Bryan Hughes

Bryan Hughes is a Republican serving his third term in the Texas State Senate, representing District 1 in East Texas. He represents nearly one million people across 19 counties in the region, with his home base in Mineola.

Hughes has been dubbed "one of the most effective legislators in the country" by Governing Magazine and has established himself as a leading conservative voice in the legislature. He has been ranked the number one most conservative member of the Senate for two consecutive years and is tied for first place as one of the most fiscally conservative members. Notably, he is the only member of the Texas Legislature to have two pieces of legislation appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Education

Hughes earned his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Tyler and his J.D. from Baylor University School of Law. Early in his legal career, he served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge William M. Steger from 1995 to 1997.

Political Experience

Hughes began his legislative career in the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 5 from 2003 to 2017. He was named Pro-Life Whip of the Texas House by Texas Right to Life in 2011.

He transitioned to the Texas State Senate in 2017 and currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on State Affairs and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence. He is also the Joint-Chair of the Joint Committee on Effects of Media on Minors and serves on the Finance, Health & Human Services, Natural Resources & Economic Development, and Nominations committees.

Hughes is known for authoring significant legislation including the Heartbeat Bill, Critical Race Theory Ban, Election Integrity Bill, Social Media Censorship Ban, and the nation's strongest data privacy law. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Taxpayer Champion Award, the Visionary Leader Award from Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, the Horizon Award from Texas Right to Life, recognition as Defender of the American Dream by Americans for Prosperity, and Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business.

By profession, Hughes is an attorney and owner of the Law Offices of D. Bryan Hughes. He is also involved in civic leadership, serving on the Board of Trustees for Steward's Foundation and the Board of Directors for the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute.