Pete Gallego

Pete Gallego
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 23rd district
In office
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015
Preceded byQuico Canseco
Succeeded byWill Hurd
Member of the
Texas House of Representatives
In office
January 8, 1991 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byDudley Harrison
Succeeded byPoncho Nevárez
Constituency68th district (1991–1993)
74th district (1993–2013)
Personal details
Born
Pete Peña Gallego

(1961-12-02) December 2, 1961 (age 63)
Alpine, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMaria Elena Ramon
ResidenceAlpine, Texas
EducationSul Ross State University (BA)
University of Texas at Austin (JD)
ProfessionAttorney

Pete Peña Gallego (born December 2, 1961) is an American lawyer, politician, and higher education leader who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 23rd congressional district from 2013 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 68th district (74th district from 1993) beginning in 1991. He was president of his alma mater, Sul Ross State University in Far West Texas, from 2020 through 2022[1] and continues to serve as president emeritus[2] as he writes and speaks on issues related to college accessibility and affordability, particularly for first-generation students.

Gallego defeated freshman incumbent Quico Canseco of San Antonio for Texas's 23rd congressional district seat in the November 6, 2012, general election. Gallego ran for re-election in 2014, in what the Texas Tribune called the "only obviously competitive November congressional race" in Texas.[3] He was defeated by challenger Republican Will Hurd on November 4, 2014. In 2016 he ran for Congress once more in the 23rd district, losing to Hurd a second time.[4]

Early career

After graduating from law school, Gallego became an assistant in the office of the state attorney general, before he returned to his hometown of Alpine to become a prosecutor. He was also an attorney at the law firm Brown McCarroll LLP, with an office in Austin.[5][6]

State legislature

Elected to the Texas House from District 74 in 1990, Gallego was the first Hispanic to represent this vast border district. In 1991, he became the first freshman member and the first ethnic minority member ever elected as chair of the House Democratic Caucus, a post he held until January 2001.[5]

In the Texas House, Gallego served on the board of directors of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO), and four terms as Chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC), a caucus of Texas representatives who are of Mexican-American descent or who serve a significant Mexican-American constituency. In 2008, Trey Martinez Fischer replaced Gallego as Chairman of MALC.[5][7]

Gallego's state legislative career included chairmanships of the General Investigating Committee, the Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, and several select committees.[8] He also served as a member of the Texas Sunset Commission and a member of the Committees on Appropriations, Calendars, Criminal Jurisprudence, Higher Education, and Elections and served on the 10-member House-Senate budget conference committee for five consecutive legislative sessions from 1993 – 2001.[9]

In 2008, Gallego narrowly missed being elected Speaker of the Texas House.[10]

Gallego was known for carrying major legislation in the areas of criminal justice, indigent defense, capital punishment, wrongful convictions, crime victims’ rights, the judiciary, and economic development. He also carried legislation authorizing the creation of underground water districts throughout the region he represented.[11]

Gallego established internship programs at MALC named in honor of several of his mentors, Rep. Irma Rangel (the first Latina elected to the Texas Legislature) and Rep. Paul Moreno, the longest-serving Latino elected official in the country at that time.[12] He, along with the Latino Caucus chairs in New York, Florida, and California, was also instrumental in founding the National Board of Hispanic Caucus Chairs,[13] of which he was the founding chairman. While a state legislator, he also became the first person of color to serve as president and chairman of the Texas Lyceum Association.[14]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2012
See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas § District 23

Gallego announced his candidacy for the 23rd district in September 2011.[15] His state house district was virtually coextensive with the central portion of the congressional district; indeed, he had represented almost all of the central portion of the congressional district at one time or another during his two decades in the state legislature.

He finished second in the Democratic primary, behind former congressman Ciro Rodriguez, who had received Bill Clinton's endorsement. He then defeated Rodriguez in the July 31 runoff election by a margin of 55-45 percent.[16][17] During the course of his campaign, Gallego overhauled his campaign staff four times.[18]

In the general election, Gallego defeated Canseco with 50 percent of the vote to 46 percent, a margin of 9,200 votes. While Gallego lost in Bexar County, home to more than half the district's population, he dominated his former state house district. The campaign between Gallego and Canseco was contentious, with Gallego alleging that Canseco was a "right-wing extremist," and Canseco calling Gallego a "radical environmentalist."[18][19]

Gallego was supported by the Blue Dog Coalition.[20][21]

2014
See also: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas § District 23

Gallego ran for re-election in 2014. Facing no opposition from his own party, he won the Democratic primary on March 4, 2014.[22][23] He faced Republican Will Hurd, an African American, in the general election.[24] Gallego was a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program. The program is designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents. He lost his bid for re-election to Republican Will Hurd by less than 2,500 votes.[25]

2018
See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas § District 23

In July 2017, Gallego tested the waters as a potential 2018 candidate once more against Hurd. Reapportionment of the district could play a major role as to whether Gallego decided to enter the race. At least two other Democrats also considered running for their party nomination: Judith Canales, a former officer of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development from Eagle Pass, and Jay Hulings, a graduate of Harvard Law School and an assistant U.S. attorney in San Antonio.[26] On September 1, Gallego announced that he would not run in the 23rd district.[27]

Committee assignments

Texas State Senate

In June 2018, a special election was triggered in Texas State Senate District 19 after incumbent Carlos Uresti resigned. After an initial eight-way race and election on July 31, in which no candidate received 50% of the vote, a runoff election was set between the top two candidates, Gallego and Republican Pete Flores.[28] On September 18, Gallego was defeated in the runoff election due to high voter turnout in Medina County, a GOP stronghold; Flores received 53% of the vote, while Gallego received 47%.[29][30]

Sul Ross State

In May 2020 Chancellor Brian McCall announced Gallego as the sole finalist to become the 13th president of Sul Ross State (SRSU). In June, the Texas State University System Board of Regents confirmed him as the first SRSU alum to serve as president. He began his presidency at the four-campus university at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as it faced declining enrollment.

During his tenure, the university successfully moved classes online and slowly transitioned back to partial in-person classes. The university's endowment grew in size, and it awarded more degrees per year, including to Hispanic, minority, and economically-disadvantaged students, while raising its graduation rates.[31] A member of its rodeo team won a national championship (bull riding) for the first time since 1983.[32][33]

Gallego resigned as president[34] in June 2022 and was named president emeritus[35] by the Board of Regents.

Political positions

Healthcare

Gallego opposes repeal of the Affordable Care Act and voted against repeal in May 2013.[36][37][38] Gallego's support for the Affordable Care Act was attacked in advertisements by the Libre Initiative, a conservative Hispanic outreach group.[39][40]

Gallego opposed a Medicare voucher system[41] and supported Medicaid expansion and prescription drug negotiations.[42]

Abortion

Gallego supported an abortion law allowing minors to get an abortion with parental consent. Under the legislation a minor would have been able to bypass the requirement for parental consent by petitioning a judge.[6][43]

Immigration

Gallego has said that border security and immigration reform are two separate issues. He advocates improved "worker accountability programs, using border security as an economic tool and aiding the current 11 million undocumented individuals in a path to citizenship", writing with several others in an opinion piece in the El Paso Times that, "We can no longer delay immigration reform. The time to move forward is now." Gallego has said "Most people don't really care where the idea comes from. They want action, they want something to happen, and they're tired of the prolonged conversation." Gallego has expressed support for President Obama's immigration policies. He supports the DREAM Act.[44][45]

In 2014, Gallego invited Speaker of the House John Boehner to the Southern Border to view the humanitarian crisis and discuss the matter with local border patrol agents and community members.[46]

Energy

Gallego has been supported by the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters.[47] According to Texas Climate News, Gallego's 2012 congressional victory "earned the celebratory attention of climate-action advocates."[48] Gallego has voiced support for renewable and clean energy sources. The Sierra Club called Gallego a "clean energy champion."[49] Mother Jones included Gallego in a list of the "Top Five Climate Hawks" who were elected to office in November 2012.[50]

Personal life

Born in Alpine, Gallego’s family operated a well-known local restaurant which was a political watering hole.[51] For a time, he worked in a local clothing store, he served as a radio disc jockey and newscaster, and worked in a local clothing store. He also worked as a student employee in the financial aid office. He graduated from Sul Ross State University in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in political science. In 1985, he earned a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin.[5]

Gallego has been honored through the naming of multiple buildings, including the Pete P. Gallego Center at Sul Ross State in 2001.[52][53]

He and his wife have one son, who attends The University of Texas at Austin. He currently works with the Bexar County District Attorney’s office.[54]

Gallego is a frequent guest columnist in such publications as the Dallas Morning News,[55][56][57] Houston Chronicle,[58] San Antonio Express-News,[59] and Inside Higher Ed.[60] 

