Earnest "Clayton" Clayton is from Port Arthur, Texas. He is the first in his family to pursue a terminal degree. 

I began my career in public health, serving Houston communities to confront inequities that affect everyday families. My work supported Black, Hispanic, and Brown communities, mixed-status households, and the LGBTQ+ community, while addressing women’s health and the rising rates of maternal mortality. Later, I carried that same passion into education, teaching Health Science and preparing students for life beyond graduation. Even while teaching, I continued my work in public health and policy to expand access to care, promote equity, and strengthen communities across Houston. For more than twenty years, I have worked at the intersection of health, infrastructure, and policy, addressing the issues that shape everyday life. From advancing equitable health programs and strengthening community partnerships to supporting schools and neighborhoods with limited resources, I have focused on creating systems that work for people, not against them.

Q&A: Hear from the Democratic primary candidates running for US House District 9

Earnest Clayton Jr. is a public health epidemiologist, educator, and policy professional with over 20 years of experience.

Supports strengthening small businesses through grants, low-interest loans, and technical assistance for local entrepreneurs.

Supports promoting fair wages and worker protections to help families afford to live where they work.

Believes in promoting "fair wages and worker protections" to help families afford to live where they work.

Supports expanding broadband and digital access to facilitate remote work, online business, and modern workforce skills.

Supports federal investment in job creation, particularly in manufacturing, clean energy, healthcare, and technology.

Advocates for federal investment in job creation, particularly in manufacturing, clean energy, healthcare, and technology.

- Supports strengthening small businesses through grants, low-interest loans, and technical assistance for local entrepreneurs.
- Believes in promoting "fair wages and worker protections" to help families afford to live where they work.
- Supports expanding broadband and digital access to facilitate remote work, online business, and modern workforce skills.
- Advocates for federal investment in job creation, particularly in manufacturing, clean energy, healthcare, and technology.

Economy

Supports investing in community-based violence prevention programs that address root causes before crime occurs.

Supports expanding mental health crisis services, including stronger 988 staffing, training, and coordination, to provide families with help in moments of crisis without relying solely on law enforcement.

Seeks to expand mental health crisis services, including stronger 988 staffing, training, and coordination, to provide families with help in moments of crisis without relying solely on law enforcement.

For Candidate Earnest Clayton, Jr. on Issue public-safety:  
Supports increasing transparency and accountability in public safety agencies to rebuild trust.

Believes in "increasing transparency and accountability" in public safety agencies to rebuild trust.

Supports youth programs and mentorship opportunities to keep young people engaged and safe.

Supports improving emergency response systems to ensure faster fire, police, and EMS support in high-risk areas.

Advocates for "improving emergency response systems" to ensure faster fire, police, and Emergency Medical Services support in high-risk areas.

Supports securing federal funding for safer streets, including improvements in lighting, sidewalks, and traffic safety.

Seeks to secure federal funding for safer streets, including improvements in lighting, sidewalks, and traffic safety.

For Candidate Earnest Clayton, Jr. on Issue public-safety:  
Supports strengthening disaster and chemical release notifications to provide residents with timely and accurate information.

Wants to strengthen disaster and chemical release notifications to provide residents with timely and accurate information.

For Candidate Earnest Clayton, Jr. on Issue public-safety: Supports promoting community oversight and accountability to ensure public institutions, including law enforcement, serve residents with fairness and transparency.

Promotes "community oversight and accountability" to ensure public institutions, including law enforcement, serve residents with "fairness and transparency."

- Supports investing in community-based violence prevention programs that address root causes before crime occurs.
- Seeks to expand mental health crisis services, including stronger 988 staffing, training, and coordination, to provide families with help in moments of crisis without relying solely on law enforcement.
- Believes in "increasing transparency and accountability" in public safety agencies to rebuild trust.
- Supports youth programs and mentorship opportunities to keep young people engaged and safe.
- Advocates for "improving emergency response systems" to ensure faster fire, police, and Emergency Medical Services support in high-risk areas.
- Seeks to secure federal funding for safer streets, including improvements in lighting, sidewalks, and traffic safety.
- Wants to strengthen disaster and chemical release notifications to provide residents with timely and accurate information.
- Promotes "community oversight and accountability" to ensure public institutions, including law enforcement, serve residents with "fairness and transparency."

Public Safety

Supports protecting and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid to ensure seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families receive necessary care.

Supports protecting and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid to ensure seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families "receive the care they rely on."

Supports ensuring Affordable Care Act plans remain affordable by expanding premium subsidies, reducing out-of-pocket costs, and keeping Marketplace plans accessible for working families.

Promises to ensure Affordable Care Act plans "remain affordable" by expanding premium subsidies, reducing out-of-pocket costs, and "guaranteeing that Marketplace plans stay within reach" for working families.

Aims to increase federal funding for community clinics and mobile health units to improve access to primary care and specialty services in underserved neighborhoods.

Aims to increase federal funding for community clinics and mobile health units.

Supports promoting telehealth access for medical, behavioral, and preventive services to reduce transportation barriers.

Advocates for telehealth access for medical, behavioral, and preventive services to reduce transportation barriers.

Plans to grow the healthcare workforce by supporting training programs for nurses, mental health providers, EMS workers, and community health workers in District 9.

- Supports protecting and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid to ensure seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families "receive the care they rely on."
- Promises to ensure Affordable Care Act plans "remain affordable" by expanding premium subsidies, reducing out-of-pocket costs, and "guaranteeing that Marketplace plans stay within reach" for working families.
- Aims to increase federal funding for community clinics and mobile health units.
- Advocates for telehealth access for medical, behavioral, and preventive services to reduce transportation barriers.
- Plans to grow the healthcare workforce by supporting training programs for nurses, mental health providers, EMS workers, and community health workers in District 9.

Healthcare

Opposes efforts to defund or privatize public education, including voucher programs that drain resources from neighborhood schools.

Opposes efforts to defund or privatize public education, including voucher programs that "drain resources" from neighborhood schools.

Supports strengthening career and technical education to ensure students graduate with certifications and job-ready skills.

Aims to strengthen career and technical education so "students can graduate with certifications and job-ready skills."

Supports investing in early education, after-school programs, and literacy support to help students thrive.

Supports investing in early education, after-school programs, and literacy support to "help students thrive from the start."

Supports teachers through fair pay, retention programs, and safe working conditions.

Wants teachers to have "fair pay, retention programs, and safe working conditions."

Supports expanding community college and workforce training pathways to provide affordable routes into good-paying careers for young people and adults.

Believes in expanding community college and workforce training pathways.

- Opposes efforts to defund or privatize public education, including voucher programs that "drain resources" from neighborhood schools.
- Aims to strengthen career and technical education so "students can graduate with certifications and job-ready skills."
- Supports investing in early education, after-school programs, and literacy support to "help students thrive from the start."
- Wants teachers to have "fair pay, retention programs, and safe working conditions."
- Believes in expanding community college and workforce training pathways.

Education

Supports stronger federal oversight and environmental compliance to protect communities from industrial runoff and overdevelopment.

Wants stronger federal oversight and environmental compliance to "protect communities from industrial runoff and overdevelopment."

For Candidate Earnest Clayton, Jr. on Issue energy-and-environment: Supports expanding green infrastructure, including detention ponds, permeable surfaces, and tree-canopy projects to reduce heat and absorb excess water.

Advocates for expanding green infrastructure, including detention ponds, permeable surfaces, and tree-canopy projects to reduce heat and absorb excess water.

For Candidate Earnest Clayton, Jr. on Issue energy-and-environment:  
Supports fighting for equitable distribution of federal recovery funds to ensure working-class and historically underserved neighborhoods are not left behind.

Claims he will fight for "equitable distribution of federal recovery funds so working-class and historically underserved neighborhoods are not left behind — again."

For Candidate Earnest Clayton, Jr. on Issue energy-and-environment:  
Aims to secure major federal funding for drainage upgrades, flood-mitigation projects, and resilient infrastructure in high-risk neighborhoods.

