List of People From Texas - Politics and Public Office

Politics and Public Office

See also Category:Texas politicians and its subcategories.
See also List of mayors of Austin, Texas; List of mayors of Dallas, Texas; List of mayors of El Paso, Texas; List of mayors of Fort Worth, Texas; List of mayors of Houston, Texas; List of mayors of Plano, Texas; List of mayors of San Antonio, Texas.

• Cathie Adams (born 1950), chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, 2009–2010
• Elizabeth Alexander (born 1979), press secretary for U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden
• Joseph Hugh Allen (1940–2008), one of the "Dirty 30" of the Texas House of Representatives in the 1971 legislative session
• Betty Andujar (1912–1997), first Republican woman to serve in the Texas State Senate (1973–1983); Pennsylvania native, lived in Fort Worth
• Ernest Angelo (born 1934), oilman, mayor of Midland from 1972–1980, and Texas Republican national committeeman, 1976–1996
• Ben F. Barnes (born 1938), lieutenant governor (1969–1973) of Texas; youngest House Speaker in Texas history (1965–1969)
• Ray Barnhart (born 1928), former state representative and director of the Federal Highway Administration under President Reagan
• Roy Bass (1918–1978), mayor of Lubbock from 1974–1978
• Robert Emmett Bledsoe Baylor (1793–1874), district judge, a framer of the Texas Constitution; also co-founded Baylor University
• Tina Benkiser (born 1962), former chairman of the Republican Party of Texas
• Lloyd Bentsen (1921–2006), U.S. representative and United States senator
• Leo Berman (born 1936), state representative from Tyler
• Teel Bivins (1947–2009), state senator from Amarillo and U.S. Ambassador to Sweden
• Bill Blythe (born ca. 1935), Houston Realtor and Republican state representative from Harris County, 1971 to 1983
• Robert Lee Bobbitt (1888–1972), Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives (1927–1929), state attorney general (1929–1930)
• Elton Bomer (born 1935), former state representative from Anderson County and former Texas Secretary of State
• Henry Bonilla (born 1954), former U.S. representative from San Antonio
• Stephen Broden (born 1952), politician, professor, businessman, activist
• J. E. "Buster" Brown (born 1940), politician and lobbyist
• Orville Bullington (1882–1956), Texas Republican gubernatorial nominee, 1932
• Joel Burns (born 1969), Fort Worth city councilman who spoke out against bullying of LGBT youth
• Jeb Bush (born 1953), former governor of Florida, reared in Midland and Houston
• Albert S. Burleson (1863–1937), U.S. Postmaster General and Congressman
• Edward Burleson (1798–1851), Texas soldier, general, and statesman
• George C. Butte (1877–1940), Texas Republican gubernatorial nominee, 1924
• Frank Kell Cahoon (born 1934), Midland oilman and former politician
• Erwin Cain (born 1960), Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Sulphur Springs
• Francisco Canseco (born 1949), U.S. representative from San Antonio
• Kent Caperton (born 1949), lobbyist, former state senator
• Victor G. Carrillo (born 1965), former member of the Texas Railroad Commission, 2003–2011; defeated in the March 2, 2010, Republican primary election
• Lauro Cavazos (born 1927), U.S. Secretary of Education in the George Herbert Walker Bush administration, first Hispanic U.S. Cabinet officer
• Francis Cherry (1908-1965), governor of Arkansas from 1953 to 1955, born in Fort Worth
• Wayne Christian (born 1950), Republican state representative from Center and Nacogdoches
• Henry Cisneros (born 1947), former Mayor of San Antonio and former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
• Tom C. Clark (1899–1977), United States Attorney General and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
• Ronald H. Clark (born 1953), judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, based in Beaumont; former member of the Texas House of Representatives from Sherman, Texas
• David Cobb (born 1962), 2004 U.S. Presidential candidate for Green Party
• Linda Coffee (born 1942), attorney for Norma McCorvey in Roe v. Wade
• Susan Combs (born 1945), Texas comptroller and former agriculture commissioner
• John B. Connally, Jr. (1917–1993), Secretary of the Navy, Governor of Texas, United States Secretary of the Treasury
• Wayne Connally (1923–2000), member of both houses of state legislature, 1965–1973
• Kilmer B. Corbin (1919–1993), state senator from Lubbock (1949–1957), father of Barry Corbin
