Gary Wilton Gates Jr. (born July 22, 1959) is a

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

businessman and a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

member of the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abou ...

for House District 28, which is located in

Fort Bend County Fort Bend County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. The county was founded in 1837 and organized the next year. It is named for a blockhouse at a bend of the Brazos River. The community developed around the fort in early days. The ...

in the southwest

Houston metro area Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

Texas House of Representatives

On January 28, 2020, Gates won the special runoff election for Texas House District 28. He defeated the

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, an educator, Elizabeth A. "Eliz" Markowitz of

Katy, Texas Katy is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Greater Katy area, itself forming the western part of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Homes and businesses may have Katy postal addresses without being in the City of Katy. The city of ...

, by 58% of the vote to 42%, a 16-point win that has been characterized as an "easy win". Saying the district was a bellwether, Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and

Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren ( née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the senior United States senator from Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party and regarded as a ...

endorsed Markowitz; and

Mike Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ca ...

and

Julian Castro Julián Castro ( , ; born September 16, 1974) is an American lawyer and politician from San Antonio. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the youngest member of President Obama's cabinet, serving as the 16th United States Secretary of Hou ...

endorsed Markowitz and block walked for her, attempting to flip the district and defeat Gates. Former U.S. Senate nominee and presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke knocked on doors and rallied canvassers.Weber, Paul J
Democrats' early 2020 blitz to strike in Texas flops
'' CBS Austin-KEYE TV'', January 29, 2020. The race was Gates' seventh run for political office. After the election, the Republicans criticized the Democrats as overplaying their hand in the Gates special election; while the Democrats pointed to unique aspects of the campaign, specifically Gates' ability to self-fund his campaign. Gates spent about $1.8 million of his own money on the campaign. Markowitz was given political donations from Forward Majority for $420,000,

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the Democratic Party (United States), U.S. Democratic Party organization that works to elect Democrats to State legislature (United States), state legislatures. The committee was formed after ...

for $170,000, and State Representative

Celia Israel Celia Marie Israel (born July 15, 1964) is an American politician. She previously represented the 50th district in the Texas House of Representatives and was succeeded by State Representative James Talarico when she chose to run for Austin Mayo ...

's Texas House Democrat Campaign Committee of $120,000.Taylor, MaKenzie
The Back Mic: Big Spenders in the House District 28 Special Election
''The Texan'',

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

, January 31, 2020. Turnout for the special runoff election was very high and possibly historic since there were over 30,000 voters, a 20 percent turnout which is the highest in Texas since at least 1992. Gates defeated a Republican opponent, small business owner Michelle D. "Schell" Hammel of Katy, in the March 3, 2020 primary, receiving 95% of the vote.Para, Jen
Gary Gates wins 2020 Republican primary for House District 28 seat
''Community Impact'', March 4, 2020. Gates will face Markowitz again in November 2020 in the general election. Gates supports a ban on Democrats being given committee chairmanships as long as the Republicans hold the majority of seats.

Personal life

Gates lives in

Richmond, Texas Richmond is a city in and the county seat of Fort Bend County, Texas, Fort Bend County, Texas, United States. The city is located within the metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city population was 11,627. It is home to the founder ...

, a suburb of

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

southwest of the city, with his wife, Melissa, and his 13 children, of whom 11 are adopted.Tyer, Brad
A Father's Retribution
''

Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely by advertising ...

'', October 5, 2000.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gates, Gary Living people 1959 births Place of birth missing (living people) Businesspeople from Texas Christians from Texas Republican Party members of the Texas House of Representatives Rogers State University alumni 21st-century American legislators 21st-century Texas politicians