Keith Self

Self was born in 1953 at a military hospital in Philadelphia and graduated from Tascosa High School in Amarillo, Texas.^[1][2] He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1975.^{[3][failed verification][4]} Self is a life member of the National Rifle Association of America.^[1][5]

Self is Protestant.^[6][7]

Self served in the United States Army from 1975 to 1999. He was a member of the Army Special Forces and Army Rangers. He was deployed to Qatar, Egypt, Germany, Afghanistan, and Belgium.^[2] He was a candidate to replace retiring U.S. Representative Dick Armey in 2002, narrowly missing the runoff by 93 votes to future Representative Michael C. Burgess.^[8] He was recalled to active duty from 2002 to 2003, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.^[9] Self was then elected as the county judge^[a] for Collin County, Texas, serving three terms from 2007 to 2018.^[10] He was a candidate for Texas's 3rd congressional district in the March 2022 Republican primary, finishing second to incumbent Van Taylor and advancing to a May runoff.^[11] After the primary, Taylor announced that he would end his congressional campaign amid accusations of marital infidelity, giving Self the nomination.^[12][13] Self won the November general election.^[14]

Tenure

On January 3, 2023, at the beginning of the 118th Congress, Self voted for Jim Jordan and later for Byron Donalds to be the U.S. House Speaker, in rebuke of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.^[15][16][17] "I love the new [U.S. House] rules. I’m looking for somebody that will enforce them", Self said.^[15] In the 12th round of voting, Self changed his vote to McCarthy, saying "we are making progress... This will change this House, let’s be very clear".^[18] Self was one of 15 Republicans to change their votes.^[17][18] McCarthy finally won the speakership on the 15th vote, held early in the morning on Saturday, January 7, with Self voting in favor.^[19][20]

As a consequence of the delay in selecting a new speaker, Self was formally sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives in the early morning of January 7, 2023,^[21] despite the 118th Congress convening on January 3.^[15][22]

2020 election

The Washington Post listed Self as a 2020 presidential election denier.^[23]

District priorities

During his 2022 midterm election campaign, Self listed his priorities for his district as: "Growth challenges such as transportation, proliferation of drag queen shows that target children (I returned a PAC check to a business that sponsored one) and drugs flowing into our area across the border".^[24][25]

Fiscal policy

Self has said that he considers the growth of U.S. national debt "the existential threat that our nation faces today".^[26]

Self was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.^[27]

Gun violence

On May 6, 2023, a gunman used an AR-15 style rifle in an outlet mall shooting that killed eight and wounded seven in Allen, Texas, within Self's district.^[28][29] In the aftermath of the attack, Self was criticized for characterizing people who say that prayer alone will not to stop mass shootings as "people that don't believe in an almighty god, who is absolutely in control of our lives".^[5][28] He followed up by saying that he did not want to discuss politics so soon after a mass shooting; that Allen remains a "very safe area"; and that calls for additional regulation of AR-15 style rifles, including raising the allowable purchasing age, are “a knee-jerk reaction that does not stop criminals.”^[28] Self advocated for arming school staff members with guns and having an armed presence in the public, stating that prayer and full funding of mental health programs are a better remedy for mass shootings than gun control.^[5][28] Shannon Watts, the founder of the advocacy group Moms Demand Action, responded: "Faith without works is dead. Prayers without action are empty."^[5]

It was soon revealed that the gunman, Mauricio Martinez Garcia, enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 2008, but never completed basic training: he was terminated after 3 months due to mental health concerns.^[30][31] Because this was an administrative separation, rather than a punitive discharge, Garcia's termination by the Army would not show up on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.^[32] On May 11, commenting on Garcia's military service, Self characterized him as "exactly the kind of person we’re trying to keep weapons out of the hands of" and said that Garcia's ability to buy guns legally was a loophole that he intends to fix; however, Self denied that he was discussing a red flag law.^[33]

2002

2022

• Congressman Keith Self official U.S. House website
• Keith Self for Congress campaign website
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Appearances on C-SPAN