Biography. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Senate Committee on Finance Senate Committee on Intelligence

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1 Texas

2 Senator John Cornyn Republican John Cornyn, the senior senator from Texas, was elected to the Senate in 2002 and reelected in He rose quickly through the party ranks and became minority whip the second-ranking GOP leadership post in 2013 after two terms as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. When his party retook control of the Senate, he retained the whip job behind Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a similarly savvy inside operator. Cornyn was born in Houston and spent much of his childhood in San Antonio. His father was an oral pathologist in the Air Force stationed in Japan, where Cornyn went to high school. After his father retired from the service, the family settled in San Antonio. He practiced law for five years with a firm that defended doctors and insurance companies in medical malpractice cases. In 1984, he ran for district court judge and, at age 32, upset a strong favorite in the race. In 1990, Cornyn was elected to the state Supreme Court. When GOP Sen. Phil Gramm announced that he would not seek reelection in 2002, Cornyn got into the contest to succeed him, he won 55%-43%. Cornyn often is described as genial, and generally favors reasoned language over angry rhetoric. In a sign of his formidability, Cornyn was named in January 2015 to chair the Finance Committee's panel on international trade, an issue expected to be one of the main areas in which the two parties can find common ground. Cornyn in 2015 also took over as chairman of Judiciary s Constitution Subcommittee. Currently: Senator, TX Elected: 2002 Education: Trinity U., B.A., 1973; St. Mary s U., J.D., 1977; U. of VA, L.L.M., 1995 Religion: Church of Christ Family: Married (Sandra), 2 children Contact: (202) Hart Senate Office Washington, DC Cornyn is strongly opposed to staying out of Iran, he signed onto a letter saying that without congressional approval any agreement signed by Iran with the U.S. was an executive agreement Cornyn is conservative on immigration issues including supporting a bill to expedite the deportation of undocumented children from countries other than Mexico and Canada Has consistently worked on a bipartisan basis to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act Supports the repealing of Obamacare Senate Committee on the Judiciary Senate Committee on Finance Senate Committee on Intelligence 2014 General John Cornyn (R) Votes: 2,861,531 Percent: 61.6% David Alameel (D) Votes: 1,597,387 Percent: 34.4% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2016.

3 Senator Ted Cruz Cuban-American Ted Cruz is Texas junior senator. His successful bid in 2012 to succeed retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison which came after he easily dispatched a primary opponent who had the strong backing of Texas s Republican establishment was seen as an affirmation of the tea party movement s power. He became the movement's standard-bearer, dominating national politics as swiftly as another intellectually driven but far less ideological Senate freshman, Barack Obama, managed to do a few years earlier. Cruz was born in Calgary, Alberta, where his parents worked in the Canadian oil business. His father s life story figures prominently into Cruz s political narrative. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1995, he clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Cruz joined the George W. Bush s campaign in 2000 as a domestic policy adviser. It was on the campaign trail he met his wife, Heidi Nelson Cruz, another member of the policy team. Both were dispatched to Florida in the chaos of the recount, which then led to jobs in the Bush administration. Cruz served first as associate deputy general at the Justice Department and then as director of the Office of Policy Planning for the Federal Trade Commission. Cruz was in private practice when he decided to run for the Senate. Cruz immediately established himself during his early months in office as a strong intellectual voice for the far right in the Senate, following in the iconoclastic mold of Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky, who became a frequent ally. Currently: Senator, TX Elected: 2012 Education: Princeton U., B.A., 1992; Harvard U., J.D., 1995 Religion: Southern Baptist Family: Married (Heidi), 2 children Contact: (202) Russell Senate Office Washington, DC Opposed a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants and worked to block extension of program to keep undocumented children from deportation Opposes the Affordable Care Act including a resolution that made passing a federal budget contingent on not funding ACA Supports the absolute right to gun ownership and supported the fight against expanded background checks on gun sales Strongly opposes same sex marriages and is strongly opposed to the idea of abortion as an unrestricted right of a woman Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Senate Committee on the Judiciary Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Senate Committee on Armed Services Joint Committee on Economics 2012 General Ted Cruz (R) Votes: 4,440,137 Percent: 56.5% Paul Sadler (D) Votes: 3,194,927 Percent: 40.6% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2016.

4 Congressman Louie Gohmert Republican Louie Gohmert is a devout Tea Party conservative with a knack for provoking Democrats, fellow Republicans, and even the U.S. Park Police. Gohmert grew up in Mount Pleasant, Texas, and got an Army scholarship at Texas A&M University, where he was class president. He went on to get a law degree from Baylor University, and then served as a captain in the Army. He practiced law in Tyler and spent a decade as a district court judge. Republican Gov. Rick Perry named him chief justice of the Texas Appellate Court in He earned a reputation as a tough law-and-order judge with a knack for attracting attention. Gohmert was first elected to the House in 2004 after beating Rep. Max Sandlin by a vote of 61% to 38%. In the House, Gohmert established a conservative voting record, with occasional dissents from the party line. When the bailout for the financial industry came to the House floor in 2008, he made a motion to adjourn the chamber so we don t do this terrible thing to our nation. Gohmert s legislative work has been mostly on the Judiciary Committee, where he often draws television talk show invitations and scorn from liberal blogs for his provocative views. Gohmert has never been reelected with less than 68% of the vote but his penchant for stirring controversy may be a concern for GOP leaders. 01 Elected: 2004 Education: Texas A&M U., B.A., 1975; Baylor U., J.D., 1977 Religion: Baptist Family: Married (Kathy), 3 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly opposes expanding Obamacare Strongly favors absolute right to gun ownership Strongly opposes higher taxes on the wealthy Strongly favors privatizing Social Security Strongly pro-choice House Committee on the Judiciary House Committee on Natural Resources Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia Louie Gohmert (R) Votes: 192,434 Percent: 74.0% Shirley McKellar (D) Votes: 62,847 Percent: 24.0%

5 Congressman Ted Poe Ted Poe, a Republican first elected in 2004, is best known for his loquaciousness on the House floor. But in early 2013, he became chairman of the all-gop House Immigration Reform Caucus, making him an interesting lawmaker to watch as his party s conservative wing wrestles with the issue. In the House, Poe began with a relatively moderate voting record for a Republican from Texas, but became a more loyal party vote after President Barack Obama took office. He joined fellow Texas Republicans John Carter and Joe Barton in amending a House-passed spending bill in 2011 to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions. A month earlier, he refused to support the tax-cut deal that Obama made with Republicans, saying it did not go far enough in reducing spending. For the same reason, he opposed a compromise that Republicans struck with Obama on the fiscal 2011 budget and the January 2013 tax and spending deal to avert a so-called fiscal cliff. One of Poe s causes is the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, designed to bring oil from Canada to Texas refineries; he introduced a bill in 2012 to put the decision in the hands of Congress instead of the White House. He also has been a frequent critic of Pakistan and in 2013 became chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee s panel on terrorism, nonproliferation, and trade, giving him a megaphone for his view that the country has done too little to help the U.S. in the war on terror. 02 Elected: 2004 Education: Abilene Christian U., B.A., 1970; U. of Houston, J.D., 1973 Religion: Church of Christ Family: Married (Carol), 4 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Supports tighter control of the border between the US and Mexico Opposes the Affordable Care Act Supports tapping into domestic sources of energy Supports lower taxes House Committee on Foreign Affairs House Committee on the Judiciary Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ted Poe, Ballotpedia, Ted Poe (R) Votes: 168,692 Percent: 60.6% Pat Bryan (D) Votes: 100,231 Percent: 36.0%

6 Congressman Sam Johnson Sam Johnson, a conservative Republican first elected in 1991, is the only remaining founder of the Republican Study Committee the influential caucus of the House s most conservative members still serving in the chamber. He also has a prominent perch from which to weigh in on Social Security as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee panel that oversees the program. Johnson is among the House s most conservative members. He was a founder of the Conservative Action Team, the precursor to the Republican Study Committee, which has pressed Republican leaders to support goals ranging from a balanced budget amendment to shutting down the National Endowment for the Arts. Johnson s chief issue is taxation. Every two years, he offers a constitutional amendment to repeal the 16th Amendment, which authorized the federal income tax. Johnson gained national attention in February 2007 when he spoke emotionally on the House floor against a plan by Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi to set a timetable to withdraw from Iraq. Invoking his memories of Vietnam, he said, I know what it s like to be far from home and hear that your country and your Congress don t care about you. Even though he and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., also a wellknown Vietnam prisoner of war, shared a cell for 18 months, they have had a chilly political relationship. 03 Elected: 1991 Education: S. Methodist U., B.B.A., 1951; George Washington U., M.S., 1974 Religion: Methodist Family: Married (Shirley), 3 children, 10 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Supports absolute right to gun ownership Supports repealing the Affordable Care Act Opposes any tax increases Supports banning same-sex couples from adopting Supports vouchers for school choice Opposes pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens House Committee on Ways and Means Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ballotpedia, Sam Johnson (R) Votes: 193,684 Percent: 61.2% Adam Bell (D) Votes: 109,420 Percent: 34.6%

7 Congressman John Ratcliffe Republican John Ratcliffe chalked up an easy win in 2014, running unopposed in the general election. But his primary race drew national attention: he ousted 91-year-old incumbent Ralph Hall, the oldest member of Congress, who was seeking his 18th term. Hall's defeat meant the 114th Congress was the first without a World War II veteran. Ratcliffe grew up as the youngest of six children and earned a scholarship to Notre Dame, where he graduated in three years. He has served as a U.S. attorney and as partner at a law firm run by former Attorney General John Ashcroft. He also was mayor for two terms in the town of Heath. He has cited his background in law enforcement particularly in matters of illegal immigration and homeland security as one of his main motivations to seek higher office. Leading up to the primary, Ratcliffe sought to touch upon the issue of Hall's age without offending seniors, who make up more than 15 percent of the district's electorate. In terms of substance, little distinguished the two. Hall had one of the most conservative voting records in Congress. A bigger difference lay in their tactics; Ratcliffe pursued a data-driven approach, while Hall favored old-school stumping. During his campaign, he spoke out against raising the debt ceiling and suggested that House Speaker John Boehner should resign. However, he subsequently supported Boehner for speaker. 04 Elected: 2014 Education: U. of Notre Dame, B.A., 1987; S. Methodist U., J.D., 1989 Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Married (Michele), 2 children Contact: (202) Cannon House Office Supports ensuring care and respect for veterans Supports getting rid of the Affordable Care Act Supports allowing the market to determine the energy portfolio of the U.S. Supports the right to gun ownership Pro-life advocate Opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants House Committee on Homeland Security House Committee on the Judiciary House Committee on Ethics Sources: National Journal Almanac, John Ratcliffe (R) Votes: 216,643 Percent: 88.0% Cody Wommack (L) Votes: 29,577 Percent: 12.0%

8 Congressman Jeb Hensarling Jeb Hensarling, a Republican first elected in 2002, is a disciplined and politically savvy conservative who is often in the thick of debates on fiscal policy. He served as Republican conference chairman before stepping down in 2013 to chair the Financial Services Committee and lead the GOP attacks on the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. His hard-line stances occasionally put him at odds with the business world. After a short stint practicing law, he got a job on the staff of U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm. Hensarling rose quickly through the ranks of Gramm s staff and became his campaign manager in After the congressional redistricting in 2001, Republican Rep. Pete Sessions, who had represented the 5th District for the previous six years, decided to run in the new and more compact 32nd District on the north side of Dallas. Hensarling became the front-runner for the Republican nomination in the 5th District. Like his mentor, Gramm, he listed cutting taxes as his top priority. Against four opponents, he won the nomination and eventually the race. He became chairman of the Financial Services Committee in Unlike the previous chairman, Hensarling is known for firmly standing his ground and often clashes with Ranking Member Maxine Waters. As chairman, Hensarling pushed through the Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners (PATH) Act in July 2013 on a largely party-line vote in committee. The bill called for winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and almost completely privatizing the housing finance industry. 05 Elected: 2002 Education: TX A&M U., B.A., 1979; U. of TX, J.D., 1982 Religion: Episcopalian Family: Married (Melissa), 2 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Opposes expansion of the Affordable Care Act Supports absolute rights to gun ownership Opposes abortion rights Opposes higher taxes on the wealthy Opposes green energy initiatives Opposes pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens Supports privatized social security Favors military expansion House Committee on Financial Services Jeb Hensarling (R) Votes: 155,469 Percent: 80.6% Ken Ashby (L) Votes: 37,406 Percent: 19.4% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2016.

9 Congressman Joe Barton Republican Joe Barton, first elected in 1984, is an outspoken champion for the oil industry and is, along with Oklahoma GOP Sen. James Inhofe, a leading global-warming skeptic on Capitol Hill. Barton s influence waned after he lost his bid to chair the Energy and Commerce Committee following his unpopular defense of BP during the 2010 oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Barton grew up in Ennis, TX, south of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. He graduated from Texas A&M and Purdue universities, worked as an oil company engineer, and then was a White House fellow in the Energy Department. When Republican Rep. Phil Gramm ran successfully for the Senate in 1984, Barton ran for his 6th District House seat. Barton won the Republican runoff by only 10 votes, and he went on to win the general election with 57% of the vote. In the past, Barton sometimes strayed to the center on cultural issues, but after Democrat Barack Obama was elected president, he became a rock-solid conservative. Barton chaired the Energy and Commerce Committee before his party lost the House majority in 2006, and he hoped to continue in the top spot in the 112th Congress despite GOP-imposed term limits. He suffered a heart attack in December 2005 but made a full recovery. He has been reelected easily in the 6th District. Most recently he beat Democrat Ruby Woolridge (58-39) in Elected: 1984 Education: TX A&M U., B.S., 1972; Purdue U., M.S., 1973 Religion: Methodist Family: Married (Terri), 4 children, 2 stepchildren, 5 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Climate change skeptic Consistent advocate for the energy industry Supports repealing the Affordable Care Act Opposes abortion rights Supports an absolute right to gun ownership House Committee on Energy and Commerce Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia Joe Barton (R) Votes: 159,444 Percent: 58.3% Ruby Fay Woolridge (D) Votes: 106,667 Percent: 39.0%

10 Congressman John Culberson Republican John Culberson, a conservative first elected in 2000, calls himself a Jeffersonian Republican and is passionate about transferring power from the federal to local governments. He s also an appropriator with an interest in NASA, a major presence in his district. Culberson grew up in Houston, the son of the owner of an advertising agency. In 1986, at age 29, Culberson won a seat in the Texas House, where he served for 14 years. Culberson likes to say that his goal is to let Texans run Texas. He ranks among the House s most conservative members, especially on social issues. He sponsored a bill in 2012 to give the space agency s administrator a 10-year term similar to that given to the FBI s director, which he said would promote better planning. And in February 2013, he called for restructuring NASA, saying it lacked vision. He joined several conservatives in getting a provision into a 2011 spending measure that banned NASA from collaborating with China s scientists. Culberson has a coveted spot on Appropriations, which he has used to secure money for projects in his district, including medical research, flood control projects, and improvements to the Houston Ship Channel. He has fought with Houston officials who wanted money for local light rail projects, filing a formal objection with the Federal Transit Administration in December 2009 to stop a light-rail line because he said the local transit agency was in precarious financial shape a charge agency officials said was based on outdated information. 07 Elected: 2000 Education: S. Methodist U., B.A., 1981; S. TX Col. of Law, J.D., 1988 Religion: Methodist Family: Married (Belinda), 1 child Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly opposes expanding the Affordable Care Act Strongly opposes pathway to citizenship for illegal citizens Strongly favors expanding the military Favors expanding free trade House Committee on Appropriations Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; John Culberson, Ballotpedia, John Culberson (R) Votes: 143,542 Percent: 56.2% James Cargas (D) Votes: 111,991 Percent: 43.8%

11 Congressman Kevin Brady Kevin Brady, a Republican first elected in 1996, has leveraged his stature as one of his party s key figures on trade into influence on other economic matters. Brady grew up and went to college in South Dakota, and moved to Montgomery County, Texas in In 1990, he was elected to the Texas House and five years later won the U.S House seat of retiring Republican Rep. Jack Fields. In the House, Brady has compiled a conservative voting record, though he has gained a reputation as more of a pragmatist than other Texas conservatives. After taking over the Ways & Means health subcommittee in 2013, his agenda included repealing parts of the Affordable Care Act, such as a tax on medical devices and an advisory panel that critics say usurps Congress s responsibilities. He previously led that panel s trade subcommittee and has adamantly fought for more free trade agreements, which he contends are essential to the U.S. economic recovery. Concerned about the Federal Reserve s repeated lowering of interest rates, he has called for reforming the agency and appointing a bipartisan commission to study its operations. He and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas pushed a bill to comprehensively study monetary policy in After Paul Ryan ascended to the speakership, Brady became chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, giving him significant control over tax policy. With Trump elected president, Brady played one of the leading roles in passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the biggest tax package of President Trump s first year. 08 Elected: 1996 Education: U. of SD, B.S., 1990 Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Married (Cathy), 2 children Contact: (202) Longworth House Office Strongly opposes expanding Obamacare Strongly favors an absolute right to gun ownership Opposes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants Strongly favors privatizing Social Security Strongly opposes the prioritization of green energy House Committee on Ways and Means Kevin Brady (R) Votes: 236,379 Percent: 100% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ballotpedia, 2016.

12 Congressman Al Green Democrat Al Green, first elected in 2004, champions the concerns of the homeless and poor. Green is deeply religious, usually sporting a God Is Good lapel pin. Green grew up in New Orleans. He attended college at Florida A&M University and graduated from Texas Southern University s law school, where he later taught. From 1986 to 1995, he was president of the Houston chapter of the NAACP. In 1977, he was elected justice of the peace and served 26 years. After new district boundaries were created in 2003, Green saw an opening to run for Congress. The representative from the old district that covered much of this area was Chris Bell, a white Democrat first elected in That year, he ran with liberal support and beat a more conservative black candidate. In the House, Green began with a relatively moderate voting record, but has become a loyal Democrat in recent years. On the Financial Services Committee, he has worked to eliminate housing practices that discriminated against minorities, at times successfully enlisting Republicans in his efforts. Like other Texas lawmakers, Green is protective of the oil and gas industry, joining a group of Democrats in 2009 warning that President Barack Obama s proposal to raise taxes and impose new fees on the industry would hamper domestic production. 09 Elected: 2004 Education: TX Southern U., J.D., 1973 Religion: Baptist Family: Single Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly favors expanding Obamacare Strongly opposes vouchers for school choice Strongly opposes absolute right to gun ownership Favors prioritizing green energy House Committee on Financial Services Al Green (D) Votes: 152,032 Percent: 80.9% Jeff Martin (R) Votes: 36,491 Percent: 19.4% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2017; Al Green, Ballotpedia, 2017.

13 Congressman Michael McCaul Republican Michael McCaul was first elected in McCaul grew up in Dallas and worked as a federal prosecutor and then moved to Austin in 1999 to be a deputy to then-attorney General Cornyn. In 2002, he joined the U.S. attorney s office and was Chief of the Terrorism and National Security Section for West Texas. In the House, McCaul has a conservative voting record, but supported requiring insurers to treat mental illness the same as other health conditions in 2008 and allowing the FDA to regulate tobacco products in Since 2011, however, he has grown more conservative, particularly on fiscal matters. He has repeatedly introduced legislation banning so-called monuments to me, landmarks honoring incumbent lawmakers. Taking over as Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security in 2013, he blasted a Homeland Security decision in February 2013 to release hundreds of immigrants from around the country for budgetary reasons as indicative of the department s weak stance on national security. In March 2011, he introduced legislation to have six Mexican drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations, which could lead to much stiffer penalties for drug traffickers. Later, he pressed Obama administration officials over the lack of a definition of spill-over violence from the drug wars in Mexico. McCaul co-sponsored a cyber security bill with Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill, that would develop standards for dealing with cyber threats; it passed the House in 2012 but fell in the Senate. 10 Elected: 2004 Education: Trinity U., B.A., 1984; St. Mary s U., J.D., 1987 Religion: Catholic Family: Married (Linda), 5 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Opposes expanding Obamacare Strongly opposes same-sex marriage Strongly favors absolute right to gun ownership Voted in favor of defense spending authorization and trade promotion authority Voted in favor of the suspension of Iran sanctions relief Voted in favor of healthcare reform rules requiring Congressional approval of all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act House Committee on Homeland Security House Committee on Foreign Affairs Michael McCaul (R) Votes: 179,221 Percent: 57.3% Tawana Cadien (D) Votes: 120,170 Percent: 38.4% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2017; Michael McCaul, Ballotpedia, 2017.

14 Congressman Mike Conaway Mike Conaway, a Republican first elected in 2004, is a low-profile but well-regarded conservative who has taken on an assortment of tasks for his party, including generously fundraising for GOP colleagues and serving as chairman of the House Ethics Committee, and took the gavel of the Agriculture Committee in Conaway graduated from East Texas State University, now Texas A&M. He worked as a certified public accountant for, among others, George W. Bush, and was chief financial officer in Arbusto/Bush Exploration during the 1980s. After Bush became governor, he named Conaway to the state Board of Public Accountancy, and Conaway later chaired the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Conaway ran for the seat in the redrawn 11th District in He won 77%-22% and has been reelected with ease ever since. Through 2013, Conaway had a lifetime rating of nearly 93% from the American Conservative Union. He is known for requiring his staff to read and understand the Constitution. He favors state-based regulatory actions over federal ones, arguing that they are far more nimble and responsive. He has been critical of Obama administration efforts to promote renewable energy and sponsored legislation to limit the purchase of biofuels, which compete against his state s oil and natural gas. Boehner personally asked Conaway to take the chairmanship of the Ethics Committee in 2013, and Conway was rewarded in 2015 with the chairmanship of the Agriculture Committee in Elected: 2004 Education: E. TX St. U., B.B.A., 1970 Religion: Baptist Family: Married (Suzanne), 4 children, 7 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly opposes expanding the Affordable Care Act Strongly favors vouchers for school choice Strongly favors an absolute right to gun ownership Strongly opposes higher taxes on the wealthy Opposes green energy initiatives Opposes a stimulus in recession recovery Strongly opposes same-sex marriage House Committee on Agriculture House Committee on Armed Services House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Mike Conaway (R) Votes: 201,871 Percent: 89.5% Nicholas Landholt (L) Votes: 23,677 Percent: 10.5% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ballotpedia, 2016.

15 Congresswoman Kay Granger Republican Rep. Kay Granger was born on January 18, 1943 in Greenville, Texas. She in Fort Worth, graduated from Texas Wesleyan College, and worked as a teacher in North Richland Hills, where she raised three children and started her own insurance agency. In 1989, she was elected to the Fort Worth Council, and two years later, was elected as mayor. In 1995, when Rep. Pete Geren, a conservative Democrat who succeeded Wright, announced he would not seek reelection, both Republican and Democratic leaders tried to recruit Granger. She decided to run as a Republican, winning the general election against Democrat Hugh Parmer 58%-41%. In the House, Granger s voting record has tended to be moderate on cultural issues and more conservative on economic issues. In 2012, however, she was the least conservative Republican in Texas House delegation on fiscal matters. With a seat on Appropriations, Granger keeps a close eye on local Pentagon spending. She has worked to maintain production of Lockheed Martin planes that are produced in her district. In 2011, she became chairman of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, where her experience with military spending and her interest in human rights are useful. 12 Elected: 1996 Education: TX Wesleyan Col., B.S., 1965 Religion: Methodist Family: Divorced, 3 children, 5 grandchildren Contact: (202) Longworth House Office Opposes expanding Obamacare Staunch supporter vouchers for school choice Opposes full abortion rights Strongly supports free trade deals Strongly opposes increasing taxes on the wealthy House Committee on Appropriations Kay Granger (R) Votes: 196,482 Percent: 69.4% Bill Bradshaw (D) Votes: 76,029 Percent: 26.9% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016, Ballotpedia, 2016.

