Background
Steve Keough is a candidate from Texas running for the United States Senate as a Democrat and against Ted Cruiz. He was born in the Massachusetts town of Newton. Keough was a member of the United States Navy from 1973 to 2004. Before his 1987 law degree, he received a 1977 Bachelor of Science degree from the US Naval Academy (Annapolis). In 1979, he hired a plane to fly into Tehran, Iran, to help civilians and military personnel get out of the country after the Shah was killed. He was caught later that same year when the U.S. Embassy was overrun, which was a strange turn of events. His father would end up being held hostage for 444 days. It would turn out that Republicans at the time helped hold up the hostages’ release to help Ronald Reagan win the presidency (“Steve Keough for U.S. Senate,” n.d). After graduating from the Naval Academy, he worked as a submariner and was even a bodyguard for senior admirals. Also, after 9/11, Keough was a senior officer in charge of the teams that ensured that decommissioned Pacific Fleet submarines were ready for battle.
From there, he studied and graduated with a 1983 Master of Science degree in congressional studies from the Catholic University of America (Washington, D.C.). Also, in 1987, he graduated with a Law doctorate from Boston College Law School. His profession encompasses various roles (“Steve Keough,” n.db). The college degree from Boston allowed him to be registered as a U.S. patent attorney, allowing him to practice law in all states. As an attorney, he helped inventors and businesses protect their ideas and creations, especially from people outside the U.S. who wanted to steal American technology. He traveled around the world and worked as a volunteer to support legal changes that would make countries that used to be controlled by the Soviet Union and China more democratic.
Moreover, he worked as a captain in the United States Navy until he retired. He is a law professor at a Catholic University Law School in San Antonio, Texas (“Steve Keough”, n.da). When he ran for U.S. Senate in 2024, Keough was associated with various organizations, including the Texas American Federation of Teachers, American Intellectual Property Law, Association Licensing Executives Society National Rifle, Association Lifetime Member U.S., and Naval Academy Alumni Association.
Stance on Political Issues
Healthcare for All
Keough demonstrates a strong passion for various topics related to the U.S. Senator position, particularly emphasizing reproductive rights for women. Being a father of four, he publicly criticized the Supreme Court for what he perceived as corruption in their ruling. While being interviewed by Your Basin News, he says, “Really, my wife and I’s four adult daughters had very important reproductive rights taken away from them by a somewhat corrupt supreme court and their decisions. These winds have shifted. They have taken away the rights of my adult daughters and millions of other women in this country, and that’s wrong” (Zaragoza, 2023). In his view, no one should interfere with the relationship between doctors and their patients.
His views on healthcare further extend to mental health. When Ronald Reagan defunded mental health in the 1980s, it was a huge financial burden for states. Thus, Steve believes that for the sake of all communities, Texas must make mental health services, both preventative and therapeutic, easily accessible (“Steve Keough for U.S. Senate,” n.d). In this case, he argues for the funding to be done through county and local facilities with little to no interference from the state. Appropriate hospitals and clinics should receive all federal health care funding directly so their communities can receive the necessary care. The purpose of this is to prevent the state government or specific county officials from interfering in an improper and corrupt manner.
He supports the expansion of Medicare and Medicaid. There are a lot of people in Texas who need medical care, but Steve has a solution. Most of today’s most popular medical procedures include long-distance travel, and his plan is centered around such procedures (“Steve Keough for U.S. Senate,” n.d). He argues that considering our national resources, the ultimate objective should be to offer healthcare to the maximum number of people possible. He plans to minimize the number of healthcare deserts in Texas.
His opinions further extend to veterans he believes should have better healthcare access.Steve believes veterans should have easier access to healthcare facilities so they do not have to travel far for various treatments. In addition, Steve plans to rescind a law that allows for sizable co-payments on all prescription drugs (“Steve Keough for U.S. Senate,” n.d). Lastly, he believes that dental health is essential. Maintaining good oral health is an important part of overall health care. Though it may surprise many, he argues that poor dental health is the biggest obstacle to military readiness. As such, the State and Country should offer comprehensive oral health care to all students during their college years as a component of the healthcare system because it has sufficient resources to do so. Steve believes this is a significant inheritance that can be offered to all young citizens.
