by Ginger Broomes
(Brooks Report does not endorse any candidate. For informational purposes only)
WARD 2:
Nicole McGowan: Currently serves as the Ward 2 City Councilwoman and Mayor Pro-tem of Vidor.
Statement: Not only was I born and raised here, I proudly graduated from Vidor High School in 1992. I have raised two children in the Vidor School district, where they both also graduated from in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
I am a hospice nurse and love what I do. In my profession, two of my favorite qualities are passion and compassion, and I take pride in exhibiting those two traits.
My goal is to always be true to who I am. I am a born advocate for those who cannot be heard and I will continue to advocate for the citizens of Vidor for as long as you will let me.
I have been serving on the City Council since May 2021. From decision making regarding rezoning, budgets, grants, police department upgrades and needs, as well as having the privilege of watching our fair town become a Texas Music Friendly City.
In my heart and soul, I truly believe the future of Vidor looks stronger than ever before and I look forward to continuing to be a part of the positive changes.
I want to see businesses and families grow in our city, less drugs on our streets, and a community that continues to stand together in times of need.
I believe the truest measure of our integrity lies in standing behind our promises and I do promise to always put the citizens' needs first with confidence.
It would be my honor to continue to serve you!
Chris Arndt: No statement at press time
WARD 3:
Michael Thompson: I am a manager for federally regulated plasma collection centers.
Why are you running for office: I love my community and want to see it be as great as it possibly can, not just for my generation but for my children and future generations. I feel that I can utilize my 15 years of business management experience to help Vidor become an even better place to live than it already is.
Experience in public office/community service: I have served the city by participating in several community activities. I have helped in the Mayors Main Street Clean-up, Light Up Vidor, and helping Eastgate Church distribute supplies following Tropical Storm Harvey.
Issues important to you/your voters: I would like to see improvements to our city's infrastructure. I want our roads to be repaired and to reduce the amount of flooding in our streets. I believe that we need more jobs for our citizens. This can be done by attracting more businesses to Vidor. I also feel that some of these businesses should be recreational in nature. This would give us and our children the chance to go somewhere within our own city to have some fun.
How have you addressed these issues, or how are you addressing these issues: When elected, I would use Common Sense Conservative Values as well as years of experience in Root Cause Analysis to determine the root cause of our city's issues. This will allow us to correct these issues the right way the first time, instead of patching our problems. I would like to develop incentive programs to attract new businesses to Vidor.
What will be your focus going forward: My focus, following the election, will be on the needs of Vidor and its people to ensure that Vidor is a great place for its residence and is a location of choice for people in the future.
Jerry Aldridge: Incumbent - no statement at press time
Ronnie Herrera: No statement at press time
WARD 5:
Anthony Foster: Corporate Learning & Development Specialist
Why are you running for office: I have spent nearly two decades leveraging my education, talents, and passion for people to support numerous organizations. I have developed a commitment to service, strong communication skills across diverse audiences, and a drive to foster innovative, cooperative, and effective environments where individuals, teams, and organizations thrive. With that experience, I feel like now is the time to step off the sidelines and use every ounce of my drive, passion, and love for this city to identify opportunities and strategies to make Vidor more prosperous and modern while respecting its vibrant, rich culture.
Experience in public office/community service: I have volunteered with several community service organizations, including the United Christian Care Center and Pine Forest Baptist Church Food Pantry; however, I have not served in public office.
Issues important to you/your voters: My potential voters care about issues that affect every American: individual freedoms, moral leadership, opportunity for all, personal responsibility, quality education, responsible government, safe neighborhoods, and strong families.
How have you addressed these issues, or how are you addressing these issues:
Having not served in public office, I have only been able to champion and fight for those ideals in my private life. Given the opportunity, I would leverage all the powers of my position to ensure that those vital American cornerstones are protected and strengthened in our community.
What will be your focus going forward:
Our biggest challenge is economic development and forging a future where our youth can thrive and build a life for themselves here in Vidor. Texas has seen its population, economy, influence, and reputation boom over the last two decades; however, Vidor's has declined during the same period. For the first time since the 1970s, the population of Vidor has dipped below 10,000 residents. While some of this can be attributed to recent natural disasters, the more significant driver is an inability to attract a broader range of individuals, industries, innovations, and investments. We must attract and retain younger families, more highly-skilled and highly-educated individuals, and groundbreaking industries and investments to our charming, quaint city.
Gary Herrera: Incumbent. No statement at press time
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