Matt Shaheen

Matt Shaheen
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 66th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 13, 2015
Preceded byVan Taylor
Personal details
Born
Matthew Frank Shaheen

(1965-06-08) June 8, 1965 (age 59)
Virginia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseRobyn
Children3
Residence(s)Plano, Texas, U.S.
EducationRandolph–Macon College (BS)
Southern Methodist University (MA)

Matthew Frank Shaheen (born June 8, 1965) is an American politician serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 66th district. Elected in the November 2014, he assumed office in January 2015.

Early life and education

Shaheen was born in Virginia.[1] He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business economics from Randolph–Macon College and a Master of Arts in liberal arts from Southern Methodist University.[2]

Career

Shaheen worked as a business executive at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He was also a member of the Collin County Board of Commissioners.[3] Shaheen was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in November 2014 and assumed office in January 2015. During the 2019–2020 legislative session, Shaheen was the vice chair of the House Urban Affairs Committee. Shaheen is the founder of the Texas Freedom Caucus, a legislative caucus in the Texas House modeled after the Freedom Caucus.[4]

During the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, Shaheen endorsed Senator Ted Cruz.[5]

Shaheen was viewed as a possible candidate for the Texas Senate in 2018, but opted to seek re-election to the House instead.[6]

Shaheen supports a ban on Democrats being given committee chairmanships as long as the Republicans hold the majority of seats in the Texas House.[7]

Electoral history

Republican primary results, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Shaheen 4,916 48.83
Republican Glenn Callison 4,031 40.04
Republican Stacy Chen 1,120 11.13
Total votes 10,067 100.00
Republican primary runoff results, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Shaheen 4,612 54.27
Republican Glenn Callison 3,886 45.73
Total votes 8,498 100.00
Texas House of Representatives, District 66, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Shaheen 24,631 100.00
Total votes 24,631 100.00
Republican hold
Texas House of Representatives, District 66, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Shaheen 40,368 57.39
Democratic Gnanse Nelson 27,240 38.73
Libertarian Shawn W. Jones 2,726 3.88
Total votes 70,334 100.00
Republican hold
Texas House of Representatives, District 66, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Shaheen 34,382 50.29
Democratic Sharon Hirsch 33,991 49.71
Total votes 68,373 100.00
Republican hold
Texas House of Representatives, District 66, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Shaheen 42,728 49.56
Democratic Sharon Hirsch 41,879 48.58
Libertarian Shawn W. Jones 1,600 1.86
Total votes 86,207 100.00
Republican hold

References

  1. ^ "Matt Shaheen's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  2. ^ "Rep. Matt Shaheen - Texas State Directory Online". www.txdirectory.com. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  3. ^ Representatives, Texas House of. "Rep. Shaheen, Matt District 66". www.house.texas.gov. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  4. ^ "Matt Shaheen". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  5. ^ "Press Release - 41 Texas Lawmakers Endorse Cruz for President | The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  6. ^ Svitek, Patrick (August 18, 2017). "State Rep. Matt Shaheen passes on Texas Senate run". The Eagle. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  7. ^ Johnson, Brad. The Back Mic: Legislators Opposed to Democratic Chairs Listed, Rep. Moody Quells DA Appointment Rumors, House Rules Discussed, The Texan, December 9, 2022.
Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the
Texas House of Representatives
from the 66th district
2015–present 		Incumbent


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