Aims to secure federal funding for drainage upgrades, flood-mitigation projects, and resilient infrastructure in high-risk neighborhoods.

Supports prioritizing bayou improvements, levee strengthening, and critical stormwater projects in collaboration with the Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA.

Prioritizes bayou improvements, levee strengthening, and stormwater projects in collaboration with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Wants stronger federal oversight and environmental compliance to "protect communities" from industrial runoff and overdevelopment.

For Candidate Earnest Clayton, Jr. on Issue energy-and-environment: Supports elevation assistance, home hardening programs, and buyout options for families living in areas that flood repeatedly.

Seeks assistance with elevation, home hardening programs, and buyout options for families living in areas that repeatedly flood.

Supports improving disaster-response systems with faster alerts, better evacuation planning, and coordinated support for vulnerable residents during storms.

Believes in improving disaster-response systems with faster alerts, better evacuation planning, and coordinated support for "vulnerable residents" during storms.

Supports environmental clean-up efforts and the removal of hazardous sites that have harmed neighborhoods for decades.

Supports environmental clean-up efforts and the removal of hazardous sites that have "harmed neighborhoods for decades."

- Wants stronger federal oversight and environmental compliance to "protect communities from industrial runoff and overdevelopment."
- Advocates for expanding green infrastructure, including detention ponds, permeable surfaces, and tree-canopy projects to reduce heat and absorb excess water.
- Claims he will fight for "equitable distribution of federal recovery funds so working-class and historically underserved neighborhoods are not left behind — again."
- Aims to secure federal funding for drainage upgrades, flood-mitigation projects, and resilient infrastructure in high-risk neighborhoods.
- Prioritizes bayou improvements, levee strengthening, and stormwater projects in collaboration with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
- Wants stronger federal oversight and environmental compliance to "protect communities" from industrial runoff and overdevelopment.
- Seeks assistance with elevation, home hardening programs, and buyout options for families living in areas that repeatedly flood.
- Believes in improving disaster-response systems with faster alerts, better evacuation planning, and coordinated support for "vulnerable residents" during storms.
- Supports environmental clean-up efforts and the removal of hazardous sites that have "harmed neighborhoods for decades."

Energy & the Environment

Supports protecting voting rights and opposing efforts to restrict ballot access, gerrymander districts, or silence underrepresented communities.

Wants to "protect voting rights and oppose efforts to restrict ballot access, gerrymander districts, or silence underrepresented communities."

- Wants to "protect voting rights and oppose efforts to restrict ballot access, gerrymander districts, or silence underrepresented communities."

Voting & Elections

Supports defending immigrant families by ensuring access to fair processes, legal protections, and safe communities free from intimidation.

Supports defending immigrant families by ensuring access to "fair processes, legal protections, and safe communities free from intimidation."

- Supports defending immigrant families by ensuring access to "fair processes, legal protections, and safe communities free from intimidation."

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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Earnest Clayton, Jr.

Supports environmental justice protections and accountability for industries that harm low-income or minority neighborhoods.

For Candidate Earnest Clayton, Jr. on Issue healthcare:  
Supports strengthening 988 crisis support with faster response times, culturally competent care, and better coordination with local mental health providers.

Supports strengthening 988 crisis support with faster response times, culturally competent care, and better coordination with local mental health providers.

Aims to expand access to mental health treatment, including therapy, crisis stabilization, substance use services, and trauma-informed care.

Supports maternal health, HIV prevention, chronic disease management, and senior care, ensuring comprehensive support for vulnerable populations.

Supports expanding green infrastructure, including detention ponds, permeable surfaces, and tree-canopy projects to reduce heat and absorb excess water.

Supports fighting for green buffers, community green spaces, and heat-mitigation projects to protect public health and improve quality of life.

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- Your US Representative represents the interests of your district in the US House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. Texas currently has 36 US Representatives.
- US Representatives can author, sponsor, debate, and vote on bills that become national law.
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