Friedman, Milton
1912–2006

Milton Friedman's framework was free-market absolutism: he invented the modern school-voucher framework in 1955, advocated drug legalization, favored free trade, opposed government-led economic planning, and supported a negative income tax. Abbott aligns substantially: SB 2's $1B voucher launch is the largest Friedman-style ESA program in any state on day one, plus his deregulation and tax-cutting record. He runs against Friedman on the Trump tariffs he has defended and on the cannabis prohibition he largely defends (Friedman was an outspoken drug-legalization advocate). Hinojosa runs against Friedman on vouchers and corporate-tax framing but earns Friedman credit on her broader cannabis-decriminalization record (HB 81). Abbott is the substantially closer Friedman fit on the school-choice centerpiece and the deregulation strand; the tariff and drug-policy departures cost him about 1-2 points.