Former MLB All-Star first baseman and World Series champion Mark Teixeira appeared on FOX News on Friday to share why he is seeking the Congressional seat held by Chip Roy (R-TX), who is retiring to run for Texas Attorney General.

SANDRA SMITH, FOX NEWS: Retired all-star slugger Mark Teixeira is running for Congress out of Texas as a Republican. He is now joining us here on America Reports. It is so great to have you here, Mark. MARK TEIXEIRA, TEXAS U.S. CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: It’s great to be here, Sandra. Thank you. SANDRA SMITH: Alright, I think we have everybody’s attention. We’ve got a slugger running for Congress, so why throw your hat in the political ring? MARK TEIXEIRA: So this journey for me started about 13 years ago. I had blown out my wrist, had surgery in 2013 playing for the Yankees, and I had an entire summer off, and I spent a lot of time thinking about what does life look like for me after baseball? And my wife and I sat around, and we talked about public service a lot. So I started praying about it and see if God would open up some opportunities. Got involved in some local politics, some fundraising, doing events for different advocacy groups, and for me, I just wanted to see if this was something I was interested in. Well, it ended up that I loved it, and seeing President Trump and his America First agenda really getting after it the last seven months and making America great again is something that is working for American families. This agenda is working, and so for me, I just felt like now was the time to join that team. I’ve been a part of a lot of great teams, and I know this is a team that I want to be on. SANDRA SMITH: Oh, but that is quite the message. This is your campaign announcement, Mark. As a lifelong conservative who loves this country, I’m running for Congress to fight for the principles that make Texas and America great. It takes teamwork to win. I’m ready to help defend President Trump’s America First agenda, Texas families, and individual liberty. So in your own words, what would be the core policy focus of your campaign? MARK TEIXEIRA: It’s pretty simple. Secure the border, low taxes, shrink the government while growing the economy, protect life and the Second Amendment. That’s what the conservative principles that are helping Americans, helping American families, helping America prosper, those are the conservative principles that I will bring out on the trail and that Texas families deserve. The Texas 21 District is full of great people, patriots that love God, love their country, love the state of Texas, and I can’t wait to go out there and meet all of them and make sure they understand what I believe in. SANDRA SMITH: I’m sure they’ll be eager to meet you as well for many reasons, right, Mark? All right, this is the current map of the 21st District as we let in Governor Abbott today, making it official, the new congressional district map there in Texas. We know Democrats fiercely oppose this. Many of them fled the state to avoid the vote for it. What is your message to those Democrats who said this just wasn’t right? MARK TEIXEIRA: Have better policies. I know that progressive policies don’t work for America. You can see it in cities all across the country that have Democratic and progressive mayors, and those cities need to be cleaned up. You see what President Trump’s doing in Washington, D.C. right now. It’s working. And so what I would tell Democrats in Texas, all over the country, is when you have policies that actually want to help Americans, come talk to us. But Republicans are out there, conservatives are out there with an American First agenda, and we’re going to be helping Americans, helping Texans every single day. SANDRA SMITH: All right, so just for fun, we drew up the congressional baseball game stats. The Republicans have led the all-time series, 47 to 42, since 1909. I’m sure many of those that are currently in Congress are going to wonder if you’re bringing your glove if you win. MARK TEIXEIRA: Absolutely. You know, President Trump loves winners, and we are going to continue to win. I will say this, Congressman Williams, Roger Williams from the great state of Texas, you know, he’s been the manager for years. He’s already asking me, you know, if you win this seat, you’re going to need to earn your playing time. So I love it. I’m a rookie again. I’m going to have to earn my playing time just like I did back in 2003 with the Texas Rangers, and I’m excited about that. SANDRA SMITH: All right, final question. This one’s for my Little Leaguer. What’s your message to little kids out there who love baseball and want to keep playing? MARK TEIXEIRA: If you love baseball, you need to enjoy it so much that the failures, the times that are tough, the hot summers, the times you’re sore, you actually start enjoying it. I learned how to fail well, and I think that’s something that if I look at everybody in the country that wants to play baseball, which is a tough sport, and by the way, politics is a tough sport as well, understand that you’re going to fail. Nobody’s perfect, but enjoy the game because when you love the game like I did, if you do go 0 for 4 and make an error, you’re still going to get up the next day and do it again. SANDRA SMITH: Hey, you know, it’s tough on moms, too. It’s the emotions in baseball. We’re a big baseball family, and we love you, Mark. Thanks so much for coming.

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