16 Congressman Mac Thornberry Republican Mac Thornberry was born on July 15, 1958 in Clarendon, Texas. After college and law school in Texas, Thornberry worked for Texas Republican Reps. Tom Loeffler and Larry Combest. He returned to practice law in West Texas, and in 1994, challenged Democratic Rep. Bill Sarpalius and won the general election by 55%-45%. In the House, Thornberry has a solidly conservative voting record, and has often been at the forefront of security issues. In 2002, after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he played a key role in the establishment of the new Homeland Security Department. In January 2011, he took over as chairman of the Armed Services terrorism panel, and Speaker John Boehner also asked him to lead an effort to develop a cyber security strategy for the country. Despite his expertise on security matters, he lost his bid in 2009 to chair the full Armed Services Committee to Buck McKeon, R-Calif., who had more seniority. But he and McKeon developed a good working relationship, and the chairman named Thornberry in October 2013 to lead a long-term effort to reform the Pentagon's acquisition programs. He would later become the chair of the committee after McKeon s retirement. 13 Elected: 1994 Education: TX Tech. U., B.A., 1980; U. of TX, J.D., 1983 Religion: Presbyterian Family: Married (Sally), 2 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly opposes expanding Obamacare Strongly favors expanding the military Strongly opposes full abortion rights Strongly supports free trade deals Strongly opposes increasing taxes on the wealthy House Committee on Armed Services Mac Thornberry (R) Votes: 199,050 Percent: 90.0% Calvin DeWeese (L) Votes: 14,725 Percent: 6.7% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016, Ballotpedia, 2016.

17 Congressman Randy Weber For the first 58 years of his life, Weber lived within a five-mile radius in his hometown of Pearland, Texas. His father owned a gas station and later ran an RV business. After high school, Weber enrolled in Alvin Junior College, where by his own admission he was a subpar student until he became a born-again Christian. Soon after becoming a father for the first time, Weber began taking night classes at the University of Houston- Clear Lake. Balancing work at his father s RV business with caring for a new baby and going to school, he recalls, required waking up at 4 a.m. to study and keeping the baby on Wednesdays while his wife went to school to earn a teaching degree. After graduating from college, Weber was keen to branch out. In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan s message of limited government inspired Weber to get politically involved. He became an active party volunteer, as well as a precinct judge and election official. From 1990 to 1996, he served on the Pearland City Council and later ran for the Texas House, where he worked on issues ranging from veterans affairs to domestic human trafficking. In his congressional race, Weber emerged from a field of more than a half-dozen credible GOP contenders, securing endorsements from Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Paul, both of whom were presidential candidates in He also demonstrated his skill as a fundraiser, earning the distinction of Young Gun from the National Republican Congressional Committee. 14 Elected: 2012 Education: U. of Houston Clear Lake, B.S., 1977 Religion: Baptist Family: Married (Brenda), 3 children, 7 grandchildren Contact: (202) Longworth House Office Opposes expanding Obamacare Favors keeping God in the public sphere Opposes the legalization of marijuana Favors an absolute right to gun ownership House Committee on Science, Space and Technology House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Randy Weber (R) Votes: 160,340 Percent: 61.9% Michael Cole (D) Votes: 98,815 Percent: 38.1% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016, Ballotpedia, 2017.

18 Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Vicente Gonzalez was born to a military family in Corpus Christi, Texas. His mother stressed the importance of education, which motivated Gonzalez to go back to school and get his GED. Afterwards, Gonzalez attended community college classes and eventually earned his B.A. at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station. Soon after receiving his B.A., Gonzalez continued to heed his mother s advice, pursuing a law degree at Texas A&M. While in law school, Gonzalez interned in a Congressional office to learn more about government. After graduating from law school, Gonzalez founded his own law firm, V. Gonzalez and Associates P.C. The firm focuses on business litigation, catastrophic accidents and property damage. Gonzalez has taken on several major cases including helping South Texas school districts recover millions of dollars from contractors who misspent bond money. Gonzalez announced his candidacy for Texas s 15th congressional district in November 2015 after Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D) announced he was retiring. Gonzalez faced off against Edinburg School Board Member Juan "Sonny" Palacios, Jr in the Democratic primary. Gonzalez largely self-financed his campaign so he would not have to accept corporate contributions. Even though his campaign was self-financed, he outspent his rival substantially. He won the Democratic primary with 66% of the vote, and he went on to defeat Tim Westley in the general election. 15 Elected: 2016 Education: Embry Riddle Aeronautical U., B.A., 1992; TX A&M U., J.D., 1996 Religion: Catholic Family: Married (Lorena) Contact: (202) Cannon House Office Supports Obamacare but wants to reform it to expand access and contain costs Strongly opposes privatized Social Security Supports paying for the first two years of higher education Strongly supports military spending Supports paid family and maternity leave House Committee on Financial Services Vicente Gonzalez (D) Votes: 101,712 Percent: 57.3% Tim Westley (R) Votes: 66,877 Percent: 37.7% Sources: Ballotpedia, 2017; vicengonzalesforcongress.com; National Journal Almanac, 2017.

19 Congressman Beto O Rourke Democrat Beto O Rourke, a former El Paso city councilman, became one of the giant-killers of the 2012 primary season when he took on and defeated eight-term Rep. Silvestre Reyes, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and former chairman of the Intelligence Committee. Born to a family that has lived in El Paso for four generations, O Rourke s roots in the district run deep. His grandmother opened a furniture store there in 1950 which his mother now owns, and his father, also a Democrat, served on the El Paso County Commissioners Court and as the county judge in the 1980s. After getting his undergraduate degree in 1995, O Rourke landed a job in the then-developing Web technology field. He spent three years working in Manhattan, but then decided to move back to El Paso to start his own company. Stanton Street Technology Group began in O Rourke s apartment. Today, the company employs more than a dozen people and provides Internet services throughout El Paso and nationally. O Rourke ran for the City Council and served two terms, from 2005 to In challenging Reyes for his House seat in the 2012 primary, O Rourke argued that the incumbent had accomplished little in 10 years on the Veterans Affairs Committee and failed to work on a solution to reduce bridge traffic. Reyes attacked O Rourke for his position in favor of legalizing marijuana and painted him as unfit for office based on his arrest for drunken driving 16 years earlier. 16 Elected: 2012 Education: Columbia U., B.A., 1995 Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Married (Amy), 3 children Contact: (202) Longworth House Office Supports pro-life legislation Supports the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions Supports gun-control legislation Supports same-sex marriage Opposes the repeal of the Affordable Care Act Opposes increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support House Committee on Veterans Affairs House Committee on Armed Services Beto O Rourke (D) Votes: 150,228 Percent: 85.7% Jaime Perez (L) Votes: 17,491 Percent: 10.0% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2016.

20 Congressman Bill Flores Republican Bill Flores toppled 10-term Democrat Chet Edwards in one of the big upsets of Flores is a retired oil and gas executive who zealously seeks to help those industries while maintaining his standing as one of the House s strictest fiscal and social conservatives. He had four opponents in the March 2010 Republican primary. He finished ahead of 2008 nominee Rob Curnock, 33%-29%, but went on to beat Curnock in the runoff, 65%-35%. In the general election, he faced Edwards, a 20-year incumbent with considerable political skills. Flores won 62%-37%, carrying all but one small county. In the House, Flores was the third-most conservative Texas Republican in the 112th Congress ( ) behind Jeb Hensarling and Mike Conaway, according to National Journal s annual rankings. He is active in the Republican Study Committee, the caucus of the House s most conservative members. Flores first bills were measures to set more stringent deadlines for government approval of offshore oil and gas drilling and to extend for 12 months all leases in the Gulf of Mexico affected by the Interior Department s drilling moratoriums after the massive BP spill. He later successfully amended several House-passed bills to block a provision in the 2007 energy law promoting the use of global warming-friendly alternative fuels in federal vehicles. In 2012, after easily deflecting a GOP primary challenger by getting 83% of the vote, Flores beat Libertarian Ben Easton 80%-20% in an election with no Democratic challenger 17 Elected: 2010 Education: TX A&M U., B.B.A., 1976; Houston Baptist U., M.B.A., 1985 Religion: Baptist Family: Married (Gina), 2 children, 2 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Supports repealing Obamacare Strongly supports the House GOP American Energy Plan Strongly opposes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented migrants Has an A rating from the NRA House Committee on Energy and Commerce Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Bill Flores, Ballotpedia, Bill Flores (R) Votes: 149,157 Percent: 60.8% William Matta (D) Votes: 86,352 Percent: 35.2%

21 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat first elected in 1994, is known as one of Congress s most difficult members. A native of Queens, N.Y., Jackson Lee was educated at Yale University and the University of Virginia s law school. She practiced law in Houston, where she was a local judge and won two terms as an at-large member of the Houston City Council. After a local term-limits law took effect in 1994, she ran for Congress. The incumbent was Democratic Rep. Craig Washington, a talented but iconoclastic legislator who voted against funding for the space station, a source of many local jobs, and against the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement, which was a boon to Houston s port traffic. Jackson Lee supported NAFTA and raised a lot of money from business interests that favored it. She won the primary, 63%-37%, and she prevailed in the general election. In the House, Jackson Lee has a liberal voting record, although she has leaned toward the center on economic issues. She is prolific in proposing bills and offering amendments on the floor. Typically, her measures call for studies on one topic or another, add small amounts to spending bills, or are non-controversial, such as one that called on Afghanistan to prohibit the use of children as soldiers. Her more substantive proposals usually have been defeated. 18 Elected: 1994 Education: Yale U., B.A., 1972; U. of VA, J.D., 1975 Religion: Seventh-Day Adventist Family: Married (Elwyn), 2 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly favors expanding the Affordable Care Act Strongly opposes vouchers for school choice Strongly favors gun control proposals Strongly opposes efforts to support and expand free trade Strongly opposes efforts to privatize Social Security House Committee on the Budget House Committee on the Judiciary House Committee on Homeland Security Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia Sheila Jackson Lee (D) Votes: 150,157 Percent: 73.5% Lori Bartley (R) Votes: 48,306 Percent: 23.6%

22 Congressman Jodey Arrington Jodey Arrington was born on March 9, 1972 in Plainview in Hale County, South Texas. He graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.A. in 1994 and a master s degree in In 1996, Arrington was hired by Governor George W. Bush as an appointments manager. After Bush's election as president in 2000, Arrington was asked to join the White House staff special assistant to the president and associate director of presidential personnel, where he served under Clay Johnson III. For the next year, Arrington briefed and made recommendations to the president, Vice-President Dick Cheney and Chief of Staff Andy Card. He specialized in appointments relating to energy, the environment and natural resources. In late December 2001, at age 28, Arrington became one of the youngest chiefs of staff in the history of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. After a year he moved back to Texas to become the chief of staff at the Texas Tech University System, including Texas Tech University, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center and Angelo State University. It has over 40,000 students and nearly 20,000 employees. The system has a budget of roughly $1.3 billion and has campuses throughout the state. In 2014 he became president of Scott Laboratories in Lubbock, Texas. Arrington ran unsuccessfully in 2014 in a special election for the Texas State Senate district 28. He was defeated by fellow Republican Charles Perry, 53% to 30%, who still holds the seat. Arrington was the recipient of the 2003 Distinguished Public Service Award as part of the 22nd annual Center for Public Service Symposium in Lubbock, Texas. 19 Elected: 2016 Education: TX Tech. U., B.A., 1994, M.A., 1997 Religion: Presbyterian Family: Married (Anne), 3 children Contact: (202) Longworth House Office Favors expanding border control and enforcing existing laws against illegal immigration Favors a stronger military presence on the world stage Strongly opposes EPA overregulation of agriculture and energy production Opposes abortion Opposes same sex marriage being legalized on a federal level Strongly favors protecting the right to bear arms House Committee on Veterans Affairs House Committee on the Budget House Committee on Agriculture Jodey Arrington (R) Votes: 176,314 Percent: 86.7% Troy Bonar (L) Votes: 17,376 Percent: 8.5% Sources: Ballotpedia, 2017; National Journal Almanac, 2017.

23 Congressman Joaquin Castro Democrat Joaquin Castro is a former Texas legislator who won his San Antonio-based seat in As a young, telegenic Hispanic, he vaulted into an unusually prominent position for a freshman along with his twin brother Julián, a former San Antonio mayor who became secretary of housing and urban development in July Politics is in Castro s blood. His mother, Rosie Castro, was a noted Latina activist in the 1960s and 1970s, and she instilled a belief in civil rights and equality of opportunity in her sons. We grew up believing that when government works right, it can help people, Joaquin Castro said in an interview with National Journal. In the House, Castro has been a reliable Democrat, particularly on economic issues. He has focused on education, introducing a bill in June 2014 to expand a pre-kindergarten program that his brother started in San Antonio. It would give cities a direct line to federal funds, bypassing state legislatures. "Local entities must have the ability to step up to the plate and pick up the slack where their state governments are failing," he wrote in a Dallas Morning News op-ed column. He worked with a bipartisan group of lawmakers on another bill that month to authorize the U.S. Agency for International Development's Global Development Lab to work on public-private partnerships to combat global poverty. When former governor Rick Perry announced he would send National Guard troops to the border, Castro accused Perry of "militarizing" the region and said he should instead be sending the Red Cross. He sent Perry -- a potential 2016 presidential candidate -- a subsequent letter accusing him of relying on crime statistics that he said had been "thoroughly debunked" and of using the situation for his personal political gain. 20 Elected: 2012 Education: Stanford U., B.A., 1996; Harvard U., J.D., 2000 Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Married (Anna), 2 children Contact: (202) Longworth House Office Supports affirmative action Supports same-sex marriage Opposes repealing the Affordable Care Act Opposes absolute right to gun ownership Supports prioritizing green energy House Committee on Foreign Affairs House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Joaquin Castro (D) Votes: 149,640 Percent: 79.7% Jeffrey Blunt (L) Votes: 29,055 Percent: 15.5% Sources: Ballotpedia, 2016; National Journal Almanac 2016.

24 Congressman Lamar Smith Republican Lamar Smith, first elected in 1986, has long been among his party s most influential conservatives on immigration. He brings a strong conservative perspective to other issues as well and became chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee in Smith graduated from Texas Military Institute, Yale University, and Southern Methodist University s law school. He was elected to the Texas House in 1980 and the Bexar County Commissioners Court in In 1986, when Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Loeffler ran for governor, Smith ran for the House seat. In the House, Smith has a conservative voting record and joined the Tea Party Caucus when it was formed in He took over the Science Committee after being term-limited as the Judiciary Committee chairman. In addition to cyber security and investigating the Obama administration s science-related work, Smith promised an emphasis on the future of NASA. On climate change, Smith is a bit less of a skeptic about the issue than other conservatives on the panel, acknowledging that it has the potential to impact human health. On Judiciary, Smith has pressed for tougher enforcement of immigration laws as an alternative to comprehensive reform, which he insists cannot include provisions giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. Perhaps his most significant achievement in the immigration realm was passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of Despite deep partisan conflicts on the committee, Smith gets along with Democrats better than others, and has found common ground on cyber security and intellectual property enforcement. 21 Elected: 1986 Education: Yale U., B.A., 1969; S. Methodist U., J.D., 1975 Religion: Christian Scientist Family: Married (Beth), 2 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Opposes Obamacare expansion Supports absolute right to gun ownership Opposes abortion rights Opposes higher taxes on the wealthy Opposes green energy initiatives Opposes pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens Favors privatized social security Opposes legalizing marijuana House Committee on Science, Space and Technology House Committee on the Judiciary House Committee on Homeland Security Lamar Smith (R) Votes: 202,967 Percent: 57.0% Tom Wakely (D) Votes: 129,765 Percent: 36.0% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ballotpedia, 2016.

25 Congressman Pete Olson Pete Olson, a Republican elected in 2008, represents the district once overseen by Tom DeLay, the powerful former House majority leader. Olson is every bit as conservative as DeLay and just as vigilant in advocating on behalf of Texas oil and space interests. He led a congressional effort in February 2013 calling for the Government Accountability Office to release a study on the use of federal funding by Planned Parenthood and other health organizations that perform abortions. He got a plum seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2011 and joined fellow Texas Republican Joe Barton on the panel as a staunch defender of their state s oil and gas industry. The House passed his bill in August 2012 allowing power companies off the hook if they violate environmental laws while attempting to comply with federal mandates to maintain the reliability of their electricity grids during power emergencies. The Senate did not take it up. Olson was among lawmakers in February 2011 who accused the Interior Department of being too slow to approve new drilling permits and later was an outspoken advocate of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which is designed to carry Canadian oil to Texas refineries. 22 Elected: 2008 Education: Rice U., B.A., 1985; U. of TX, J.D., 1988 Religion: Methodist Family: Married (Nancy), 2 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Opposes the Iran nuclear deal Supports stronger screening process for refugees from Iraq and Syria Opposes abortion rights Supports absolute right to gun ownership House Committee on Energy and Committee Pete Olson (R) Votes: 181,864 Percent: 60.0% Mark Gibson (D) Votes: 123,679 Percent: 41.0% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2017; Pete Olson, Ballotpedia, 2017.

26 Congressman Will Hurd Representative Will Hurd is a native of San Antonio and the youngest of three children of a mixed-race couple; his father is African-American. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 2000 with a degree in computer science, a minor in international relations, and some acclaim as student body president for having helped a grieving campus recover from the 1999 collapse of the traditional football bonfire which killed 12 students and injured 27 others. He moved to Washington, D.C., to work as a CIA officer and was soon stationed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. He left the agency in 2009 and returned to Texas. He was a partner in the strategic advisory firm Crumpton Group. During the 2014 election cycle, Hurd decided to run for Texas s 23rd Congressional seat. Tea Party supporters backed Hurd's campaign that emphasized his intelligence service "in this time of heartbreak and troubles throughout the world." And while Gallego portrayed himself as a moderate Blue Dog Democrat, Hurd criticized him as too aligned with President Obama and "radical environmentalists." Painting Gallego as a job killer, Hurd noted his votes against the Keystone XL pipeline and drilling on public lands. The race remained tight to the end, with the party congressional campaign committees pouring hundreds of thousands into the campaign and outside groups spending millions on ads. The race was tight but Hurd won with 2,500 votes. 23 Elected: 2014 Education: Texas A&M U., B.S., 2000 Religion: Christian Family: Single Contact: (202) Cannon House Office Strongly opposes expanding Obamacare Strongly favors absolute right to gun ownership Strongly opposes higher taxes on the wealthy Strongly favors privatizing Social Security Strongly pro-life House Committee on Homeland Security House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform House Select Committee on Intelligence Will Hurd (R) Votes: 110,577 Percent: 48.0% Pete Gallego (D) Votes: 107,526 Percent: 47.0% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2016.

27 Congressman Kenny Marchant Republican Kenny Marchant, elected in 2004, has a prized seat on the Ways and Means Committee, a reward for his loyalty to the GOP agenda. Mild-mannered and deeply religious, Marchant had been chairman and floor leader of the Texas House Republican caucus and served on the House Redistricting Committee during the bitter 2003 redistricting battle. Unsurprisingly, the redistricting plan couldn t have been more favorable to him. In the House, Marchant has a solidly conservative voting record. He was among the original members of the Tea Party Caucus and a co-sponsor of the so-called birther bill in 2009 requiring future presidential candidates to prove U.S. citizenship. Marchant in 2011 sponsored a bill to prevent the federal government from subsidizing illegal immigrants housing purchases by requiring borrowers to submit to the E-Verify background check program. He joined 50 Texas state lawmakers in February 2013 in calling for the Boy Scouts to keep in place its ban on gay scouts and leaders. Marchant has had no trouble winning reelection. He drew a spirited GOP primary challenger in 2012 in Grant Stinchfield, a former TV news investigative reporter. The incumbent won 68%-32% and coasted with 61% in the general election. 24 Elected: 2004 Education: S. Nazarene U., B.A., 1973; Nazarene Theol. Sem., Attended, 1976 Religion: Nazarene Family: Married (Donna), 4 children, 2 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Supports bill requiring presidential candidates to prove US citizenship Opposes pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants Supports Boy Scouts ban on gay scouts and leaders Supports keeping God in the public sphere House Committee on Ethics House Committee on Ways and Means Sources: National Journal Almanac, Kenny Marchant (R) Votes: 154,845 Percent: 56.2% Jan McDowell (D) Votes: 108,389 Percent: 39.3%

28 Congressman Roger Williams After dropping a bid for the U.S. Senate, Republican Roger Williams, a former Texas secretary of state and prolific fundraiser, easily rose above 11 candidates in the GOP primary in 2012 to clinch his party s nomination in the 25th District of Texas, which was made reliably Republican through redistricting. His primary win all but guaranteed him victory in the general election. Williams grew up in Fort Worth, where his father was a Chevrolet dealer and his mother ran a needlepoint business. He attended Texas Christian University on a baseball scholarship. After graduating in 1971, he played with the Atlanta Braves farm team for four years until he injured a shoulder while sliding into first base. He returned home to run the family car dealership and to TCU, where he coached baseball for three years. It was a shared love for baseball that connected Williams and George W. Bush. A former owner of the Texas Rangers, Bush invited Williams to be a state finance chairman for his 1994 and 1998 campaigns for governor, which was Williams first foray into politics. He made his way to Washington in 2000, when President Bush appointed him to the Republican National Committee s Eagles program. He left that position to accept Gov. Rick Perry s appointment as secretary of state. He was also Perry s chief liaison to Mexico. Williams ran on what he called a pretty simple platform. It s lower taxes, less government, cut the spending, defend the borders, listen to your generals, and understand the 10th Amendment, he said. 25 Elected: 2012 Education: TX Christian U., B.S., 1971 Religion: Disciples of Christ Family: Married (Patty), 2 children Contact: (202) Longworth House Office Opposes expanding Obamacare Favors gun ownership rights Favors keeping God in the public sphere Opposes a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens Opposes same-sex marriage Opposes a legal requirement of hiring women and minorities Opposes prioritizing green energy House Committee on Financial Services Roger Williams (R) Votes: 180,988 Percent: 58.3% Kathi Thomas (D) Votes: 117,073 Percent: 37.7% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2017.

29 Congressman Michael Burgess Michael Burgess, a conservative Republican physician first elected in 2002, is a spokesman for House Republicans on health care issues. He also has close connections with former GOP presidential candidates he was Arizona Sen. John McCain s point person on health care policy in 2008 and encouraged former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to run in In the House, Burgess has a reliably conservative voting record. He joined the Tea Party Caucus when it formed in Also that year, he voted present on a resolution commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam-era shootings at Kent State University because he said the measure implied that the National Guard was at fault. He has for several years pushed legislation to implement a flat tax, a popular idea with conservatives that would replace the federal income tax with a 23% sales tax on goods and services. He drew headlines in August 2011 when, while attending a Tea Party meeting, he responded to a question about whether impeaching President Barack Obama would tie up Obama s agenda by saying there was no question that it would. When a Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter asked later about the comment, he said: We need to tie things up. The longer we allow the damage to continue unchecked, the worse things are going to be for us. But he said later that he didn t advocate impeachment. 26 Elected: 2002 Education: N. TX St. U., B.S., 1972, M.S., 1976; U. of TX Med. Schl., M.D., 1977; U. of TX Dallas, M.S., 2000 Religion: Anglican Family: Married (Laura), 3 children, 2 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly opposes abortion rights Strongly opposes expanding the Affordable Care Act Strongly favors absolute right to guns Opposes same-sex marriage Opposes prioritizing green energy House Committee on Energy and Commerce House Committee on Rules Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ballotpedia, Michael Burgess (R) Votes: 211,730 Percent: 66.4% Eric Mauck (D) Votes: 94,507 Percent: 29.6%

