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Lucci
Candidate Matthew Lucci is seeking election for the 25th Congressional District of Texas on the Republican Party ticket against longt ime incumbent Roger Williams and challenger Vince Crabb for the March 5 primary.
Lucci is an advocate for ending the opioid crisis.
Currently 25, Lucci, if elected, will be 26 on inauguration day, and would be the youngest member of the house.
“Americans are hurting, and we feel that all across our district,” Lucci said. “I’m running for Congress because our families are dying of fentanyl poisoning, we have a crisis at our southern border and in our backyards, and it’s harder than ever to pay our bills here at home.”
The crisis at the border in regard to the opioid epidemic struck close to home for Lucci who had a close friend die from a pill laced with fentanyl.
“I didn’t even know she was addicted,” he said.
It was this friend that inspired Lucci to start Runatek, a medical technology company that is developing devices for pain management while detecting opioids in postsurgical patients.
Needing funds for his company, he moved out of his apartment and into his car three years ago in order to put every spare dollar into his business.
His goal is to end the opioid crisis that has taken the lives of friends and family members across the country, including the latest wave of fentanyl pouring across the southern border.
“I'm very frustrated with congress. It’s unacceptable to me that nothing has been done. My friend might be alive today if legislation had been passed to aid the border,” he said.
Lucci said securing the border would have to be a multi-prong approach including funding a border wall and funding more border control agents in order to stop the push and pull of drugs into the country.
“It’s personal to me. I’m running for those families who have lost a loved one in this drug epidemic,” he said.
Lucci is the youngest congressional candidate in America, which he said comes with a unique set of challenges, but also a unique set of opportunities.
“I have a perspective that few other members of congress have, and folks across our district are looking for new blood to lead this nation. We know that those who got us into this mess are not going to be the ones to get us out of it. Most of the folks that I speak with are excited that someone young is bringing some energy back to the Republican party and willing to fight for our conservative values,” he said.
Lucci said one of the biggest issues that has emerged in the campaign is the pervasive evil of human trafficking.
“There are over 2000 children trafficked for sex in our district every single week. That’s why I authored the Congressional Pledge to Fight Human Trafficking that’s been signed by dozens of candidates across the country,” he said.
While campaigning, Lucci said he has learned that there are so many people who are tired of the same politicians who forget about their constituents when they go to Washington D.C.
“They are tired of the fact that nothing gets done until there’s a primary challenger pushing important issues to the forefront; Tired of ‘politics as usual,’ because that’s not working anymore. There’s a growing movement to take our country back from the career politicians and return the power into the hands of the people who live and work here. That’s what politics should be about, and I’m blessed to be growing this movement every day,” Lucci said.
As well as serving as an advisor and mentor to startup medical technology companies in the DFW area, he is an adjunct professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler. He also sits on the industry advisory board for a local organization building job training programs for North Texans to earn highpaying jobs in manufacturing and technology.
Born and raised in Venus, Lucci is supported by his wife, Yendry, family and friends. Those interested in finding out more information about Lucci, can go to www. luccifortexas.com.