Thomas Kost
float:right; border:1px solid #FFB81F; background-color: white; width: 250px; font-size: .9em; margin-bottom:0px;
} .infobox p { margin-bottom: 0; } .widget-row { display: inline-block; width: 100%; margin-top: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; } .widget-row.heading { font-size: 1.2em; } .widget-row.value-only { text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.value-only.white { background-color: #f9f9f9; } .widget-row.value-only.black { background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; } .widget-row.Democratic { background-color: #003388; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Republican { background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Libertarian { background-color: #f9d334; color: black; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Green { background-color: green; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-key { width: 43%; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold; } .widget-value { width: 57%; float: right; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; word-wrap: break-word; } .widget-img { width: 150px; display: block; margin: auto; } .clearfix { clear: both; }
Thomas Kost (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 46. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Kost completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Thomas Kost was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston in 1994. Kost's career experience includes working as a product management executive for a local technology company. He has been associated with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the Council of Clubs and Independents.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 46
Incumbent Sheryl Cole defeated Samuel Strasser and Thomas Kost in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 46 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Sheryl Cole (D) | 75.5 | 47,273 |
 | Samuel Strasser (R)  | 21.8 | 13,628 | |
 | Thomas Kost (L) | 2.8 | 1,726 | |
| Total votes: 62,627 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 46
Incumbent Sheryl Cole advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 46 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sheryl Cole | 100.0 | 13,845 |
| Total votes: 13,845 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 46
Samuel Strasser advanced from the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 46 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Samuel Strasser | 100.0 | 3,149 |
| Total votes: 3,149 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for Texas House of Representatives District 46
Thomas Kost advanced from the Libertarian convention for Texas House of Representatives District 46 on March 12, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Thomas Kost (L) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Thomas Kost completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kost's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
Tom Kost is an avid Motorcyclist and Technology Executive who loves the State of Texas and the freedoms we enjoy here. As a Libertarian, he promotes both social and economic freedoms. If elected, he will reduce the size and role of government in our lives.
- Ending illegal and overbearing executive Mandates. Making laws is the responsibility of the legislature, not the Executive branch.
- Lower taxes through more focused spending. Much of what government does has and can be better handled by private organizations.
- Bringing unity and building bridges to all people, and all communities in the Greater Austin area and in Texas. When we are divided, our power is greatly reduced.
I'm very passionate about:
- Freedom and Privacy
- Equal Rights and Protection all communities
- Defending our Constitutional rights. All of them, but particularly the 1st and 2nd Amendment.
- Education: Our current system was severely impacted by COVID lockdowns. The students affected by this need support quickly as possible the missed learning opportunities.
- Being an actual representative of The People regardless of minority, ethnic identity or social or sexual orientation
The two books I recommend are:
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand who lived in Russia during the birth of Communism
On Liberty by John Stuart Mill who teaches that society has no right to implement restrictions "for your own good or safey"
- Listening to the will of the people and serving those interests
- Ethics, honesty, and being unafraid to discuss real issues that often controversial
I am a very open and honest person. I can easily see and respect the opinions of others. The desire to serve this community and increase the personal freedoms and economic opportunities is very strong and natural for me.
The core responsibilities include:
1. Meeting with constituents to understand the concerns or render help and assistance
2. Removing or enacting laws to protect or enhance the citizens rights and well being
3. Raising a critical eye towards spending and taxes with a view of guiding an enabling services to provided by private entities whenever possible.
My very first historical event that I remember is the Apollo 13 incident. I was merely 2.5 years old, and my sister was born on April 15th 1970. I was there at the hospital with my extended family, and everyone was watching the TV and talking about the Astronauts. It was only later when we studied history that I realized Apollo 13 was on my sister's birthday and remembered the actual events. It must have impacted me because I always then wanted to be an Astronaut but ended up becoming an Electrical Engineer. I’m glad that we are retuning to the moon with NASA project Artemis which begins this year and a full half century since out last footsteps were left on the moon.
There are so many great characters to choose from. I have always wanted to be Aragon, the Ranger, from the Lord of the Rings. He was very humble and loyal character who did not fear evil or an impossible challenge.
The idea relationship is working together but maintaining the important distinctions between the two branches. Executive orders compromise and take the powers granted to the legislature. The Governor has an active role in suggesting and enforcing legislation.
The greatest challenge in the next decade is restoring power and freedoms to the people of Texas. My first action if elected would be to repeal many wrongheaded and unconstitutional laws and executive orders.
I do not see the point of this question as Texas is bicameral and there are no significant discussions to change this.
Some experience would be beneficial but not necessary. However many legislators remain in office for lengthy periods of time and end up becoming too powerful and/or corrupt.
Naturally it is beneficial to build relationships with other legislators as passing or sunsetting laws requires the support of the majority. Moreover, building relationships in general is a fun and human connecting process. It's equally if not more important to build relationships the people of the district you represent.
This is an important topic because Texas districts are often if not completely gerrymandered. I would be in favor of changing the Texas process to an independent, citizen staffed commission.
I would be interested in serving the Criminal Justice committee for several reasons:
1. Protecting and enhancing our privacy and constitutional rights.
2. I would seek to make marijuana legal for sale and personal use. and to expunge previous misdemeanor convictions
3. Legislative oversight of our Law Enforcement community is needed to restore and reduce policing excesses like illegal searches and civil rights violations and vastly inappropriate use of force
I tend to model the great legislators and heros who created this great United States of America, for example Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin. One of my ancestors is Sir Thomas Nelson who is one of the signers of the declaration of independance.
That is something I have not spent much time thinking about, but I'd prefer to focus on Texas. This office would not be a stepping stone for me.
As a biker I have heard and seen with my own eyes police harassments. Beyond what we see on the news regularly I can only imagine what harassments are made toward other minorities and marginalized groups. Police profiling is all too common and this not only violates our rights, but wastes valuable police resources.
Yes, there should be specific time limits after which legislative approval must be granted. Our rights do not end during an emergency, in fact, that's when they are most needed.
Compromise is essential for policymaking. Libertarians are the balance between both Republicans and Democrats. Certain principles can not be compromised such as our constitutional rights.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
.contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
.contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
.external_links_table { width: auto !important; }
@media (max-width:600px) {
.contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;}
.contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
}
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 6, 2022