Gun Safety
Steve believes in the right to bear arms responsibly and in a well-regulated military. However, in his view, that is not the current state of affairs in the United States. He argues that it is more accurate to say that the dangerous chaos is a result of the false supremacy that has been established around the United States Constitution’s Second Amendment. As such, it is possible to make constitutional and acceptable changes to law-abiding gun owners. Thus, he claims that every citizen must be safeguarded to restore our community’s feeling of security and well-being (“Steve Keough for U.S. Senate,” n.d). As a young Navy officer, Steve was the main bodyguard for high-ranking admirals in the U.S. Navy, especially during their overseas travels. As a protector, he utilized numerous best practices known to experienced law enforcement officials. One important skill he developed was the ability to exercise discretion in applying force and prioritize safeguarding innocent civilians. His practical experience with weapons sets him apart from other candidates, some of whom merely brag about the firearms they possess. He has the belief that the majority of gun owners are responsible individuals. Responsible gun owners, regardless of their political views, see the need for changes to enhance gun safety in our communities. Thus, Steve argues that progress has been achieved, but further advancements are required.
He then offers several recommendations for further advancements to be achieved. First, he advocates for the implementation of red flag laws to safeguard communities from gun owners experiencing temporary instability due to life events, such as mental or physical health issues or other problems (“Steve Keough for U.S. Senate,” n.d). Red flag laws are intended to remove dangerous weapons from unstable individuals, with the possibility of regaining access to the weapons after their mental health has improved. He proceeds to give an example with the case of Maine, where he argues that if Maine had implemented a red flag law in 2023, it might have prevented the recent tragic mass shooting and saved numerous lives.
Second, he recommends removing every military armament from local areas and neighborhoods. Steve argues that no mature gun owner wants to be near an immature or untrained shooter with a high-powered weapon meant for armed conflict. Even gun range operators indeed feel uneasy in their presence. Additionally, ordinary, unarmed citizens who are otherwise going about their business peacefully are frightened by the presence of such weapons (“Steve Keough for U.S. Senate,” n.d). These high-powered weapons are frequently carried by young or troubled individuals or by people with irrational grievances. These combinations are all hazardous. Unfortunately, when gun owners murder with their firearms, they frequently end up using the weapons on themselves or succumb to their injuries when resisting surrender, which is a tragedy in all areas.
Lastly, Steve intends to pursue the closure of liability loopholes for those who produce and sell these weapons for civilian purposes. He argues that Congress should appropriately regulate these extremely dangerous items (“Steve Keough for U.S. Senate”, n.d). All weapons must be accompanied by mandatory training and age requirements before purchase. Both the “Gun Show Loophole” and the liability loophole for unlicensed gun dealers should be closed. As such, Steve wholeheartedly endorse all the initiatives of the organization Moms Demand Action. This organization offers important training to gun owners on safeguarding children and youth from improperly kept firearms and ammunition.
Conclusion
While running for senate in the U.S., Steve Keough brings diverse experiences to the table, having served in the Navy, practiced law, and taught. He is deeply committed to healthcare reform, which includes ensuring veterans have access to medical treatments, addressing mental health, and protecting reproductive rights. Regarding gun safety, he supports responsible gun ownership and advocates for measures such as “red flag” laws and the elimination of sales loopholes. Security and community well-being are the focal points of Keough’s pragmatic policymaking, informed by his background as a Navy commander and legal expert.
References
Steve Keough for U.S. Senate. (n.d). Experience matters Steve Keough for United States senate from Texas. https://keoughforsenate.com/
Steve Keough. (n.da). Ballotpedia.https://ballotpedia.org/Steve_Keough
Steve Keough. (n.db). St. Mary’s University: School of Law.https://law.stmarytx.edu/academics/faculty/steven-keough/
Zaragoza, J. (2023, December 4). U.S. Senate candidate visits Big Spring. Your Basin. https://www.yourbasin.com/news/local-news/us-senate-candidate-visits-big-spring/
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