when he was the FIRST to sign a petition to override ANY health care bill passed by Congress.
Flores, we aren't all dirt poor nor can we all afford to put new, fangled solar panels on our roof. Hell, we can't even afford to fix our roofs! We need JOBS! Talk about the opportunities you'll bring the district. If I wanted to hear how to be poor then tell me where the welfare office is. Don't count on my vote if you're that disconnected with the people.
As a Democrat, I'd rather have a Republican who votes for issues important to me, like health care and green energy, than a Democrat who votes against the issues because he's scared of the bad-mannered tea partiers. Flores can fly around in a helicopter if he wants too, he earned it. I need health care reform and want to see people take responsibility for the environment and for creating jobs. I imagine Flores can bring home the pork too. Act like a Democrat on the key issues, Chet, or you've lost your value to me.
I'll agree that growing up poor teaches you lessons no classroom can ever teach. You can't say "oh, I know what you mean" or "I know how you feel". You can't possibly know unless you've been in it. Being dirt poor is absolutely a lifestyle I hope I never have to revisit. Like President Obama says, "the way you fight poverty is to get an education".. Still, I think Chet the legend is the man here....Truth, read your comments. That wrasling(wrestling)is exciting. I sure do miss Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner and all his antics. How about old school Bob Sweet tan aka Mr. Piledriver. ha ha ha.
This guy would be the last one to ever get a vote, an oil billionaire looking out for himself only.
Please support Chet Pelosi.
This guy gets it. Flores grew up dirt poor, and he worked his butt off to achieve the modern American dream.
In My Opinion
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