A seventh generation Texan, Van Taylor is a family man, businessman, and decorated Iraq War Veteran. Growing up, Van earned the Eagle Scout rank from the future President George Bush.
After high school, Van attended Harvard College from which he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in history. After graduating college, Van volunteered to serve his country and received a commission in the United States Marine Corps.
He attended The Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, and graduated first in his class from Sniper Employment Officer Course. He completed Intelligence School as the Marine Honor Graduate and commanded First Marine Regiment’s Reconnaissance Platoon in Camp Pendleton, CA. After completing that assignment, he served as an intelligence officer for an artillery battalion. Van earned the Navy Achievement Medal for devising a quantitative combat power analysis system.
As national debt reaches $27 trillion, our nation faces an unprecedented fiscal crisis. The average Texans works about a third of the year until mid-April just to pay all the taxes they owe – in 1900, Americans worked less than three weeks to fund their taxes.1 The more government takes, the less free families become. Rather than government taking even more, Washington should rein in and prioritize our current federal spending. As a small businessman, I know firsthand how excessive taxation cripples our small business community, which is the engine for economic growth. Lower taxes on families and small businesses give Texans greater control in our everyday lives.