REP. CHIP ROY SOMETIMES DISAGREES WITH HIS 'LIBERTARIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS'

THE TEXAS CONGRESSMAN ON SPENDING, IMMIGRATION, AND THE AMERICAN DREAM

- NICK GILLESPIE

REP. CHIP ROY (R-Texas), who recently announced that he is running to replace Ken Paxton as Texas attorney general, has carved out a reputation as one of Washington's most unflinching fiscal hawks. His political career began as an aide to then-Texas Attorney General John Cornyn on his Senate campaign; he subsequently served as chief of staff to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. First elected to Congress in 2018, Roy distinguished himself as a lawmaker willing to buck party leadership, most notably by opposing spending bills favored by both Republicans and Democrats.

Today, Roy is a critic of runaway federal spending and at times a thorn in the side of political leadership, which has led President Donald Trump to call for primary challenges against him. He has taken high-profile stands on the debt ceiling, entitlement reform, and what he calls the "tyranny" of a government that funds itself by mortgaging future generations.

He also voted for the president's budget-busting One Big Beautiful Bill Act, arguing that its reductions to Medicaid were better than nothing. In August, at a 90th birthday celebration for former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), Roy sat down with Reason's Nick Gillespie to explain that vote, as well as to discuss Social Security, health care reform, immigration, whether his state's controversial redistricting plan is legitimate, and why he believes Texas still embodies the American dream.

Reason: You are a rare voice of fiscal shrinking in Washington, D.C. That has put you in the crosshairs with Donald Trump in particular. You don’t want to raise the debt ceiling unless there’s a reduction in spending. You pushed back against the Big Beautiful Bill, although you did cave and support it.

Chip Roy: We'll come back to the word cave, but OK.

Well, you voted for it. Talk a little bit about your general philosophy. Why is it so important that government spending be either held constant or reduced?