See also

References

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  4. ^ "Hurd wins re-election in U.S. 23rd Congressional District race". KSAT. San Antonio. November 9, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "Pete Gallego (D)". Election 2012. Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  6. ^ a b McClane, Brianna (November 1, 2012). "Texas, 23rd House District". National Journal. Archived from the original on August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  7. ^ Glazer, Matt (December 9, 2008). "Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) Elects New Leadership". Burnt Orange Report. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
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  10. ^ Marty Schladen. US Rep. Pete Gallego wants to help fix Congress Archived February 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. El Paso Times, October 21, 2013.
  11. ^ Gallego, Pete P. (August 2020). "P E T E P. G A L L E G O" (PDF).
  12. ^ "MALLFoundation". Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  13. ^ "COUNCIL OF LATINO CAUCUS CHAIRS". BLLL. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  14. ^ "Alumni". www.texaslyceum.org. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  15. ^ Perry, Mike. Gallego makes it official: He's running for U.S. Congress Archived February 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Alpine Daily Planet, September 1, 2011.
  16. ^ 2012 Democratic Party Primary Runoff July 31, 2012 Archived November 8, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Martin, Gary (August 1, 2012). "Gallego beats Rodriguez to challenge Canseco in the fall". MySanAntonio. Archived from the original on March 11, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  18. ^ a b Martin, Gary (August 16, 2012). "Pete Gallego overhauls congressional campaign a fourth time". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  19. ^ Martin, Gary (August 1, 2012). "Gallego starts swinging at Canseco in 23rd congressional race". San Antonio News-Express. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  20. ^ Trujillo, Mario (November 25, 2012). "Blue Dog Democrats fight for relevance". The Hill. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  21. ^ Beard, Sterling (April 22, 2013). "Rep. Gallego enjoys rare status as a new Texas Democrat in the House". The Hill. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  22. ^ "Pete P. Gallego's Political Summary". Project Vote Smart. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  23. ^ Grissom, Brandi (March 4, 2014). "Liveblog: 2014 Primary Election". Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on July 5, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  24. ^ Delreal, Jose (May 27, 2014). "Will Hurd wins TX-23 rematch against Francisco "Quico" Canseco". Politico. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  25. ^ Isenstadt, Alex (March 4, 2013). "Democrats launching plan for 2014 at-risk members". Politico. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  26. ^ Garcia, Gilbert (July 9, 2017). "Gallego inches toward third run at Congressman Hurd". San Antonio Express-News. p. A2. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  27. ^ Svitek, Patrick (September 1, 2017). "Pete Gallego passes on second bid to reclaim old seat in Congress from Will Hurd". Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  28. ^ Svitek, Patrick (July 31, 2018). "Republican Pete Flores, Democrat Pete Gallego set for runoff for Uresti seat". Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  29. ^ McGuinness, Dylan. Flores defeats Gallego in Senate District 19 Archived February 26, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, San Antonio Express-News, September 19, 2018.
  30. ^ Svitek, Patrick (September 18, 2018). "Republican Pete Flores upsets Democrat Pete Gallego in race for Uresti seat". Texas Tribune. Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  31. ^ "Institutional Resumes". apps.highered.texas.gov. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
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  33. ^ "Sul Ross State University - Graduation, Transfer-out, and Retention Rate". College Tuition Compare. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  34. ^ "News Release". www.tsus.edu (Press release). November 12, 2021. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  35. ^ "Pete Gallego, President Emeritus". Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
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  37. ^ "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 154". House.gov. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
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  39. ^ Schladen, Marty (February 9, 2014). "Libre Initiative targets Obama's Affordable Care Act". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  40. ^ Pabst, Georgia (February 23, 2014). "Libre Initiative reaches out to Hispanics with free-enterprise message". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
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  53. ^ "Pete Gallego Elementary School". Texas Public Schools. December 8, 2015. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  54. ^ Zavala, Elizabeth (March 13, 2023). "Former lawmaker hired by Bexar County DA to be director of communications". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  55. ^ "Pete Gallego: Rural Texas universities must come up with fresh ways to help students with debt". Dallas News. April 7, 2021. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  56. ^ "In McCarthy vote, GOP wants conformity, but it's getting democracy". Dallas News. January 6, 2023. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  57. ^ "Without tenure, too many professors will be 'Gone From Texas'". Dallas News. May 25, 2023. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  58. ^ Gallego, Pete (March 10, 2023). "New Mexico keeps college debt down. Why can't Texas? (Opinion)". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  59. ^ Gallego, Pete (March 8, 2023). "Commentary: Texas GOP censured Tony Gonzales for showing independence". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  60. ^ Gallego, Pete. "From College President to College Dad, Understanding What Really Matters in Admissions". Inside Higher Ed. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 23rd congressional district
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2015 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative