Mary Miller planned on retiring. Instead, she’s running for one of two Senate seats in U.S. Congress, against incumbent Ted Cruz in the Republican primary. Ever since Miller first contemplated running for a position, at the age of 30, she anticipated the process would include working through the ranks by starting local and progressing with experience. It was not her first choice to jump into politics at the senatorial level, but when the infamous video of President Trump discussing “locker-room talk” with Access Hollywood, she had to do something; it seemed like no one else would.
Although she is not a fan of the current president , she does believe that everyone needs to make the best of the situation. Miller says, “the president does not define what the [Republican] party is, the people do.” She’s a staunch critic of current Senator Ted Cruz, having voted for him previously. She is disappointed in his legislative actions, particularly in regard to military issues. She believes a senator should be working for the good will of Texan, not working specifically for those who donated. She also disagrees with Cruz serving as a part-time senator running for a presidential bid. Miller believes that Texans deserves better.
Miller pursued her Bachelor of Science in Communications at the University of Texas at Austin, where she also met her husband. Miller and her Navy sailor husband moved from place to place as a military family regularly does. She attained her Masters Degree in Accountancy and Taxation while living in California for her husband’s work.
Miller began working as an accountant for companies of all sized. Miller chuckled when she mentioned the process of passing the CPA exam in one sitting, as it serves as one of her greatest and proudest accomplishments in life. She admits this may not sound like much, but the test is now administered electronically in four parts spread through several days, each taking approximately four hours. Miller also revered at the fact that she served as a controller by the age of 30, coming into a heavily mismanaged business with a good product and flipping it around to an entity, now worth several millions.
So why does Miller stand for what she does? After trying for 20 years to have a child, Miller decided to adopt at 45. This is only one factor in Miller’s response to being pro-life, yet she still believes that she doesn’t have the right to make that call for other women. She does believe in accessible birth control for all women to curb the usage of abortion. Miller is also the only republican candidate endorsed by the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, an LGBT-based political action committee, stating her opinion of LGBT communities is not important because, as Miller says, “the single entity that can judge is God.”
Miller did not realized how underrepresented women are in politics until she ran for office herself. While participating in the political process, she realized women are not represented and therefore, don’t have a substantial voice. POLITICO reached out to Miller for a poll, one question being about any sexism exhibited toward her during the campaign. She answered no, but recalls one experience right after taking the poll, sitting in a meeting with other senatorial contenders; the leader of the meeting refused to look Miller in the eyes, skipped over her commentary, and shut her opinions down, while the men in the room were treated differently. Although she makes clear this was the first time something like that had happened, once is enough for such an impression to be left.
It’s been a learning curve. Miller reflects on her campaign experience saying, “many barriers are put up to prevent just anyone from running and the process is exhausting.” She concedes that, if she had had more time, Miller may have been more successful in certain aspects. However, other barriers, like vetting forms, spamming, and personal connections, are all a part of those growing pains for candidates in politics.
One thing Mary Miller wants women to know,: “Everybody should run. Anyone who sees a need, jump off your legs, do your best, and have no fear. Fear is the enemy.”
