New YouTube Series 'Vote Like A Texan' Aims to Boost Texas Voter Education and Turnout

The Building Texas Show has launched Vote Like A Texan, a new YouTube series designed to help Texans better understand candidates and issues shaping the state's future. The inaugural episode features Republican congressional candidate Michael Wheeler discussing fiscal challenges, national security, reshoring American manufacturing, and voter turnout. Wheeler explains his decision to run stems from economic and national security concerns he believes will intensify over the next decade, stating his background in finance and public service positions him to address these problems.

Wheeler spent 25 years in bond markets before entering public service, eventually serving as Kendall County GOP Chair and on the State Republican Executive Committee. He also held a presidential appointment as Senior Advisor at the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he worked on reshoring manufacturing including critical PPE and semiconductor production. In the interview, Wheeler emphasizes that while Texas Congressional District 21 is a strong conservative region spanning Bexar, Kendall, Comal, Kerr, and parts of the Hill Country, local issues often receive insufficient attention at the federal level.

Among the local concerns Wheeler highlights are the potential relocation of Army North and Army South missions from Fort Sam Houston, Hill Country issues regarding water and energy infrastructure, and the effects of federally subsidized renewable energy projects. He stresses the need to defend local economies while boosting national supply-chain security, noting these issues directly impact daily life. Wheeler argues voters need representation in Washington that fights not just on immigration or national debt, but on community-shaping local matters.

Host Justin McKenzie emphasizes the series' core goal of increasing civic participation, particularly in primaries where candidate selection is effectively decided. McKenzie notes that in many local elections, turnout can be as low as seven percent, yet these decisions determine a district's direction for years. Wheeler shares that during his tenure as county chair, grassroots efforts including volunteer mobilization, outreach, and education significantly improved voter turnout. The premiere episode featuring Wheeler is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@VoteLikeATexan.

Vote Like A Texan represents an educational media initiative from The Building Texas Show designed to bring clarity to Texas elections through dialogue with candidates, community leaders, and policy experts. Each episode examines ideas, strategies, and real-world impacts voters should understand before heading to the polls. The series aims to cut through political noise and rhetoric while addressing issues that matter most to Texans including economic growth, rural development, civic participation, and the state's evolving identity. The initiative matters because it directly addresses the critical problem of low voter engagement in Texas elections, where single-digit turnout percentages in local races can determine policy directions for years while leaving many citizens feeling disconnected from decisions affecting their communities.