• John Cornyn (born 1952), United States Senator
• Frank Corte, Jr. (born 1959), member of the Texas House of Representatives from San Antonio from 1993 to 2011
• Juanita Craft (1902–1985), Dallas city councilperson, civil rights activist
• Ted Cruz (born 1971), U.S. Senate nominee, 2012
• Henry Cuellar (born 1955), U.S. Representative from South Texas; former state representative
• Price Daniel (1910–1988), Democratic US Senator and the 38th Governor of Texas
• Nicholas Henry Darnell (1807–1885), Speaker of the House for both the Republic of Texas and the state of Texas; leader of a Confederate cavalry regiment
• David Dewhurst (born 1945), Lieutenant Governor of Texas since 2003
• Paul Eggers (born 1919), Republican gubernatorial nominee, 1968 and 1970
• David Farabee (born 1964), former Texas state representative from Wichita Falls
• Ray Farabee (born 1932), former Texas State Senator from Wichita Falls
• James E. "Pa" Ferguson (1871–1944), governor of Texas (1915–1917), impeached, convicted, and removed from office
• Miriam "Ma" Ferguson (1875–1961), first female governor of Texas
• Charles R. Floyd (1881–1945), Texas State Senator, State Representative, and co-founder of Paris Junior College
• Dan Flynn (born 1943), Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Van Zandt County
• Marshall Formby (1911–1984), former Texas State Senator, attorney, and radio station owner from Plainview
• John Frullo (born 1962), member of the Texas House of Representatives from Lubbock
• Pete Gallego (born 1961), member of the Texas House from Alpine
• H. S. "Buddy" Garcia (born c. 1968), interim 2012 member of the Texas Railroad Commission
• Julio A. Garcia (1941–2008), district attorney in Laredo
• John Nance Garner (1868–1967), 44th Speaker of the House of Representatives and 32nd Vice President of the United States
• Tony Garza (born 1958) current U.S. ambassador to Mexico
• Kenn George (born 1948) former state representative from Dallas County; former assistant U.S. secretary of commerce
• Alberto Gonzales (born 1955), United States Attorney General
• Henry B. Gonzalez (1916–2000), U.S. representative from San Antonio
• Austan Goolsbee (born 1969), Chairperson of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama
• Blake Gottesman (born 1980), aide to President George W. Bush
• Phil Gramm (born 1942), former United States Senator
• Rick Green (born 1970), former state representative and motivational speaker
• Henry C. Grover (1927–2005), state legislator, 1972 Republican gubernatorial nominee
• Kent Grusendorf (born 1939), former state representative from Arlington
• Joe A. Guerra (1934–2010), politician
• Lena Guerrero (1957–2008), politician
• Rick Hardcastle (born 1956), politician
• Dorsey B. Hardeman (1902-1992), politician
• O.H. "Ike" Harris (born 1932), state senator from Dallas County (1967–1995), author of Texas' parimutuel betting law
• Grady Hazlewood (1902–1989), state senator, author of farm-to-market road program in Texas
• Joseph P. Heflin (born 1952), former state representative from Crosbyton, defeated November 2, 2010
• Jeb Hensarling (born 1957), U.S. representative
• Chuck Hopson (born 1941), state representative and pharmacist from Jacksonville, Texas
• Jim Hogg (1851–1906), first native Texan to become Governor of Texas
• Joan Huffman (born 1956), former Houston criminal court judge; member of Texas State Senate
• Bryan Hughes (born 1969), Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Wood County
• Swanee Hunt (born 1950), U. S. Ambassador
• Todd A. Hunter (born 1953), State Representative from Corpus Christi, Texas. He served from 1989-1997 and was the former Chairman of Civil Practices. He returned to office in 2009 (elected from District 32) as State Representative and served as the Chairman of the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee. Then, in 2011, he was reelected and chaired the most powerful committee known as the Calendars Committee
• Kay Bailey Hutchison (born 1943), first woman U.S. Senator from Texas
• Alphonso Jackson (born 1945), U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George W. Bush
• Wallace B. Jefferson (born 1963), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas
• Neal Sox Johnson (born 1933), former state director of the Farmers Home Administration
• Elizabeth Ames Jones (born 1956), Texas Railroad Commissioner, U.S. Representative (2000–2004)