30 Congressman Henry Cuellar Henry Cuellar, elected in 2004, is one of the most conservative Hispanic Democrats, with a voting record putting him near the center of the House as a whole. But he has shown enough loyalty to his party to win a coveted seat on the Appropriations Committee in Cuellar (KWAY-ar) was the oldest of eight children of migrant workers who had only elementary school educations. He graduated from Georgetown University and the University of Texas law school, and he later got a Ph.D. in government from UT. From his base in Laredo, he served in the Texas House from 1986 to 2000, where he helped to author the Texas Grant college aid program. In 2001, Republican Gov. Rick Perry appointed him secretary of State even though he is a Democrat. Cuellar resigned in 2002 to run against veteran Republican Rep. Henry Bonilla in the old 23rd District. He got a big boost from a Bonilla gaffe; Bonilla claimed he didn t need Laredo to win, and in response, the Webb County Republican chairman endorsed Cuellar. Cuellar attacked Bonilla for his votes against funding for the State Children s Health Insurance Program, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and Pell grants. In the House, Cuellar was the ninth most conservative Democrat in 2012, according to National Journal s annual rankings. He is a member of the rapidly shrinking Blue Dog Coalition of Democratic fiscal conservatives and was one of just 22 Democrats to support a failed amendment for a fiscal 2013 budget based on the recommendations of the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction commission. 28 Elected: 2004 Education: Georgetown U., B.S., 1976; U. of TX, J.D., 1981, Ph.D., 1998; Texas A&M U., M.A., 1982 Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Married (Imelda), 2 children Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Opposed the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul Strongly favors a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants Supports pro-life legislation Supports the government funding of renewable energy Opposes the repeal of the Affordable Care Act Supports second amendment rights House Committee on Appropriations Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia Henry Cuellar (D) Votes: 122,086 Percent: 66.2% Zeffen Hardin (R) Votes: 57,740 Percent: 31.3%

31 Congressman Gene Green Democrat Gene Green, first elected in 1992, is a gregarious centrist with a bipartisan streak. He stays popular in a district that is three-quarters Hispanic by paying close attention to constituents: he s known for hosting clinics to give children free vaccinations and workshops to help immigrants applying for citizenship and students applying for college. Green grew up in the largely Hispanic Lindale section of north Houston. He was elected to the state House in 1972, at age 25, and to the state Senate in a special election in He has been a friend to unions and trial lawyers in Austin and Washington, and an opponent of gun control, a politician whose natural political base is Texas s small, unionized blue-collar class. In the House, Green has a moderate voting record, especially for a member of a heavily minority urban district. Green has a seat on the influential Energy and Commerce Committee, where he naturally has focused on issues important to the oil industry. Another of Green s interests is health care. He backed the government-run public option to compete with private insurers that passed the House but was stripped from the Senate version. He has worked on array of related issues, getting bipartisan bills into law to upgrade states trauma care systems and eliminate tuberculosis. 29 Elected: 1992 Education: U. of Houston, B.A., 1971, J.D., 1977 Religion: Methodist Family: Married (Helen), 2 children, 4 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly favors expanding Obamacare Strongly opposes vouchers for school choice Strongly favors absolute right to gun ownership Favors prioritizing green energy Strongly favors higher taxes on the wealthy House Committee on Energy and Commerce Gene Green (D) Votes: 95,649 Percent: 72.5% Julio Garza (R) Votes: 31,646 Percent: 24.0% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2017; Gene Green, Ballotpedia, 2017.

32 Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Democrat first elected in 1992, is a revered figure in Dallas politics, having spent four decades advocating for the city. Some of her younger rivals and The Dallas Morning News editorial page have suggested it s time for her to step aside, but she remains a potent political force. Johnson grew up in Texas, graduated from Texas Christian University with a nursing degree, and later got a master s degree in public administration at Southern Methodist University. She worked at St. Paul Hospital and was the chief psychiatric nurse at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Dallas. She told The Morning News in 1987 that she first got interested in politics in the early 1960s, when she went to buy a new hat and was shocked to learn that blacks in the city weren t allowed to try on such headgear. She organized a boycott of the store. In 1972, she was elected to the Texas House, the first black woman elected to the legislature from Dallas. She became a regional director of the old Health, Education and Welfare Department under Democratic President Jimmy Carter. She was elected to the Texas Senate in In the House, Johnson known by her initials EBJ has a mostly liberal voting record. She has been attentive to business interests in Dallas, though her lifetime voting score from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is among the lowest in the Texas delegation. Johnson became the ranking Democrat on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee in Johnson generally has sailed to reelection, including her 2016 victory. 30 Elected: 1992 Education: St. Mary s at Notre Dame, B.A., 1955; TX Christian U., B.S., 1967; S. Methodist U., M.P.A., 1976 Religion: Baptist Family: Divorce, 1 child, 3 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Supports the North American Free Trade Agreement Supports pro-choice legislation Opposes the building of the Keystone XL pipeline Supports federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions Supports gun-control regulation Opposes the repeal of the Affordable Care Act House Committee on Science, Space and Technology House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia Eddie Bernice Johnson (D) Votes: 170,502 Percent: 77.9% Charles Lingerfelt (R) Votes: 41,518 Percent: 19.0%

33 Congressman John Carter John Carter, a conservative Republican first elected in 2002, brings an ex-judge s no-nonsense, law-and-order perspective to homeland security and immigration as the chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee on those issues. Carter grew up in Houston and graduated from Texas Tech University and the University of Texas law school. He practiced law in Williamson County and served as a municipal judge in Round Rock. He was appointed a district judge in 1981 by Republican Gov. Bill Clements and in 1982 stood for election. Judicial elections are partisan in Texas, and Carter was the first Republican judge elected in Williamson County. Carter became known as the father of the county Republican Party. In 2001, Carter retired from the bench and ran for Congress. In the House, Carter has been a reliable conservative. He did oppose some of the more drastic GOP proposals to cut spending in 2012, such as a failed amendment to impose an across-the-board cut in energy and water appropriations. He also was able to fight off a Republican attempt in 2011 to sharply cut spending for military bands, arguing that they are an integral part to the patriotism that keeps our soldiers hearts beating fast. He joined the Tea Party Caucus when it formed in July He served three terms in the leadership as House Republican Conference secretary and stepped down when Republicans sought to diversify their ranks. Carter easily won reelection in Elected: 2002 Education: TX Tech. U., B.A., 1964; U. of TX, J.D., 1969 Religion: Lutheran Family: Married (Erika), 4 children, 6 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Supports the repeal of Obamacare Strongly favors privatizing Social Security Supports pro-life legislation Opposes gun-control legislation Opposes same-sex marriage Does not support the government regulating greenhouse gas emissions Strongly opposes higher taxes for the wealthy House Committee on Appropriations John Carter (R) Votes: 166,060 Percent: 58.4% Mike Clark (D) Votes: 103,852 Percent: 36.5% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2016.

34 Congressman Pete Sessions Pete Sessions, a Republican first elected in 1996, chairs the Rules Committee, a job that allows him to indulge his fondness for sparring with Democrats while upholding the leadership s priorities. He previously was chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, where he helped guide his party to majority control of the chamber in The vagaries of redistricting led Sessions to run for Congress in several different House districts. In 1991, he ran and finished sixth in the special election in the 3rd District, which then included much of North Dallas. In 1993, he ran against Democratic Rep. John Bryant in the 5th District, but lost 50%-47%. Two years later, Sessions ran again for the House seat and won the primary. In the general election, he faced John Pouland, a former regional General Services Administration director, and won 53%-47%. Sessions voting record is among the most conservative in the House, though far-right blogs and websites occasionally question whether he is too much a part of the Washington establishment that they loathe. In 1999, he got a seat on Rules and has used it to forcefully articulate the Republican message. House Speaker John Boehner chose Sessions in November 2012 to succeed retiring Rules Chairman David Dreier of California over Washington s Doc Hastings, a close Boehner ally. In the 2012 election season, Sessions again got off to a shaky start, but he has not had great difficulty getting reelected since, though in 2014 he had to fend off a high-profile primary challenge from Katrina Pierson, a Tea Party activist who was a top volunteer on Republican Ted Cruz's 2012 Senate campaign. 32 Elected: 1996 Education: SW U., B.S., 1978 Religion: Methodist Family: Married (Karen), 2 children, 3 stepchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly favors free trade Strongly opposes expanding the Affordable Care Act Favors stronger border security and greater immigration restrictions Opposes prioritizing renewable energy and favors an all the above approach House Committee on Rules Pete Sessions (R) Votes: 162,868 Percent: 71.0% Ed Rankin (L) Votes: 43,490 Percent: 19.0% Sources: Ballotpedia, 2016; National Journal Almanac 2016.

35 Congressman Marc Veasey Democrat Marc Veasey won a hard-fought primary in 2012 to claim the seat in the newly created 33rd District, which Texas gained in the 2010 reapportionment. The win gave him a lock on the general election in the solidly Democratic district. He has credited his involvement in politics to his uncle, who worked for Fort Worth s Jim Wright, the Democratic speaker of the House from 1987 to Veasey ran for the Texas House in 2004 out of frustration with an incumbent who failed to join other Texas Democrats in leaving the state to protest GOP-led redistricting. He spent much of his time in the legislature dealing with banking and pension issues and on an environmental regulations committee. His main competition in the decisive primary for the House seat was Dallas attorney Domingo Garcia. In the initial balloting, Veasey bested Garcia, 37% to 25%, but not by enough to avoid a runoff. In the runoff campaign, Veasey targeted regular Democratic Party voters on his home turf and black voters and Hispanics in Dallas County. Veasey won the runoff 53% to 47% and was careful to sound a conciliatory note in his acceptance speech. Despite what the pundits said, this election was never about Dallas versus Fort Worth. It was never about African- Americans versus Hispanics, he said to cheering supporters in Fort Worth, according to The Dallas Morning News. This election was about making sure North Texans were represented fairly and honestly. In the fall of 2012, Veasey had little trouble defeating Republican Chuck Bradley, 73% to 26%. 33 Elected: 2012 Education: TX Wesleyan U., B.S., 1995 Religion: Christian Church Family: Married (Tonya), 1 child Contact: (202) Longworth House Office Strongly favors a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants Supports abortion as an unrestricted right of a woman Strongly opposes privatizing Social Security Supports increasing alternative energy sources Supports full implementation of the Affordable Care Act House Committee on Armed Services House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Marc Veasey (D) Votes: 93,147 Percent: 73.7% Mark Mitchell (R) Votes: 33,222 Percent: 26.3% Sources: National Journal Almanac, 2016; Ballotpedia, 2016.

36 Congressman Filemon Vela Democrat Filemon Vela won the 34th District House seat in part on the strength of his illustrious political family. Brownsville s federal courthouse bears the name of his late father, a U.S. district judge for more than two decades, and his mother was the city s first elected woman mayor. Vela was born in Harlingen, at the southern tip of Texas, and raised in nearby Brownsville. After receiving a bachelor s degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of Texas, he returned to Brownsville to practice law. As a civil attorney, Vela represented school districts seeking restitution for shoddy construction by independent contractors. In one case, he recovered money spent by the district on a poorly built facility; in another, he won recompense for a malfunctioning air-quality control system. He was a civil attorney for 25 years. When Vela launched his campaign, some political observers were surprised by the D next to his name. His wife is a Republican justice on the Texas Court of Appeals, and Vela acknowledged that he has at times backed GOP office-seekers. But he aligned himself with the Democratic agenda, calling for a realistic and fair way to deal with illegal immigration, protection of Medicare and Social Security benefits, and tax cuts for small businesses as an incentive to hire workers. Vela is considered a moderate left of center voter within the Democratic party and was reelected easily in Elected: 2012 Education: Georgetown U., B.A., 1985; U. of TX, J.D., 1987 Religion: Roman Catholic Family: Married (Rose) Contact: (202) Cannon House Office Supports tax cuts for small businesses to encourage hiring more workers Supports government funding for the development of renewable energy Opposes the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions Opposes gun-control legislation Opposes the repealing of Obamacare Favors a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants Favors higher taxes on the wealthy House Committee on Agriculture House Committee on Homeland Security Filemon Vela (D) Votes: 104,638 Percent: 62.7% Rey Gonzalez (R) Votes: 62,323 Percent: 37.3% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2016.

37 Congressman Lloyd Doggett Lloyd Doggett, first elected in 1994, is a liberal Democrat and a respected voice in his party on tax and environmental issues. His political views and pugnaciousness have made him a target of Texas GOP-led redistricting, but he has eluded efforts to draw him out of a seat. Doggett grew up in Austin, finished first in his class at the University of Texas, and was student body president in In 1972, at age 26, he was elected to the state Senate. Doggett was elected to the Texas Supreme Court in When Democratic U.S. Rep. Jake Pickle retired after 31 years, Doggett ran for his seat. In the House, Doggett s voting record puts him among the most-liberal Texans and near the center of all Democrats. He is at times highly partisan. When Democrats controlled the House between 2007 and 2010, Doggett was active and often influential on the Ways and Means Committee. His priorities included eliminating tax shelters and loopholes and giving the federal government power to negotiate prescription drug prices for Medicare. He also sought tax incentives for purchasers of plug-in hybrid electric cars. In May 2009, when President Barack Obama announced his plan to reform international tax policy, he cited Doggett s input on proposals to crack down on overseas tax evasion. Doggett also pressed the president s Simpson-Bowles fiscal commission to scrutinize the more than $1 trillion a year that the Internal Revenue Service provides in the form of reduced taxes or refunds to companies and individuals. 35 Elected: 1994 Education: U. of TX, B.B.A., 1967, J.D., 1970 Religion: Methodist Family: Married (Libby), 2 children, 3 grandchildren Contact: (202) Rayburn House Office Strongly favors laws against job discrimination Against tax shelters and loopholes Favors green energy Strongly favors stimulus over market-led recovery Strongly opposes vouchers for school choice Favors staying out of Iran House Committee on Ways and Means Lloyd Doggett (D) Votes: 124,612 Percent: 63.1% Susan Narvaiz (R) Votes: 62,384 Percent: 31.6% Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia 2016.

38 Congressman Brian Babin Brian Babin, a dentist and local GOP leader, decisively beat Democrat Michael Cole in 2014, taking over the seat held by retiring GOP conservative firebrand Rep. Steve Stockman. Babin succeeded in his third run for Congress by outmuscling tea-party favorite Ben Streusand in the primary. Babin attended Lamar University and obtained his degree to practice dentistry at the University of Texas at Houston; friends refer to him as "Doc Babin." He entered local politics by serving as an alderman and mayor in Woodville. Babin got his chance to seek larger office due to redistricting. The 36th has skewed toward the GOP over the last decade, most recently sending Stockman -- one of the most outspokenly conservative Republicans to serve in recent years -- to Congress. When Stockman announced that he would give up his House seat to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn, Babin seized on the chance to convert his decades of local political activism into a viable congressional run. His general election victory was largely a formality. On his first day in office, Babin voted "present" rather than support John Boehner for House speaker. He was the only member in the chamber not to case a "yes" or "no" vote. Babin worked with the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and Transportation and Infrastructure since he was sworn in. 36 Elected: 2014 Education: Lamar U., B.S., 1973; U. of TX Houston, D.D.S., 1976 Religion: Southern Baptist Family: Married (Roxanne), 5 children, 12 grandchildren Contact: (202) Cannon House Office Supports pro-life legislation Supported the building of the Keystone XL pipeline Opposes the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions Opposes gun-control legislation Supports the repeal of Obamacare Opposes a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants House Committee on Science, Space and Technology House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Sources: National Journal Almanac, Ballotpedia Brian Babin (R) Votes: 193,675 Percent: 88.6% Hal Ridley Jr. (G) Votes: 24,890 Percent: 11.4%