Pakistan-born, Muslim candidate Summara Kanwal isn’t Katy and Fort Bend Christian Magazines’ typical choice to endorse for a Texas State Representative position. When we endorsed her over a Christian candidate in the primary election cycle, we took a lot of heat from sharers of our faith.
This criticism was understandable; as vehement, God-loving Christians with an active engagement in politics, one would expect that we’d back candidates who match our beliefs. Ordinarily, we do— when we identify a Christian candidate who we believe will fight for our rights and values in office.
But at times, we must acknowledge that some self-described Christian politicians are Pharisees, declaring to share our faith while campaigning, and voting against the biblical worldview while in office. Likewise, some who don’t share our same faith will fight for the rights and values we hold dear while in office. We’ve found this to be the case with Kanwal.
Kanwal, a Muslim woman, has led a grassroots battle against the sexualization of kids in public schools for quite some time. She is a fighter, and we believe that she will work her hardest to protect our children if elected to office.
As always, Katy and Fort Bend Christian Magazines believe in the intelligence and autonomy of thought and opinion of our readers. We like Kanwal, so we sat down and conducted an exclusive Q&A interview with her. Read it and decide for yourself what you think.
Q: Tell us about your upbringing and immigration to the U.S.
A: “I was born in Pakistan. I did my Masters in English Language and Literature at the National University of Modern Languages in Islamabad, Pakistan,” Kanwal described. “Twelve years ago, I got married to my husband. He was a single dad of two wonderful kids.”
“We patiently waited in line for almost a year for my immigration process [to the U.S. to be approved]. We now have four kids, and our eldest is an Aggie freshman. Our youngest is six years old.”
Q: Who are you facing in the runoff election next month?
A: “Lea Catrina Sue Simmons.”
Q: What relevant experience do you bring to the race for Texas HD-76?
A: “I have been an educator all my life,” Kanwal said. “In Pakistan, I was a principal of a very highly reputed high school. In the U.S., I have worked in the Special Education department in a local school district.”
“Above all, I am a very concerned mother and homemaker. The current, all-out assault of ‘gender modification’ and ‘gender fluidity’ [ideologies] by the liberal progressive elite mob on our young kids is unacceptable. The ever-increasing inflation is [reaping] havoc on ordinary citizens’ home budgets. I live this dilemma daily, and I want to shake things up in Austin.”
Q: Why did you choose to run in this election?
A: “Gender modification and gender fluidity being pushed is very dangerous for the future of this great nation of ours. I [noticed] that not many people were ready to fight for our kids. I have taken it upon myself to have people join me and send a message to all: ‘Leave Our Kids Alone,’” Kanwal declared.
“As a Muslim American and an immigrant, I have witnessed some concerning changes in our society during my 10 years in this great state. The liberal progressive agenda, in my opinion, is having a negative impact on our future. HD76 was established in Fort Bend County with the intention of providing an opportunity for an immigrant to win. However, I believe it is time to flip this district and elect a conservative representative who can truly represent the faith-based community that calls HD76 home. I strongly believe that I am the best candidate for this endeavor,” she continued on her website.
Q: What are your top two priorities in office, if elected?
A: “Firstly, I want to introduce and pass a comprehensive ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights,’” Kanwal pledged.
“I am committed to protecting the well-being of our children with my ‘Leave Our Kids Alone’ initiative. It deeply concerns me that children from kindergarten to high school are being exposed to early sexualization, often at the taxpayers’ expense. Concepts such as gender fluidity and gender modification are being forced upon elementary school-aged children, and biological males are allowed to compete in girls’ sports. Additionally, explicit sexual content is being introduced into school libraries,” she elaborated on her website.
“This is not just a problem in California or New York; it is gradually infiltrating Texas as well. While Texas has passed bills to safeguard our children, some of these measures have been challenged in federal courts. We must put an end to this progressive assault on our kids immediately. I will work tirelessly to establish a comprehensive Parents’ Bill of Rights that ensures parents remain in charge of their children’s education and lives. It is crucial that we stand up against the progressive assault and firmly declare, ‘Leave Our Kids Alone.’”
“Secondly, I want to introduce and pass a bill that will hold woke judges and district attorneys accountable,” she said.
“I strongly believe in holding judges and district attorneys accountable for their actions. Liberal judges and district attorneys frequently release habitual criminals on low or no bond, leading to the perpetuation of more crimes. These offenses can range from aggravated assault to even murder. This pattern must come to an end. We must hold judges and district attorneys responsible for granting bail to criminals who have committed serious crimes and continue to engage in criminal activities once released,” she expanded on her website.
Q: Do you live in HD-76? In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges facing HD-76 residents?
A: “Yes, I live in HD76,” Kanwal said. “We are a diverse community of immigrants and are very concerned about the future of our kids. Our kids need to be taught Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in our schools.”
“[Furthermore, we should not have a] woke agenda pushed on our kids. We need energy independence and a secure border for secure homes. We need to secure our borders to stop the flow of drugs and human trafficking.”
“I am dedicated to securing our border. Every citizen is promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. A secure home is fundamental to achieving these aspirations,” Kanwal continued on her website. “The situation at our southern border is not only a humanitarian crisis, but also a cover for human smuggling and sex trafficking by criminal cartels. The influx of drugs has resulted in tragic overdose cases among Americans. While the current administration plays politics with this issue, I will ensure that our courageous law enforcement officers have all the necessary resources to secure the border effectively.”
Q: What endorsements have you received?
A: “I have an AQ rating from the NRA,” Kanwal began. “The Fort Bend Conservatives PAC has recommended me, along with LinkLetter, Turf, the Fort Bend County Christian Voters’ Guide, and MacPAC, which is the Muslim-American Conservatives PAC.”
“[Additionally], I have signed the Term Limits Pledge, the Texas First Pledge and the No Big Tech Money Pledge.”
Q: How are you uniquely qualified to hold this representative position?
A: “I believe that, once elected, I will not only represent the citizens of HD76, but also all Texans,” Kanwal said. “I am an immigrant and believe in legal immigration only. I am a mother and understand the challenges parents are facing.”
“I will work tirelessly to pass a comprehensive ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’ that will include school choice and vouchers. Every parent has the right to send their kids to the best schools.”
“As a mother of four, I want the best for all our children, as they are the future of our great state. Protecting and securing our future requires conservative, faith-based individuals to represent us in Austin. I am one of those individuals. I am not a career politician, but rather someone who works for and with the people,” she said on her website.
Q: Please explain your stances on these four pressing Republican voter issues: immigration, economy, and foreign policy.
A: Immigration: “We [must only permit] legal immigration with secure borders,” Kanwal stated.
A: Economy: “We need to let business progress with limited or no regulations. We need to let the energy industry explore all energy resources with no mandates and continue to be leaders in the energy sector. We need to be energy independent.”
A: Foreign Policy: “We need to speak softly and carry a big stick,” Kanwal said, quoting former President Theodore Roosevelt. “We also need to stop funding unending foreign wars and spend those trillions here, in the U.S., on infrastructure, veterans, education, developing new technologies [and so on].”
Q: Lastly, is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
A: “I am a Muslim. I am an American. I am a Texan. I am an immigrant,” Kanwal described. “Texas is part of me, and I am part of Texas. We need to shake Austin up and drain the swamp.”
“[Additionally,] we need term limits and campaign finance reform in Texas to ensure that ordinary Texans can get elected to office. Once elected, we need to serve the people, not special interests or big corporations.”
“I strongly believe that together, we can.”