• Jesse H. Jones (1874–1956), U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Barbara Jordan (1936–1996), member of United States House of Representatives
• Rudy Juedeman (1908-2004), Odessa businessman and Republican politician
• Isaac Herbert Kempner (1873–1967), mayor of Galveston, founder of Imperial Sugar
• Ron Kirk (born 1954), United States Trade Representative; former Texas Secretary of State, former mayor of Dallas
• Cyndi Taylor Krier (born 1950), former state senator and administrative judge of Bexar County
• Mike Krusee (born 1959), former state representative; transportation policy expert
• Dan Kubiak (1938–1998), state representative; businessman; educator
• L. B. Kubiak (born 1945), former state representative; veterinarian
• Edmund Kuempel (1942–2010), state representative
• John Kuempel (born 1970), state representative, elected December 14, 2010
• Jim Landtroop (born 1968), state representative, elected November 2, 2010; insurance executive from Plainview
• Oscar M. Laurel (1920–2001), Mexican-American politician
• Barbara Lee (born 1946), U.S. Representative from California
• John N. Leedom (born 1921), former state senator, authored "Rainy Day Fund", involved in water and weather modification issues
• Debra Lehrmann (born 1956), Texas Supreme Court justice (elected 2010)
• Tryon D. Lewis (born 1947), state representative since 2009 from Odessa; former state district court judge
• Charles R. Matthews (born c. 1939), former Texas Railroad Commissioner and chancellor-emeritus of the Texas State University System
• Jim Mattox (1943–2008), U.S. representative and attorney general of Texas
• Maury Maverick (1895–1954), Democratic U.S. representative
• Glen Maxey (born 1952), Texas state representative from Austin
• Gary D. McCaleb (born 1941), mayor of Abilene and president of the Texas Municipal League
• Bob McFarland (born 1941), Republican member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature from Arlington, 1977–1991
• Debra Medina (born 1962), 2010 Texas gubernatorial candidate within the Republican primary
• William C. Meier (born 1940), state senator, holds world filibuster record; lost race for attorney general to Jim Mattox in 1982
• Walter Mengden (born 1926), state representative and state senator from Harris County, 1971–1983
• William T. "Bill" Moore (1918–1999), state senator from Bryan, known as the "Bull of the Brazos" and the "father of the modern Texas A&M University"
• Azie Taylor Morton (1936–2003), Treasurer of the United States
• Steve Munisteri (born 1958), chairman of the Republican Party of Texas since June 2010
• George E. Nowotny (born 1932), former Arkansas state legislator
• James E. Nugent (born 1922), former member of the Texas Railroad Commission and the Texas House of Representatives
• Sandra Day O'Connor (born 1930), former associate justice of the Supreme Court; first woman on the high court
• W. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel (1890–1969), governor of Texas and US Senator
• Bill Owens (born 1950), former governor of Colorado.
• Hugh Q. Parmer (born 1939), former mayor of Fort Worth and member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature
• Jerry E. Patterson (born 1946), Texas Land Commissioner; former state senator
• Thomas Pauken (born 1944), Texas Republican chairman from 1994–1997 and political commentator
• Randy Pendleton (1937–2009), state representative from Andrews, 1961–1969
• Charles Perry (born 1962), state representative (elected 2010)
• Rick Perry (born 1950), Governor of Texas
• Larry Phillips, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Sherman
• Thomas R. Phillips (born 1949), Chief Justice of Texas Supreme Court
• David J. Porter (born 1954), member of the Railroad Commission of Texas, elected November 2, 2010
• Robert "Bob" Price (1927–2004), U.S. representative from Pampa in Texas Panhandle
• Walter Thomas Price, IV (born 1968), state representative from Amarillo, elected November 2, 2010
• Louise Raggio (1919–2011), attorney, first female prosecutor in Texas
• Jack Rains, former Texas secretary of state
• Richard P. Raymond (born 1960), South Texas state representative
• Sam Rayburn (1882–1961), United States Congressman and Speaker of the House of Representatives
• William Whitaker Reed (1816-1891), fought in the Texas Revolution; first sheriff of Bell County, elected 1850
• Jim Reese (born 1929), mayor of Odessa, 1968-1974
