Democrat Steven Keough: Road to US Senate in Texas runs through El Paso

For retired U.S. Navy captain and law professor Steven Keough, who recently made his first trip to the Sun City, the road to the U.S. Senate runs straight through the Borderland.

Keough launched his campaign against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz after hearing from Hispanic veterans in San Antonio, who told him that a "strong Democrat" with a "conservative background" could topple the three-term Republican senator.

"We can do this," Keough said during a conversation in El Paso's Hilton Garden Inn lobby in late June. "I think more people realize that there is an urgent need in a lot of areas to do very good things and make sure that Texas, the great nation-state of Texas ... we have to channel our successes and our opportunities in a way that leads the rest of the country."

"We can do this and it's very critical," he continued. "And I'm totally devoted to getting it done."

Born near Boston, Keough moved around the Northeast as a child as his parents, both educators, regularly moved for work. After high school in Long Island, Keough joined the Navy and, afterwards, received his law degree and settled in St. Paul, his wife's hometown.

It was only a few years ago Keough took a professor post at St. Mary Law School at St. Mary University in San Antonio, finally planting roots in Texas after recommendations from family members for years.

Though he will have to survive a Democratic primary against former Tennessee Titans player U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, before going toe-to-toe with Cruz in the general election, Keough already has his sights set on tackling immigration, women's reproductive rights, and guns.

Keough on first visit to El Paso: 'It's an absolute delight'

Though he has passed through the Sun City in the past, Keough's recent visit represented the first time he spent time in El Paso, where he stayed busy introducing himself to voters and making his pitch for their support.

"It's an absolute delight," Keough said of the city. "I enjoy this town very much. I enjoy the culture, the mix of culture — there's a binational culture here that's very unique."

And though he praised his dinner at L&J Cafe, Keough has bigger things on his mind, such as El Paso's "rich Democratic history" and its impact on national trade and commerce, both of which he said makes the city a key part of his Senate bid.

"I think what a lot of people outside of El Paso don't know, and I will make sure they do, is the force this city represents in our national economy," Keough said, noting the city's cross-border trade and vibrant rail system. "That, to me, makes this one of the most strategic cities in the United States."

"I'm coming away after a few days," he added, "with just incredible admiration for this city."

Nation has 'responsibilities and duties along the border'

Regarding policy proposals, Keough is keenly focused on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border, both of which he said continue to suffer from "a lot of legacy problems."

"This is obviously a border city," Keough said of El Paso, "and really it's an example, in many regards, of how border relations should be done in this country."

Other areas along the border, however, continue to struggle he said. While visiting refugee camps in Matamoros, Mexico, just across the border from Brownsville in South Texas, Keough met with migrants and heard the stories of the "terrible ordeals" that have led them thousands of miles from their homes in search of asylum.

"What I took away from that was that we as a nation have responsibilities and duties along the border," Keough said. "Our responsibilities are, number one, to keep Americans safe and secure and also to have policies than ensure continually thriving economies along the border. Here, that is in place, but in Southern parts of the border, it's not."

"We can do better," he added.

More: Help wanted: Labor shortage hits hard in rural West Texas as US slams door on migrants

To that end, Keough has drafted a seven-point plan to quickly address the nation's long-beleaguered immigration system. The plan includes the following provisions:

• Surge resources for immigration processing of people seeking asylum, starting with CBP One interview personnel;

• Improve oversight and funding of the Shelters and Service Program administered by FEMA to ensure border area communities are properly funded;

• Expedite work authorization from six months to immediately;

• Reduce the backlog of immigration court hearings with more judges, staff and resources;

• Investigate asylum ruling disparities among immigration judges, which see some cities turning away the vast majority of asylum-seekers;

• Modernize the family visa system in which family members can be forced to wait over 20 years to be reunited depending on their country of origin;

• Update the Green Card Registry from 1972 to a more recent date in order to bring people into the workforce again as tax-paying, productive, legal members of society.

"These are just examples of someone outside of the system looking at this ... looking at how we can make some rapid changes that can really have the effect of improving people's lives," Keough said. "That's what we're talking about here."

"I am promoting this, and I will push this hard because I have it seared in my memory those poor little children (at the Matamoros camp) who are surviving the only way they can," he added. "I would challenge any politician to spend even one night in one of those camps."

A focus on gun safety, reproductive rights

While Keough considers himself a salt-of-the-earth Democrat, he noted that his experience in the Navy, which saw him become a submariner and act as a security guard for senior admirals, gave him an understanding and appreciation for firearms, something many Republicans believe does not jibe with Democratic ideals.

"It taught me tremendous skill sets in terms of small arms handling ... and what that does for me as a candidate, it allows me to talk about those issues without fear from anyone," he said, noting that he enjoys targeting shooting. "I'm not some crazy person about guns, but I appreciate, especially in Texas, the importance of gun ownership."

"This is not an issue that anyone should start challenging this Democrat on," Keough continued. "I hope people will appreciate that that is a value I think is important."

When it comes to women's reproductive rights, which were significantly abridged after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Texas's near-total abortion ban took effect, Keough said his campaign has skin in the game — one of his staffers, who was forced to carry a deceased child to term, is among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the state.

Additionally, Keough said having a wife and four daughters, the issue hits close to home.

"They are now considered second-class citizens under the law with regard to reproductive health rights, as are all women," he said. "And it has an effect on men, too."

"When I say we're serious about it," he continued, "we're darn serious about it and we have the best team to implement these changes."

Beating back 'disgusting failed leadership of Ted Cruz'

Though Keough is largely focused on policy, he also had harsh words for Cruz, who he called a "coward" for escaping to Cancun when Texas faced widespread power outages and freezing temperatures in February 2021 and a "traitor" for his part in the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

He likewise blasted Cruz for his involvement with disgraced Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the lawsuit against Dell Medical System, which operated a community program for young people, including trans-youth.

"Let's target the vulnerable," Keough said, "let's target the families that are getting honest-to-God medical care for their children. Why was (Cruz) there? Because he does not care about people, he goes out of his way to hurt people."

"I say you can gain more credit by helping people in need than you can by hurting people who are vulnerable," Keough said. "That's how I was brought up and I believe how most Texans were brought up."

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Retired Navy captain Steven Keough looks to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz