From Round Rock Kid to State Representative: Caroline Harris Davila’s Journey of Service

In a deeply personal conversation on the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, State Representative Caroline Harris Davila opens up about her journey from a shy pastor’s kid in Round Rock to one of the youngest members of the Texas House. Hosted by Bryan Eisenberg, the episode aired June 16, 2026, and offers a rare glimpse into the daily life of a state legislator far from the political spotlight. Harris Davila grew up alongside Mark Westerfield of Central Baptist Church, where faith-based service shaped her worldview. Despite working at the Capitol for seven years, she admits the campaign side was foreign and the leap felt impossible. Her first campaign speech left her petrified. “I almost threw up right after. I mean, I was just petrified. I was shaking... it really was one of the top reasons of why I didn't even want to run because I just didn't think I would be able to communicate,” she recalls. She credits her parents, her grandparents (still living next door at 90 and 95), and her faith for pushing her past that fear. The conversation quickly moves past politics into the texture of civic life in Round Rock. Harris Davila explains the mechanics of a part-time Texas legislature that pays $600 a month and convenes 140 days every other year. She discusses housing affordability, trade school pathways like TSTC in Hutto, and keeping young talent in Central Texas. She also highlights how nonprofits, including Will Williams’ work distributing power wheelchairs to veterans, plug into her office. Constituent service rarely makes headlines, but Harris Davila says the most common request her office handles is help securing a driver license appointment. The range stretches to extraordinary cases, including a family that needed help streamlining an autopsy for a loved one. She notes that over 95% of Texas House initiatives are bipartisan, a surprising statistic for those familiar with national politics. She describes her role as a connector, linking constituents to nonprofits, sponsoring silent auction items, arranging flags flown over the Capitol, and recruiting young people nationally to run for local office through a candidate development group. Listen to this Episode