• Ann Richards (1933–2006), second woman governor of Texas (1991–1995); state treasurer (1983–1991)
• Cecile Richards, daughter of Ann Richards; liberal political activist
• Roy R. Rubottom, Jr. (1912–2010), United States diplomat
• Paul Sadler (born 1955), former state representative, U.S. Senate nominee in 2012
• Ezequiel D. Salinas (1908–2007), South Texas Hispanic politician
• Tom Schieffer (born 1947), United States diplomat
• Alan Schoolcraft (born 1952), former member of the Texas House of Representatives from San Antonio
• Pete Sessions (born 1955), U.S. representative
• Sonal Shah (born 1968), economist and public official with the Obama Administration
• John Sharp (born 1950), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Gwyn Shea (born 1937), Texas secretary of state (2002–2003), member of the Texas House of Representatives (1983–1993)
• John Ben Shepperd (1915–1990), attorney general of Texas (1953–1957)
• Max R. Sherman (born 1935), state senator (1971–1977), West Texas A&M University president
• John Shields, former state representative from San Antonio
• E L Short, former member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature from Lynn County
• David McAdams Sibley (born 1948), attorney-lobbyist, former Texas state senator (1991–2002) and mayor of Waco (1987–1988)
• Bill Siebert (born 1947), member of the Texas House of Representatives from San Antonio, 1993–2001
• Preston Smith (1912–2003), governor (1969–1973) and lieutenant governor (1963–1969) of Texas
• Barry Smitherman, member of the Texas Railroad Commission
• Margaret Spellings (born 1957), former U.S. Secretary of Education
• James C. Spencer (1914–2009), member of the Texas House of Representatives from Henderson County 1939-1941, 1947-1949.
• Barbara Staff (born 1924), co-chairman of the 1976 Ronald Reagan Texas presidential primary campaign
• Robert Stanton, director of the United States National Park Service
• Todd Staples (born 1963), Texas agriculture commissioner
• Ken Starr (born 1946), attorney, federal judge, Solicitor General, and Independent Counsel during the Clinton Administration
• William Steger (1920–2006), U.S. District Judge
• George William Strake, Jr. (born 1935), Texas secretary of state (1979–1981), Houston businessman and philanthropist
• Robert Schwarz Strauss (born 1918), politician (chairman of Democratic National Committee) and diplomat
• Carole Strayhorn (born 1939), Texas comptroller (1999–2007), railroad commissioner
• Buddy Temple (born 1942), businessman, state representative from Angelina County, and railroad commissioner
• Ernest O. Thompson (1892–1966), Texas Railroad Commissioner, mayor of Amarillo, expert on petroleum production and conservation
• Raul Torres (born 1956), state representative from Nueces County
• John G. Tower (1925–1991), First Republican United States Senator from Texas since Reconstruction
• Vidal M. Trevino (1929–2006), state representative, school superintendent
• Morris W. Turner (1931–2008), mayor of Lubbock (1972–1974)
• Lupe Valdez (born 1947), only female elected sheriff in Texas
• Richard A. Waterfield (1939–2007), state representative who advocated for feeding programs for the disabled and elderly
• Craig Watkins, first African-American district attorney in Texas, Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year 2008
• Reed N. Weisiger (1838–1908), Texas State Senator (1891–1893), Confederate cavalry officer, pioneer in Victoria County
• George E. "Buddy" West (1936–2008), state representative from Odessa
• Jack Wheeler (1944–2010), presidential aide to the Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush administrations
• Michael L. Williams (born 1953), former Texas Railroad Commissioner, former assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights
• John Roger Williams (born 1949), Texas secretary of state and professional baseball player
• Barry Williamson (born 1957), former member of the Texas Railroad Commission
• Ric Williamson (1952–2007), state representative; chairman of Texas Transportation Commission
• Phil Wilson (born 1967), Texas secretary of state (2007–2008)
• Will Wilson (1912–2005), Texas attorney general (1957–1963), Texas Supreme Court justice (1951–1956)
• Clymer Wright (1932–2011), political activist; father of municipal term limits in Houston
• Jim Wright (born 1922), United States Congressman and Speaker of the House of Representatives
• Judith Zaffirini (born 1946), state senator from Laredo