An attorney with a passion for radio, Blake Farenthold never held public office before he began a campaign for Congress, inspired, he said, by a sermon about seizing the opportunities granted by God.

“That really kind of stuck with me,” Farenthold said. “So on the last day to file for office, coming from the radio station, I could’ve turned right to go home, or left to go to Austin. Literally, I just made the decision to turn left. It was that quick.”