Jon E. Rosenthal

Jon E. Rosenthal is a Democrat representing House District 135 in the Texas House of Representatives, which encompasses Northwest Houston, including Cypress and Katy. Born in 1963 at Stanford University Hospital, Rosenthal moved to Texas in 1979. His father, Haskell, was the John T. Stuart III Centennial Professor of Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin for over 25 years, and his mother, Maryon, worked as a Cosmetics Sales Director.

Rosenthal has lived in Northwest Houston with his wife Aminta since 2007. They have two adult children, Janet and Bryan. Early in his career, he worked as a plumber's apprentice before transitioning into the engineering and energy sectors.

Education

Rosenthal graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He later earned a Graduate Certificate in Subsea Engineering from the University of Houston in 2016.

Political Experience

Rosenthal was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in November 2018, having left the private sector to run for office. He currently serves in his fourth term in the 89th Legislature and is one of only three engineers—and the only mechanical engineer—serving in the Texas State House.

His committee assignments include Energy Resources, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Redistricting . During the 86th Legislative session, he received the prestigious Freshman of the Year award from the non-partisan Legislative Study Group, the second-largest caucus in the Texas State House.

Throughout his legislative career, Rosenthal has focused on advocating for better public schools, healthcare, and comprehensive criminal justice reform across Texas. In 2026, he launched a campaign to be elected to the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas operations in the state. If elected, he would become the only engineer serving as a Texas Railroad Commissioner.

Before entering politics, Rosenthal spent over 25 years working as a Project Manager, Engineering Manager, and Subsea Systems Engineer in the oil and gas industry, holding positions including Senior Engineer at ABS Consulting, Principal Engineer at OneSubsea, and Product Manager at Unitech International.