The latest Cato Institute Freedom Index numbers report that Texas has climbed by three spots since the last edition, but the state needs to improve its efforts, according to Texas Republican gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines.
Texas currently ranks at No. 21 on the Cato Freedom Index, which ranks states on metrics of personal freedom, regulatory policy, and fiscal policy. It comes behind states like New Hampshire, Tennessee, Florida, South Dakota and Nevada.
"Texas has been playing second fiddle to Florida for far too long," Huffines told Lone Star Standard. "When I’m governor of Texas, we are going to get our swagger and our freedom back. We are going to end the broken property tax system that is destroying Texans’ finances and provide real educational freedom for Texas students.”
The Cato study chastised Texas for talking "a good game about freedom," alleging that the state "could stand to deliver a more freedom-oriented policy regime." The state ranks 12th in fiscal freedom, 49th in personal and 22nd in regulatory, according to Cato.
"[Texas] comes in only at 21st in this edition, rescued largely by its top 10 economic freedom score, and it has never been higher than 15th overall," the study reported. "If Texas could get a handle on local taxes and debt, it could improve on its top 10 economic freedom score and become an even greater economic powerhouse.”
Meanwhile, Florida was ranked second in the nation as the Cato study deemed it the leading state in fiscal freedom, 12th in personal freedom and 21st in regulatory. The Sunshine State was rated No. 2 in 2016 as well, bested only by New Hampshire.
Huffines announced that he would challenge current Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in May 2021. Elected in 2014, Abbott is the 48th governor of Texas. Before being elected governor, Abbott was Texas' longest-serving attorney general.
Huffines joins a crowded field, along with former Florida Rep. and Texas GOP Chairman Allen West and media personality Chad Prather, in challenging Abbott in the March 1 GOP gubernatorial primary.
Former U.S. Rep. Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke leads the Democratic field. O'Rourke previously mounted two unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. Senate and for president.
Huffines is CEO of Huffines Communities, a Dallas/Fort Worth-based real estate development firm. From 2015 to 2019 Huffines served in the Texas Senate, representing the 16th District.
