Jinny Suh
Democratic Candidate for Commissioner of the General Land Office
Suh/Photo by Campaign
Question: What is your age?
Answer: 44
Q: What is your educational background? Please list any degrees or certificates earned and any institutions attended.
A: B.S., Biological Sciences, University of Southern California
M.S., Biology, University of Michigan
J.D., Columbia University
Q: What is your occupation?
A: Community organizer, finance
Q: If you are a business owner, please list the business or businesses that you own. (If this question is not applicable, please note that below.)
A: Not applicable
Q: Please list any civic boards or commissions (non-profit, government, union, political, etc.) on which you have served as a board member or equivalent.
A: Current:
Board member, Asian Family Support Services of Austin
Leadership council, Austin Asian American Bar Association
Previous:
PTA President and Treasurer
Candidate Facilitator, Pantsuit Republic
Q: Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?
A: No
Q: If your campaign has any online campaign resources where voters can learn more about you, such as social media accounts or a website, please list them below.
www.facebook.com/JinnySuhForTexas
www.instagram.com/jinnysuhfortexas
www.tiktok.com/@jinnysuhfortexas
Q: Why did you decide to run for this office in 2022?
A: To put it simply, I am running for office because I want a better Texas for my children and all Texans. I am running for Texas Land Commissioner because Texas needs strong leaders who treat facts as facts, not as opinions. Relying on facts and evidence is essential to proactively facing the challenges ahead, instead of being reactive and allowing Texans to suffer as a direct result of willful ignorance and inaction.
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in office?
A: 1) Preparing for Climate Change and Protecting Our Environment. Climate change is the biggest threat to the state that the General Land Office (GLO) can impact. Using my extensive background in science, advocacy, and bringing together people from different backgrounds, I aim to be a leader that works collaboratively with stakeholders from all sides, including experts in climate science, labor union representatives, and fellow leaders and elected officials. We can craft solutions that move us toward a greener future, prepare and protect our state from future weather disasters, and ensure everyday Texans have good jobs and bright futures. To get there, we need a Land Commissioner with the vision, strength, and backbone to get the job done for the betterment of all Texans.
My strong science background (B.S., M.S. biology), experience as a science teacher, and years of work as an advocate in the Texas legislature combine to inform my approach of using facts and evidence to address big problems, like the looming issue of climate change facing Texas.
On a broad level, there is a lot more to be done with our infrastructure to protect our environment. For example, in our coastal areas, we need better construction to protect and restore our coastline and wetlands in combination with a robust scientific program to provide recommendations and monitor the health of our environment. I also want to work with other organizations, NGOs, and government agencies that specialize in environmental protection and habitat management, such as NOAA and Project Drawdown. Our environment, climate change, and our future are issues that deserve a collaborative approach that can combine the power of multiple actors all working toward the same goal.
I will work towards making Texas greener by incentivizing the development of a more robust renewables industry and greener technology. This will not only help protect our environment and fulfill the GLO’s mission of being a prudent steward of our Texas state lands but will also be an important part of ensuring our air and water quality are not compromised.
2) Improving Disaster Relief Fund Distribution. State agencies, including the GLO, should not be playing politics with the lives and livelihoods of Texans. Distribution of disaster relief funds should be managed with everyday folks who need it the most treated as the priority. Additionally, funds must be distributed quickly. No Texan should be waiting for years with a tarp roof due to unfair biases, mismanagement, and inefficiency in the GLO.
3) Supporting Public Education. Though most responsibility for public education funding falls to the Texas legislature, the GLO plays a part by generating revenue for the Permanent School Fund. Coming from the perspective of a former schoolteacher, former PTA leader, and mother to two children who attend public elementary school, increasing funding for public schools is of the utmost priority for me and I can identify at least three ways I can help.
First, with conscientious and shrewd management of our state lands, I can increase the revenue generated by the contracts issued by the GLO. Second, I would advocate for an increase in the amount that can be put towards the Permanent School Fund. In 2019, Texans voted overwhelmingly for an amendment to increase the amount that could be transferred to the Permanent School Fund every year by the GLO and the State Board of Education to $600 million each (it was previously $300 million). I would urge for an even greater increase. Finally, I would use my position and influence to work with other leaders and elected officials to advocate for better support for our public schools, regardless of where the funds originate. Education is the backbone of our society, and Texans suffer the consequences when our public schools are left holding the bag because they do not receive the support they need.
Q: What is an issue you believe has gone overlooked in your race and how will you address it if elected?
A: An issue that is not talked about enough is how the General Land Office supports our veterans. Considering that Texas is second in the country for number of veterans, the fact that not only are most Texans unaware that the GLO has anything to do with veterans, but most veterans are unaware of the programs available to them, is a sign of how much room there is to improve. Programs, such as the provision of land, home, and home improvement loans, exist on paper, but in talking with veterans all over the state, I have come to realize that very few know that these programs exist. Effective outreach to veterans and agencies that assist veterans is critical to ensuring that programs like the Texas Veterans Housing Assistance Program and Texas Veterans Home Improvement Program are utilized to their fullest to benefit Texas veterans.
There is also room for expansion of benefits for veterans. For instance, the GLO oversees state veteran homes with nursing and memory care and that program should be expanded. Greater capacity and more facilities throughout the state can proactively address the need for eldercare for our increasing number of veterans and allow families to have their loved ones cared for closer to them. Additionally, creating more facilities would serve as a source of jobs for rural and underserved areas of the state.
Q: Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?
A: With my background as a community organizer, licensed attorney, small business owner, and working mom of two small children, I understand that everyday Texans want leaders they can trust to gather all of the information and make thoughtful decisions. After years of advocating for science-based policies statewide, I am a proven leader who can work collaboratively to innovate solutions that move Texas toward a greener future, prepare and protect Texas from future weather disasters, and ensure that Texans have access to good jobs and bright futures.
Voters see in me someone they can relate to. Texans need elected officials that they can trust to make the right decisions and to be proactive and get in front of the myriad of problems Texas faces. My background affects the way I see the world and set my priorities. When Texans see who I am and what I represent, they know that I will responsibly evaluate all of the information available and make thoughtful decisions that will benefit all Texans. I will rely on facts and expertise and carry out my duties in such a way as to eliminate much of the suffering we see today.
Running for office is also important for me as a woman of color because Texas becomes more diverse every day and reflecting that diversity in our candidates will be the key to bringing more voters to the polls and put us on the path to electing great leaders.
My longstanding history of fighting for what's right and taking action to improve Texas for all Texans makes me the right choice for Texas Land Commissioner.